Céline has Stiff-Person Syndrome

[incognito]

It seems she’s perplexed at not having access to Céline. As I already stated, I suspect she has proposed interviews or another book and either received no response or was declined. It just has a bitter tone. A weird tone considering the serious health issue at hand.

[ryba]

Who cares what this woman thinks

[Ajax]

It seems to me that Denise Bombardier got an idea of Céline: she spoke of her as a new national myth, useful for curing provincial complexes. Instead of choosing between the old ideal of loyalty to one's roots and the new model of hard work that leads to success - Céline succeeded in Denise's eyes in reconciling what was irreconcilable in traditional Quebec culture. She's talked about it many times in the past.

But to assume the role of "national pride" it is necessary at all times to be recognized from the outside (by the critics, by the "elites" of which she speaks), hence her visible frustration, her obsession with "status" and awkward comparisons (to which is added perhaps a personal disappointment: the fact that Denise Bombardier was never admitted into Céline's innermost circle as his confidante or adviser).

Ultimately, what strikes me is that Denise Bombardier seems to care more about his idea of Céline than Céline as a human being. And that despite appearances.

This is why Céline's illness is not for her the real cause of her bad patch but rather one more episode - because for Denise Bombardier the bad patch begins with the death of the "genial René" (isn't it the opinion of part of the fandom?).

All in all, it's quite bitter and unfair.

 

Yup, interesting. You're right on many aspects. And it's not the first time I find her way of analysing/speaking about Celine disturbing.

 

because for Denise Bombardier the bad patch begins with the death of the "genial René" (isn't it the opinion of part of the fandom?). Ultimately, what strikes me is that Denise Bombardier seems to care more about his idea of Céline than Céline as a human being - Also so true.

 

But yeah this time I really find her article disgusting. Sorry but it's exactly the same thing as someone telling to Mickael J Fox for example; What the f*** are you doing, De Niro is still making film, him.

 

This woman is mentally f***** up

[Zofia]

Who cares what this woman thinks

 

Maybe those who are interested in Céline as a cultural phenomenon and not only like to listen to her songs?

Denise Bombardier is an undisputed icon of the Quebec intellectual milieu, fascinated by Céline for years - and there are not many intellectuals who follow her.

[PuraVida]

What did Denise mean by this?

 

"A-t-elle oublié qu’elle a su surmonter le trait si québécois, celui d’être né pour un petit pain et qu’elle a permis au Québec tout entier de frôler ne fût-ce qu’un instant la fierté d’être de sa famille?"

 

------

 

Celine's isolation makes sense given that she was dealing with these mysterious symptoms for so long...her body was literally turning against her and she had no idea what was going on. And now that she has the diagnosis, she's choosing to focus completely on healing and not being a public figure. The only reason she was isolated before was due to the pandemic -- otherwise she would have been among her fans touring and, nowadays, doing promo for her new movie.

 

For all we know, her current state could be much worse than we know.

Edited May 10, 2023 at 07:52 PM by PuraVida

[nuts2you]

all little off topic here, but I wonder if we will get anything from her this Mothers Day with the Boys , Just like she did this time last yr

[Zofia]

What did Denise mean by this?

 

"A-t-elle oublié qu’elle a su surmonter le trait si québécois, celui d’être né pour un petit pain et qu’elle a permis au Québec tout entier de frôler ne fût-ce qu’un instant la fierté d’être de sa famille?"

 

------

 

Celine's isolation makes sense given that she was dealing with these mysterious symptoms for so long...her body was literally turning against her and she had no idea what was going on. And now that she has the diagnosis, she's choosing to focus completely on healing and not being a public figure. The only reason she was isolated before was due to the pandemic -- otherwise she would have been among her fans touring and, nowadays, doing promo for her new movie.

 

For all we know, her current state could be much worse than we know.

 

 

“Etre né pour un petit pain” it's a Quebec expression that means more or less “be born for bread crumbs”. It comes from Louis Hémon's famous novel "Maria Chapdelaine" (1913): its heroine renounces leaving for the United States in order to remain faithful to the traditional topos of Quebec culture - "stay at home, speak French, be Catholic, limit your aspirations , accept fate"… This is why some - including Bombardier - perceived Céline as an inverted Maria Chapdelaine because she does not renounce her ambitions or luxury, but at the same time she preserves her identity and remains proud of her roots.

 

As for “isolation”, I think Denise can be inspired a bit by Pieau et Tropéa's book "Céline Dion : la vraie histoire : les secrets d'une idole fragile” (“the real story: the secrets of a fragile idol") where it is the recurring and obsessive subject. I did not appreciate the tone of this book, much too sensational and gossipy (which sometimes really borders on the vile), but there are some interesting details there regarding isolation: Vito Luprano who very violently accuses René of having isolated Céline or the famous Claudette who admits for the first time to the authors that she has not had direct contact with her sister since the summer of 2020. But the book was published before December 8, which changes a lot…

 

It seems odd to me that Bombardier only mentions Céline's disease in one sentence, although in her own book she recounts what she saw during the world tour in 2008: how Céline struggles uncomplainingly against the pain caused by muscle spasms. And now she speaks of an "orphan illness that has locked her in her body that has become a source of intolerable pain", but as if she were incapable of realizing the reality that she herself expresses with this sentence...

[PuraVida]

“Etre né pour un petit pain” it's a Quebec expression that means more or less “be born for bread crumbs”. It comes from Louis Hémon's famous novel "Maria Chapdelaine" (1913): its heroine renounces leaving for the United States in order to remain faithful to the traditional topos of Quebec culture - "stay at home, speak French, be Catholic, limit your aspirations , accept fate"… This is why some - including Bombardier - perceived Céline as an inverted Maria Chapdelaine because she does not renounce her ambitions or luxury, but at the same time she preserves her identity and remains proud of her roots.

 

So now she's criticizing Celine for refusing to return to her roots i.e. talk to her family and give the Quebec media some soundbites? That seems a bit selfish and not compassionate.

[scielle]

Where did the info about Céline potentially being at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester come from, anyone recall? And was it ever confirmed? Or was it just one of the shady French tabloids?

 

Anyway, this past week, a biotech company Adixit announced they partnered with said clinic in a new SPS medical trial. It’s only going to be something like 10-15 patients, but it made me wonder if Céline would ever participate in something like this or whether she’d find it too risky.

 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230505005060/en/Aditxt-Subsidiary-Adimune-Signs-Clinical-Trial-Agreement-with-Top-Research-Institution-to-Study-Stiff-Person-Syndrome

 

 

[Zofia]

Where did the info about Céline potentially being at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester come from, anyone recall? And was it ever confirmed? Or was it just one of the shady French tabloids?

 

To my knowledge, the only source was "Closer" of March 10, later taken up by other media (this text is also curious and hopefully not very precise; the Dr. Jill R. Schofield from Colorado mentioned there seems sympathetic but she apparently has no experience treating SPS, unlike the Mayo Clinic team…)

 

Anyway, this past week, a biotech company Adixit announced they partnered with said clinic in a new SPS medical trial. It's only going to be something like 10-15 patients, but it made me wonder if Céline would ever participate in something like this or whether she'd find it too risky.

 

https://www.business...Person-Syndrome

 

It's very interesting. Much depends on its response to standard treatment; some patients' symptoms are fairly well controlled, while others are not at all… If you're not lucky in this cruel fight, it's worth taking even a big risk. For my part, I hope that Celine has been qualified for HSCT, for now the only method that allows patients with SPS to achieve remission (according to the first studies based of course on a limited group of patients, about 1/3 of patients go into remission thanks to stem cell transplantation and 1/3 acquire at least improvement; here are some interesting and fairly recent articles that give me hope: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33318163/ also https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32785838/

and https://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/fulltext/2021/01210/hematopoietic_stem_cell_transplantation_found_safe.4.aspx )

[PuraVida]

I only remember her being rumoured to be in Denver, and then it was later confirmed. Medicine can make so many advances these days, it's a shame to lose some of Celine's golden years, but it's hard to imagine that in 10-15 years there won't be way more known about SPS that can really help those who suffer from it.

[Ukrfan]

“Etre né pour un petit pain” it's a Quebec expression that means more or less “be born for bread crumbs”. It comes from Louis Hémon's famous novel "Maria Chapdelaine" (1913): its heroine renounces leaving for the United States in order to remain faithful to the traditional topos of Quebec culture - "stay at home, speak French, be Catholic, limit your aspirations , accept fate"… This is why some - including Bombardier - perceived Céline as an inverted Maria Chapdelaine because she does not renounce her ambitions or luxury, but at the same time she preserves her identity and remains proud of her roots.

 

As for “isolation”, I think Denise can be inspired a bit by Pieau et Tropéa's book "Céline Dion : la vraie histoire : les secrets d'une idole fragile” (“the real story: the secrets of a fragile idol") where it is the recurring and obsessive subject. I did not appreciate the tone of this book, much too sensational and gossipy (which sometimes really borders on the vile), but there are some interesting details there regarding isolation: Vito Luprano who very violently accuses René of having isolated Céline or the famous Claudette who admits for the first time to the authors that she has not had direct contact with her sister since the summer of 2020. But the book was published before December 8, which changes a lot…

 

It seems odd to me that Bombardier only mentions Céline's disease in one sentence, although in her own book she recounts what she saw during the world tour in 2008: how Céline struggles uncomplainingly against the pain caused by muscle spasms. And now she speaks of an "orphan illness that has locked her in her body that has become a source of intolerable pain", but as if she were incapable of realizing the reality that she herself expresses with this sentence...

 

What? First time I hear it. So Celine had spasms even in 2008?

[scielle]

 

What? First time I hear it. So Celine had spasms even in 2008?

 

Yes, it’s mentioned briefly in Denise’s book. (That passage where Céline talks about Globus Syndrome; I had posted it somewhere here around the time of the initial muscle-spasm related cancellations). And of course there’s that Gwen Korovin scene in TTEOTW.

 

The tabloid press seized on the Globus Syndrome point months ago, though it was some time after we had talked about it here and before we knew about the SPS diagnosis. They trotted out some supposed former Céline doctor and claimed it’s all psychosomatic.

 

Edited May 11, 2023 at 11:11 AM by scielle

[Ukrfan]

Yes, it's mentioned briefly in Denise's book. (That passage where Céline talks about Globus Syndrome; I had posted it somewhere here long ago). And of course there's that Gwen Korovin scene in TTEOTW.

 

The tabloid press seized on the Globus Syndrome point some time after her initial muscle-spasm related cancellation, though it was some time after we had talked about it here and before we knew about the SPS diagnosis. They trotted out some supposed former Céline doctor and claimed it's all psychosomatic.

 

I remember Gwen's scene from TTEOTW. However, I always thought it was only about her vocal cords, which is not likely to be a symptom of early SPS (from what I read, it usually starts in the abdomen / back or legs). But I think according to Denise's book, Celine had body spasms too? Now that is concerning.

[scielle]

I remember Gwen's scene from TTEOTW. However, I always thought it was only about her vocal cords, which is not likely to be a symptom of early SPS (from what I read, it usually starts in the abdomen / back or legs). But I think according to Denise's book, Celine had body spasms too? Now that is concerning.

 

Here's that passage from the Denise Bombardier book:

 

(I've been re-reading the Denise Bombardier book, and she says directly in here she has throat spasms, and this was back in 2008. So seems a persistent issue that's gotten worse. "Savez-vouse ce que c'est que le syndrome du Globus? demante-t-elle avec de la frayeur dans le ton. C'est ce que j'ai, ajoute-t-elle. Pendant que je suis sur scene en train de chanter, je suis prise de spasmes. Ma voix ne repond plus, elle accroche dans ma gorge.")

[scielle]

As for “isolation”, I think Denise can be inspired a bit by Pieau et Tropéa's book "Céline Dion : la vraie histoire : les secrets d'une idole fragile” (“the real story: the secrets of a fragile idol") where it is the recurring and obsessive subject. I did not appreciate the tone of this book, much too sensational and gossipy (which sometimes really borders on the vile), but there are some interesting details there regarding isolation: Vito Luprano who very violently accuses René of having isolated Céline or the famous Claudette who admits for the first time to the authors that she has not had direct contact with her sister since the summer of 2020. But the book was published before December 8, which changes a lot…

 

Celine hasn't talked to Claudette since summer 2020? Perhaps because she knows Claudette can't stop blabbing to the tabloid press...

[incognito]

Yeah and she blabbed about Colorado too which was likely 2nd hand info. Maybe she wasn’t even in Colorado. I wouldn’t tell Claudette a single thing.

[LukeD]

Denise's article is vomit inducing. Especially the comment in relation to Rene dying again. Celine must sue her sorry #ss.

[PuraVida]

Yeah and she blabbed about Colorado too which was likely 2nd hand info. Maybe she wasn't even in Colorado. I wouldn't tell Claudette a single thing.

 

I thought there was some further sources on this, but now I think I may have been mis-remembering. All I found was this:

 

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[zuv]

Lol i didnt know you guys were talking about Denise article for the last 2 pages of this thread… 😅

[Zofia]

Yes, it's mentioned briefly in Denise's book. (That passage where Céline talks about Globus Syndrome; I had posted it somewhere here around the time of the initial muscle-spasm related cancellations). And of course there's that Gwen Korovin scene in TTEOTW.

 

The tabloid press seized on the Globus Syndrome point months ago, though it was some time after we had talked about it here and before we knew about the SPS diagnosis. They trotted out some supposed former Céline doctor and claimed it's all psychosomatic.

 

 

 

Besides the famous Globus Syndrome - with which dr. Jean Abitbol had his 5 minutes of fame in the media - is very often a manifestation of SPS (many patients complain of difficulty in swallowing and articulation "as if they had an obstacle in the throat").

 

Apart from the Globus Syndrome, in Bombardier's book there are also several mentions of other symptoms (including muscle spasms) and a scene where Celine suffers from a severe spasm in her neck (I will provide exact quotes in a few days, after returning to my library). Were these the early symptoms of SPS or simply the effects of overwork from which all great athletes suffer? - difficult to determine. The SPS is still too little known, but recently I read the confession of a 56-year-old patient and immediately thought of Céline: “Looking back, I can see that I had a milder version of the symptoms most of my life” (https://www.happiesthealth.com/articles/neurology/stiff-person-syndrome?fbclid=IwAR0dsdSBku27kkPjFj3IfxmjrATbN4DsUDpNv0Cwrw_xfDFX3TS6HfhJlUw).

[Zofia]

Celine hasn't talked to Claudette since summer 2020? Perhaps because she knows Claudette can't stop blabbing to the tabloid press...

 

 

Reading Claudette's story, I was torn between a sort of Schadenfreude (it's naughty, I know) and worry; it was before December 8 but a drama could be guessed.

According to his words, the Dion clan met for the last time in Quebec, in the chalet rented by Celine in the summer of 2019 and they had a great time together. After returning to Vegas, Celine wanted to go on a FaceTime date: “We had all gathered, we were ready but the boys had gone golfing and no one but them had the WiFi code. We missed our FaceTime meeting. Since then, it's been two years since we've seen Céline. "But do you regularly have him on the phone?" Claudette hesitates: — I'm not talking to him directly. To address her sister, […] Claudette Dion now goes through another sister, Linda […]. His gaze is lost... "It's very short, we don't speak to him directly, in person.. . […] The last time her family saw Celine was at Thérèse's funeral on February 20, 2020.”

 

Since then, as the authors of the book note, Claudette knows nothing more about her sister than the rest of the world: she follows the media, she hears rumors, "like everyone else": “from time to time, Claudette calls Linda. “She reassures us when we want news,” she confides, without wanting to expand too much and miming a call to her sister: “Tell me the truth! Linda responds, "No, no, no, don't worry."

 

To my knowledge, it is for the first time that Claudette does not play the confidante of her famous sister and we would like to exclaim "finally!"; on the other side, we sense something sinister here.

 

The book was published on November 17, 2022 by Robert Laffont (one of the most important publishing houses in France).

[Zofia]

I thought there was some further sources on this, but now I think I may have been mis-remembering. All I found was this:

 

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Rumors about Celine's stay in Denver have two sources: Claudette and new biographer, Laurence Catinot-Crost. Some details - among others the name of Jill R. Schofield - are first provided by "Closer" on March 10 and then republished by other media.

[PuraVida]

Rumors about Celine's stay in Denver have two sources: Claudette and new biographer, Laurence Catinot-Crost. Some details - among others the name of Jill R. Schofield - are first provided by "Closer" on March 10 and then republished by other media.

 

Are you able to find the Closer article? I was searching and for some reason it wouldn't come up.

[Zofia]

Are you able to find the Closer article? I was searching and for some reason it wouldn't come up.

 

Here's what's available online (perhaps the print version was more developed, but that's all the information that in March made the rounds in the tabloids):

https://www.closermag.fr/people/exclu.-celine-dion-malade-ce-traitement-de-choc-de-la-derniere-chance-1699619

[chocolatechip15]

A Journal de Montreal article from Denise Bombardier: https://www.journald...enue-une-enigme

 

She's worried Céline has fallen off the radar, is isolated in Vegas, "a prisoner of forced solitude", her voice is unrecognizable on these new songs, her film was demolished by Variety and performed poorly at box office, and is generally sad and worried that she has no one to support her and help her…

 

What nonsense. A prisoner of forced solitude?? Who said she is lonely and isolated? She's stepped back from public life to focus on her health in privacy, which . . .makes complete sense. Of course it's very sad and horrible that she's dealing with such an awful illness. But it's downright bizarre that this article talks about her "isolation" and "loneliness" and the deaths of Rene and Maman Dion . .without even mentioning that she has 3 children! One of whom is an adult. And doesn't she live with her sister and brother-in-law? It seems fairly absurd to conclude that she's isolated and without support or help.

Edited May 13, 2023 at 02:43 AM by chocolatechip15

[scielle]

I watched the Michael J Fox documentary yesterday and man, it’s all so sad.

And then reading this interview with Christina Applegate and her experience with MS: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/05/christina-applegate-on-ms-and-its-toll-on-her-life-and-iconic-career-it-f-king-sucks

 

Ugh, it f*****g sucks to know Céline is likely going through something very similar. And how cruel that this disease is robbing her of something she so loves.

[scielle]

So I found this blog: https://thestiffman.com/

It's someone with SPS who has been documenting his recent treatment - chemo and both a stem cell and bone marrow transplant... Apparently it's a very experimental procedure and only something like 10 people have had it (in Denver & Seattle). You're supposed to quarantine for 100 afterwards because the immune system is basically starting at zero. I've only read a few of the entries and I think it's early days but he seems to be doing a bit better?

It's all so brutal though. I wonder if Celine would put herself through something this experimental.

[Davey84]

So I found this blog: https://thestiffman.com/

It's someone with SPS who has been documenting his recent treatment - chemo and both a stem cell and bone marrow transplant... Apparently it's a very experimental procedure and only something like 10 people have had it (in Denver & Seattle). You're supposed to quarantine for 100 afterwards because the immune system is basically starting at zero. I've only read a few of the entries and I think it's early days but he seems to be doing a bit better?

It's all so brutal though. I wonder if Celine would put herself through something this experimental.

 

If she is, then no way in hell she's traveling across Europe in 3 months!

[scielle]

If she is, then no way in hell she's traveling across Europe in 3 months!

 

Yeah...

It's kinda wild that there are so few people with SPS that any clinical trial will have a single-digit number of participants... research at snail pace, which is not good news for anyone suffering from this.

 

It's interesting to see him mention Celine quite a bit in his posts, even going so far as to say, "If this works on me, maybe Celine Dion can also benefit. She seems like a very nice person so it would be cool to help her get better, and the others with SPS too."

Is someone cutting onions?