Why I'm Writing (A Chronic Illness Blog)

I have found writing to be enjoyable in the last several months as our country went through the a presidential election process and as I have moved toward a diagnosis after years of illness. I feel that recording the journey from this point forward, will be beneficial to me and hopefully to someone else as well.  Any writing I have done prior to this was either just about myself privately or public Facebook posts.  I think it’s a big step to share your whole story publicly, regardless of the topic.

I didn't even know what blogging or a blog was before I got sick.

I have thought about sending out weekly e-mails to a list of family and friends but I think a blog would be much more user friendly.

I am hoping to have an “official” diagnosis soon.  I have been floundering for the past 8 months, or so, as my health has been rapidly declining.  Physically, I am in pain and feel like I have been hit by a truck.  Emotionally, I feel like I have been steamrolled.  Some would say I am not in a good place.  I have to be honest - my faith is challenged the longer my illness continues.

For years, I have been open and honest about my illness experience.  I have had a no-holds-barred approach, sharing details, maybe to a fault (mostly on Facebook).  In some ways that has had an impersonal feel to it when it comes to my family finding out how I am feeling or when I have gone to the doctor.

The thing I like about this "new" blogging ability is that, at least as far as I'm concerned, it is happening in real time (new to me anyway - I am getting old).  My thoughts and feelings will be documented, sometimes looking back, but mostly as they are occurring.

So I am going to start writing about my illnesses as a way to keep the people in my life abreast of what was happening to me, as phone conversations and in-person meet-ups aren't necessarily often enough to have people stay current and not be overwhelmed by information.

Recently, I have found that writing can be food for my soul.  When I have sat down and wrote the heck out of something, it has made me feel better.  Writing seems to have helped me to express my thoughts in a way that other types of self-expression haven't.

As I have begun reading different blogs of people dealing with illnesses similar to mine, I can see that blogging might help me remember that I am not the only one in the world that this is happening to.

So far I have met several wonderful and amazing chronically ill people.  I have seen that illnesses are not a result of inherent personal failings, but some happenstance flip of a switch or roll of the dice.

I am grateful to have found this medium because I believe it will help me document things.  I know that a few years down the road I will be glad to be reminded of the many experiences I have, even when I don't remember the particular instances by heart anymore.

I will be writing for you.  And I will be writing for me.