Eleonore Blaurock-Busch

German medical researcher Dr Eleonore Blaurock-Busch shares why she started the MSc in Creative Writing at the age of 75.

Name	Eleonore Blaurock-Busch
Degree	Creative Writing
Year of graduation	2019

At the moment

I am German, and lived in the USA for nearly 40 years. But since 2000, I have lived in Hersbruck near Nuremberg, Germany, where I still work part-time as a medical researcher. I've just celebrated my 80^th birthday and I'm feeling great. If I could continue on to a PhD in Creative Writing, I would feel accomplished, but I have my 10 year old dog Lilli with me, and she wouldn't want me to leave or to live with me in a big town.

What irritates me is that older people are not taken seriously anymore. Why? Because we’ll die? Well, I’ve seen much younger people die before me. Not that I want to live forever. No! But as long as I am here, allow me to be equal; allow me to do what I still can.

Your time at the University

I am a laboratory analyst and medical researcher with a PhD in Human Nutrition. Before I attended Edinburgh, I had published a number of medical textbooks and self-help books on nutrition and health care. I’ve always loved writing poetry. Rather than getting bored, I decided to enrol in Edinburgh’s online Creative Writing programme at the age of 75 - and really, really enjoyed it. It helped me shape up my English and of course steered me more towards writing poetry.

Your experiences since leaving the University

Since Edinburgh, I have published some research papers on environmental issues and autism, self-published a poetry book, 'Haikus and Other Shorties', and just recently a poetry/picture book, 'The Silly Lilly Friendship Book'. I am also in a writing group here in town, and teaching poetry. I have published two other medical textbooks and teach webinars to medical doctors about environmental health.

I tell people to do what they enjoy and if this does not fit expectations, so be it. Life is too short to waste time. Two German books are in press, one for young girls, 'Pias reise zu den sternen'('Pias journey to the stars'), and a textbook on orthomolecular medicine ('Mg^o Fachverlag'). And I'm planning another book of poetry with the working title 'Wall of Silence'.

Life during Covid-19

Covid has not affected my rather solitary life, which is focused on work and progress, fighting computers etc. Still, I get Covid nerves, yet it keeps me from taking too much time away from my desk and therefore, I am not complaining. Lilli isn’t either. She loves home office i.e. me being around 24 hours a day.

Alumni wisdom

Follow your dreams, work hard and don’t worry. Don’t stress about crossing bridges. You can do either (stress or simply cross) when you get there.