I’m always looking for a word as a title for the blog entry. This one was going to be ‘mad’. On second thoughts, I went for ‘far’. Both would have been good. One a bit funnier, the other a bit more positive.

Mad – We’re treating the wrong people. Our problem are the normal! (Irre – Wir behandeln die Falschen. Unser Problem sind die Normalen.) – That’s the title of a best selling book in Germany by doctor, (catholic) theologian, and writer Manfred Lütz.

As I was been listening to German radio today trying to organise the content of our apartment in Hamburg and getting it ready for moving, Lütz was interviewed on radio at the Frankfurt Book Fair. He says that a psychiatric illness manifests itself by a person not being able to change perspective. He says that patients can be helped by focusing on their abilities not on a collection of symptoms. He says, that therapy is all about opening doors and that it is up to the patient to choose the direction of their movement.

He says, that it is the ‘normal’ people who usually cause the trouble. He mentioned economic/corporate criminals, I would add bankers, speculators, politicians, regulators, and car manufacturers. – And while we are at it: there’s plenty of people in and responsible for the health system who find it very difficult to change their perspective…

Trying to get ready to empty the apartment is almost impossible. Where on earth is it all going to go? And while I thought I was looking forward, rather than back, this here is a journey through the last two years. There is peg food, water bottles for the drip, suctioning equipment, oximetres, oxygen equipment, catheter changing gear…. there’s no end to stuff Pádraig doesn’t need anymore because he is now so much better.

How far Pádraig has come since we arrived here almost two years ago! How encouraging is that! What a reason never to give up!