The topic of this post may seem like a no-brainer, but it's something I still feel like I should probably explain.
Bloggers blog about their life--things going on, things that interest them, things that are important to them, things about them, happenings, news, etc. And if they're extra brave, they don't just blog about the happy things, which we all know tends to imply that life is nothing but smooth sailing.
All of the above also applies to bloggers like me who live with a chronic illness. It would be silly (in my opinion) to not talk about my health problems and what it's like living with them. It would paint a totally inaccurate picture of me and my life. And it would also be a missed opportunity to spread awareness of my kinds of illnesses and what it's like living with a chronic illness in general.
To someone who is ill, no abundance of description can be accurate and vivid enough to get across what such an existence is like. But to those who are not, it is so abnormal and out of their comfort zone to read what people like me live with every day that attempts at descriptions can seem exaggerated. It can also seem like we're either doing nothing but complaining or are totally self-centered and depressed people. But the reality is that we are simply trying to get across our very complex, unavoidable reality in words that those who cannot understand it experientially can at least begin to understand in theory.
This blog is a chance to speak up about chronic illness and raise awareness. What good would it do for me to just keep to myself what all's going on with my health problems? Then no one who's suffering as I am can see that they're not alone, no one can benefit from any tips and discoveries I pass along, and no one who's well can become aware that there are tons of people out there not functioning day in and day out like they are. That their health and ability to function is to be treasured every day and is as unimaginable a condition as our sickness is to them. And such awareness brings understanding, if not experiential, and also validation to those of us who feel so abnormal and misunderstood.
I don't expect a lot to come of such posts of mine, as I'm sure most other chronically ill bloggers don't. (And there are a lot of us.) We just want you to know. To be informed.
So when people like me post about our treatments, our difficulties, our day-to-day experiences, or just seem to mention health issues in any post regardless of topic, we're not doing it to get attention or because we're just so horribly engrossed in ourselves--it's because that is our life, whether we like it (ha) or not. And we don't expect you to understand it. We would just love for you to be willing to try.
Bloggers blog about their life--things going on, things that interest them, things that are important to them, things about them, happenings, news, etc. And if they're extra brave, they don't just blog about the happy things, which we all know tends to imply that life is nothing but smooth sailing.
All of the above also applies to bloggers like me who live with a chronic illness. It would be silly (in my opinion) to not talk about my health problems and what it's like living with them. It would paint a totally inaccurate picture of me and my life. And it would also be a missed opportunity to spread awareness of my kinds of illnesses and what it's like living with a chronic illness in general.
To someone who is ill, no abundance of description can be accurate and vivid enough to get across what such an existence is like. But to those who are not, it is so abnormal and out of their comfort zone to read what people like me live with every day that attempts at descriptions can seem exaggerated. It can also seem like we're either doing nothing but complaining or are totally self-centered and depressed people. But the reality is that we are simply trying to get across our very complex, unavoidable reality in words that those who cannot understand it experientially can at least begin to understand in theory.
This blog is a chance to speak up about chronic illness and raise awareness. What good would it do for me to just keep to myself what all's going on with my health problems? Then no one who's suffering as I am can see that they're not alone, no one can benefit from any tips and discoveries I pass along, and no one who's well can become aware that there are tons of people out there not functioning day in and day out like they are. That their health and ability to function is to be treasured every day and is as unimaginable a condition as our sickness is to them. And such awareness brings understanding, if not experiential, and also validation to those of us who feel so abnormal and misunderstood.
I don't expect a lot to come of such posts of mine, as I'm sure most other chronically ill bloggers don't. (And there are a lot of us.) We just want you to know. To be informed.
So when people like me post about our treatments, our difficulties, our day-to-day experiences, or just seem to mention health issues in any post regardless of topic, we're not doing it to get attention or because we're just so horribly engrossed in ourselves--it's because that is our life, whether we like it (ha) or not. And we don't expect you to understand it. We would just love for you to be willing to try.
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