Tuesday, July 27, 2010

I win a blog award....

Seriously...I know what my (now 4 5) followers are thinking...really? Apparently its not the number of people who read it, but who. Thank you SR (@gradstdntwlupus)  The Life of a Grad Student with Lupus for nominating me for the One Little Blog Award! I'm seriously honored that you chose me as one of your favorites to follow! And I'm seriously sorry, its taken me this long to respond to it. In fact, I have a lot of blogging to catch up on, because I wanted to post on this first, but havent had time to narrow down my favorites to 15 people. :) So here goes...





As acceptance of this award, the following criteria should be met:
  1. 1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
  2. 2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
  3. 3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I found out about this a few days weeks ago, but have been ridiculously busy, with work and other fun stuff, which I guess I'll have to blog about later! But for now, know that narrowing down my favorites for this post was seriously challenging! As others have done, I've pulled out a few of my favorites that have already won the award, not because I love you any less, but because we want to try to spread the love around. :) Anyway...in no particular order, here goes... 

1.  Sara Nash at The Single Girls Guide to Rheumatoid Arthritis was an amazing find when I first started looking for other people out there blogging about their experiences with RA. This was before I found out my diagnosis had changed, but I still keep track of her blog. Not only because RA is a part of MCTD and what I'm still dealing with, but because she has a real knack for hitting the facts and emotions of a young single living with a chronic illness. She's open about everything and shares her experiences about all areas that we are struggling with: the illness itself, as well as how it affects our daily lives and interactions with others. Most especially check out her posts on dating with chronic illnesses!

2. Sara Gorman from Despite Lupus has written a book, which I fully intend on reading when I'm able to find the time. The book is also called Despite Lupus: How to Live Well with a Chronic Illness. It's on my reading list...honest! I've heard her speak on the radio, as well as had conversations with her via email, and I must say that Sara is a must read! She's a young wife and mother living with the daily grind of life with Lupus and shares the trials and suggestions of how to live a good life...well... Despite Lupus :). 

3. Amanda at All Flared Up: and Arthritis Blog has an entertaining way of projecting the feelings we all have of living with arthritis, etc... She may feel she whines a lot (as she mentioned a few days ago) but I think thats partly what these blogs are about, letting our feelings and frustrations about how our diseases affect our lives out, safely...without harming those around us who just happen to occasionally frustrate and annoy us because of misunderstanding us and what we go through. And lets be honest. How many of us DON'T whine on here a time or two...or 5o.... :) 

4.  Megan at Sticks & Stones talks candidly about being a mother of two kids with RA. She talks about her struggles with medications and other daily challenges we all face as people with chronic diseases.

5. Jeanne from RA a Walk by Faith shares her experience with using AP (antibiotic protocal) for her RA. She talks about what she's experiencing with the treatment. As a fellow Christian, I really appreciate the fact that she shares her faith along with her general life experiences.

6. Leslie from Southern Gal with RA is also trying AP therapy, and is also sharing her experiences and ups and downs with trying the new protocal.

7. Mike at My Life and New Fight with RA gives a guys perspective on life with RA. He talks about his family and the challenges of living with RA while continuing with his previous outdoor hobbies/activities.

8. Andrew at Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis also shares about being a guy with RA. Typically a disease that targets women, Andrew shares about being the father of four, and getting back into activities and vacation sports that he was active in pre-RA. He also shares about new technology and medical information that may or may not benefit those with chronic diseases.  

9. Bionic Lady was diagnosed with RA in her teens, like I was. While she doens't post very often, she's honest about her experiences and life in general. Right now she and her husband are trying to get pregnant, so she's been sharing about the various challenges and steps needed when trying to concieve with a chronic illness. Something I'm sure a lot of us worry and wonder about.

10. Living It, Loving It talks about being a working mom with RA and Fibromialgia. She talks about the challenges of living and working with invisible illnesses. She shares general information about RA and organizations, books, gadgets, etc that are helpful for the rest of us. She artfully puts into words what most of us are feeling, and even has a section with a letter to "healthy people" that helps explain what life is like for someone with an invisible disability/disease.

11. Confessions of an RA Superbitch (while I don't particularly like the name, or really agree that it fits her, she has an often hilarious take on life with RA. Mostly its her sharing her honest, sarcastic, and sometimes angry responses to random people/situations that she encounters)

I feel like I'm really starting to repeat myself. Its very hard to come up with unique individual comments on each of these wonderful bloggers. We're all blogging about our experiences and challenges of living with a chronic illness. We all have our own unique style and voice in which we write and share with the online world. It makes us similar, but delightfully different. I enjoy each of their blogs and the ways they share their hearts as well as their struggles. I believe we each started out as a way to put into words what we are going through, hoping blindly that it may reach someone else and may be able to help them as well. Most of us have no medical backgrounds beyond our own medical files and personal experience, but their willingness to share of themself is something that I personally appreciate and has helped me know that I am not alone, what I am often feeling is normal, and that we're all here hoping to help each other through it. Thanks guys! With that said, I'm just going to list the rest of my fave's:


12. Christine at Lupus Girl- Living, Loving and Laughing with Lupus

13. Living with RA

14. Angela at Never a Dull Moment

15. Carla at Lupus and Humor

7 comments:

  1. Thank you for the award. I will will post it proudly and pass it along.

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  2. Hi Michelle,
    Thanks for the award and listing my blog! I will list your on my blog roll. I had never heard of MCTD until reading your blog and looking it up on Google. And I thought my med list was long! You've been through the ringer.
    Andrew

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  3. Hey Michelle,

    Thanks for my award, and for letting me know. I'll be reading along to see how you're doing.

    - RA SB

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  4. You have an award at my blog.

    http://ohboy-boys.blogspot.com/2010/08/versatile-blogger-award.html

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  5. Thank you! My blog has had a bit of multiple personality disorder and thus I've ignored it rather than take the time to find a cure. Your award may just give it some direction. :)

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  6. I *suck* for taking so long to say thank you, but I do mean it just the same! Thank you!

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  7. Sara- not a problem, I was in the same boat of not noticing and then responding to it late. I know how you feel! Really, don't worry about it! ;)

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