Blogging is weird. I started my blog last September. At the beginning it was a much-needed outlet to download my buzzing mind and create some sense out of the whirling thoughts, fears and expectations tied up in a life with MS.
I read a blogging instruction manual from cover to cover. I’m no techie, but I found a blog theme I liked, uploaded a picture and hesitantly wrote my first post, ‘The Loneliness of The Long-Term Diagnosis’ and I was off. I wrote about make-up, round robbin letters, work, emotions, The Teenager, my cat. I wanted to show that living with MS is not solely about symptoms, appointments and restrictions.
Ultimately, most of us are young-ish when we are diagnosed. We’re in the middle of bringing up our kids, working, studying, carving a niche in the world. MS could be re-named, ‘Life, Interrupted’. I wanted to show that life does goes on, albeit in a more serious, more measured manner. Saying that, I wanted to pull out the humour. Tease the threads of how life is different, yet essentially the same. We still worry about exactly the same things, just with a skewed slant.
I was shy when I told people I had started a blog. I had five views a day. Ultimately, I saw the blog as a diary, and perhaps a present I could give to The Teenager when he was old enough to understand. I promised myself I would write for a year only, until September 2013. A year with MS.
Then everything changed.
Life suddenly got more serious. I ‘lost’ my job. I was betrayed by a ‘friend’. I was in a pretty bad place. Blogging took on a whole new meaning. I joke that it kept me sane, but really, it did. The support I had was/is incredible. I used to be dismissive of the ‘blogging community’. Who needs it? I have great friends, right here, on my doorstep.
Ah, but. Connecting with people from around the world, all of us finding ways to live with this vile, cruel disease, has been (words fail me).
So, to all of you who have supported me, made me laugh out loud at your comments, sent me a cheery Tweet – Thank You. Yup, a soppy blog post…..
Aah, lovely post today.
I’ve been in tears or threatening tears all morning, so your post has given me a nice warm feeling.
Sam x
Hey thanks Sam!
Hope you’re ok? I think with MS we have to allow ourselves to have crap days and not feel bad about it. There’s always a smile just around the corner! And thank you for your support….
You never need to be alone with the blogging community!
X
Just a word of warning: if you stop in September, I will be mad at you.
And, to echo your comment on my blog the other day, we wuv you too, with a greasy bacon butty on top! Thank YOU for making me laugh. You manage to do it every time.
Bless you Crankypants!
I think I said that to people at the start so that I wouldn’t feel embarrassed if my blog sank like a stone in the blogosphere! I’m really enjoying it, it’s been such a revelation and has let me untangle the mess that is my mind…
Last year my builder friend scooped me up after that horrible friend/MS saga and took me to a beautiful restaurant. It was amazing. And tonight, after saving my pennies all year, I am returning the favour. I will raise a toast to you and everyone out there who has been so fab. It won’t be a bacon buttie for tea, but a lovely steak, scrummy!!
X
p.s. Scot, if you’re reading this, ‘twonk’ is a fabulous word, isn’t it?? I felt a bit of a twonk last night after the Teenager left for London. Everything just kind of collapsed. Only temporarily though – am back on the up again….
Somehow I missed this; I hope you enjoyed your dinner (even if it lacked a bacon buttie)! And I don’t think there’s anything to worry about re: your blog sinking like a stone. It’s too good.
Thank you! I love blogging, but you hear all these statistics, like one million people start a blog every hour, yada yada yada. Plus was worried what my friends and family would think, so kept it quiet. Don’t know why, everyone I know now knows I blog, lol. And of course, now Bubble the cat has gone public, it’s gone to her head.
X
It’s good you are in a good place now
Thanks Mark!
MS is all about the ups and downs…
X