Moving to Ireland
The purpose:
I have one single dream, and that is to be able to relocate to Ireland. Ever since I visited Ireland for the very first time back in 2006, I've known in my heart that this is where I'm supposed to be, it's where I belong. I want to live where people see me a human, an individual, not a problem or an expense. I want to be happy.
Unfortunately, I don't have any ties to Ireland, no family there, because that could have made my quest a lot easier. I'm well aware of the fact that it'll be near impossible to realise my dream, but I'm someone who believes in possibilities – and this is what I want. I want to be where my heart tells me that I belong, and I need to make it happen before it's too late.
The individual:
I have SMA (spinal muscular atrophy), a diagnosis I got as a little girl, which means that my body is slowly shutting down on me. I'm growing weaker every week even though this is a reality I refuse to let dominate my life.
Today I'm living in Drammen, Norway, together with my two dogs. I moved here in 2019 as an attempt to change my life, but then Covid-19 struck, and the world stopped turning. I need personal assistance/carers 24/7 to live my life, simply because I don't have the physical strength to carry out the smallest tasks by myself.
You might ask why I don't just move? I spent 17 years applying for jobs before I struck gold and found my dream job as a freelance translator. Unfortunately, I've had many problems with my assistance over the last eight years and a year ago reality caught up with me, causing me to lose my job because I wasn't able to meet the short deadlines without the assistance I needed to get the work done. To top it off, I spiralled into a bad depression. I am so tired of fighting for the smallest things, like being able to go to the toilet or leave the apartment for a few hours. I can't keep feeling like a burden to everyone around me. It's slowly killing me.
The plan:
Applying for school and becoming a student again. That way I might qualify for student housing, which will buy me some time to find a nice place to live. If going back to school is not an option, I need to find a place to rent for a year, so I may keep my apartment if everything goes south, and I need to move back home to Norway.
I need assistance. I'm eligible for a medical card, which gives me the right to personal assistance. I can't apply until I am a resident, and I'm unable to move without personal assistance. A real catch-22. Worst case scenario, I have to pay for the personal assistance myself. Either way, I need to bring at least one assistant/person with me for some time to settle in and train a few new assistants.
Making an enormous change like this will take time, and it will probably cost me a fortune. It can't be done in a week or even a year, it will most likely take several years, but this is something I need to do. I need something to keep myself occupied with, to make my darkest days brighter, something to look forward to and work towards. I need to do it for myself, and I need to set the wheels in motion.
No donation is too small, and every single donation will help me a little bit closer to my dream, and to make my life better. Maybe you know someone who can help me get further? Regarding housing, or maybe even assistance? Sharing any information with me would be helpful. Thank you so much for reading this far, and know that you have my eternal gratitude no matter if you donate or not. Thank you!
