About [updated]

“In the depth of winter,
I finally learned that within me
lay an invincible summer.”
(Albert Camus)

“IMSM is an award-winning blog that chronicles the inspiring journey of the quirky, tenacious, and neurologically compromised life of Willeke-Maya. Twenty years post-diagnosis, her world blossomed into one filled with determination, creative imagination and engaging and advocating for those with invisible illnesses. In short, this blog is about becoming normal when life with MS is a beautiful mess when, in her words, “My lesions and I are one big happy, dysfunctional family.

Living in Ireland since 2002 and diagnosed 2.5 years later, MS seemed awkward, puzzling, and easier said than done at first. Any illness is unwelcome, and life with multiple sclerosis often resembles a war zone, especially when trigeminal neuralgia joins fatigue that belongs in the narcolepsy category of life, including sound sensitivity that turns screaming children into auditory hell. Elsewhere, neuropathic pain, vertigo, ataxia, and prospective memory issues are just a few things that occupy my day.

In short, MS is the type of illness that carries this tagline, “The illness is mine, but the tragedy theirs,” when asked how loved ones feel about their condition. Buzzwords that don’t exactly calm down an overactive mind. But life goes on. Fifteen years with a progressive, neurodegenerative illness begs you to keep your chin up, for there is no other way to go through life. I hope you will find some solace in what I write, and do feel free to comment or send a private message on the Contact page.

Contributor to several MS organisations and blogs, here are just a few reviews that still make me blush and feel on top of the world to this day:

MyTherapy, Multiple Sclerosis Blogs: 10 of the Best: These Bloggers Living with MS Share Their Insight and Wisdom:

“We wrote of Willeke Van Eeckhoutte last year:

Willeke’s insightful writing and thoughtful sharing of information has earned her blog widespread recognition and made it a fantastic destination for anyone seeking straight-forward answers to the many questions posed by MS. Those words still ring true today, as Willeke continues to combine musings about her own life with commentary on the wider world of multiple sclerosis.

In the 14 years since Willeke’s diagnosis, she has built a wealth of knowledge on many of the more complicated aspects of multiple sclerosis. Her seemingly effortless ability to use this knowledge to expand upon her own personal experiences is all the more impressive when you consider that Willeke, originally from Belgium, is not writing in her native language. Willeke comes across as a thoughtful individual whose blog is as well-written as it is insightful and well-researched.””

 
“Here are the 10 funniest, most empowering MS blogs to put a smile on your face while living with the illness.

Referring to her symptoms as her “MS-sponsored pyjama party,” Willeke-Maya often takes a jovial approach in her blog, Ireland, MS, and Me.

Once, when retrieving the results of an MRI scan, she was asked to present a photo ID, to which she wittily responded, “Isn’t an MRI, a picture of my brain, a photo ID?” She also has her more serious moments — like when she questions whether to enjoy life or waste away — but her posts consistently end happily.

PS: Check out her encouraging post about being single and chronically ill on Valentine’s Day and why it really doesn’t matter!”

This website does not:

◾ Publish health claims that seem too good to be true
◾ Use deliberately obscure, “scientific” sounding language
◾ promise quick, dramatic, miraculous results

Updated: January 29th, 2025

Signature WMX

blog-awards-2018_winners-gold-mpu-e1571651056851-12018 Winner Best Blog Post, Ireland Blog Awards by Ashville Media Group, Dublin, Ireland

◾ Everyday Health: Top 10 MS Blogs to Follow in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018
◾ Feedspot: Top 45 Best Multiple Sclerosis Blogs and Websites in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
◾ My Therapy: Multiple Sclerosis Blogs: 10 of the Best
◾ MyTherapy: Best MS Blog for Simplicity 2018
◾ Blog Awards Ireland: Winner Best Blog Post 2018; Finalist 2017, 2015, 2014;

© Willeke Van Eeckhoutte and Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis & Me, 2011-2025

 

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