Many Thanks

Wow, I have had over a thousand views now on my blog and I'm a bit overwhelmed, but in a good way. It has even reached as far as Australia and Thailand (okay the last one is my cousin, but still). I started this blog for me mostly, to be able to express myself and to be able to track my own progress. To be appreciative of every day. Yes I can write a diary but that can be painful. Over the past few months though I have fell in love with blogging and enjoying raising some awareness of this horrid condition. Even if it is just among my family members. Just a note on that. Even those closest to you can know completely what it's like. Yes, they see in you agony and have to help you wash and dress or interpret your sentences when your brain is in hibernation. Or you can explain the spoon theory to them to help them understand how you have to think about every little thing. But, they can never truly know and that is of course a good thing.

As I said in my first post this is a condition with very little answers and by writing candidly about my own experiences it was also a way to help other sufferers not feel so alone. To know that what was happening to them was also happening to others and likewise for myself. I wanted to reach out and learn from other bloggers and sufferers. To see what works for them or for them to see what helps me.

I have received some fantastic feedback and comments from other bloggers that could relate to my experience. Friends have been in touch to say that they were sorry I had been suffering so much and they did not know the full extent but by reading my blog they felt grateful for what they had. As I have said in the past I could be jealous of my friends going on to have great careers and enjoying their lives but that's not me. I am really happy for them and want them to do well. I don't want them to shy away from telling me about their work because I lost out. I want them to enjoy having their health and to be making the most of the careers they worked so hard to get. The people I was at college with honestly were so hard working and I am made up for them living their dreams. Yes I wish I was out there doing the same but I cannot begrudge them. Life is not a dress rehearsal as the say.

One friend said she was unsure about messaging me to say that she enjoyed my blog and that she was impressed with how was dealing with the condition because she did not want  to sound patronising. To me it was anything but. To know that someone else was inspired to enjoy their life and grateful for what they had was fantastic news. I cried tears of joy. As I said it, my family have also learnt a lot through my blog. This too was a shock as I thought they knew all there was. Especially my parents as they were living it with me. Handing me pain killers. Lifting me off the loo. But as my Mum said I'm the only one that's in my head. So it has been interesting for them too. Means I have to edit some stuff though haha. No of course I don't. I will continue to write as candidly as possible and share my experiences.

So thank you for all the great responses. Don't worry it's ok to enjoy a blog about health. Even at me getting stuck on cobble stones. I want this blog to be a good thing. That raises awareness but also shows that people with chronic illnesses are also 'people' and we can even laugh at ourselves. I hope you will all continue to enjoy my posts and if you learn something then that's fantastic.

Here's to many more posts.