It's What I Do

I was chatting online with one of my favorite sjoggies the other day: Jennifer Pettit, author of Understanding Invisible Illnesses.

Jen was honored by being named one of the finalists in a health activist competition sponsored by WEGO health, an honor that she completely deserves as a passionate sjoggie that takes her zeal for increasing awareness of autoimmune and all invisible illness beyond her blog into her workplace, community, and the world at large.

We were discussing the awards, and the very tech-savvy method that was used to announce the finalists and the winners: a Twitter chat, Facebook page, and the impressive list of bloggers that were virtually attending the big event.

Jennifer asked if I had participated.

Um........ No. I was at Bev's house looking at her chickens, I confessed.

See, this is why we need all these young passionate health bloggers out there who are not only intelligent and informed about their diseases but who are also willing to engage using all available means of technology and communication out there.

AND who have an attention span long enough to enable them to remember to attend these events - instead of talking baby talk to a bunch of fluffy feathery hens. In the amazing chicken coop which Bev's husband has dubbed Cluckingham Palace.

Ha!

Um. Where was I again....

Oh. Right. So Jennifer and I laughed a bit over my chicken diversion.... but then our discussion turned to how the health bloggoverse needs not only those types of bloggers similar to her, but also those like me - who are just out there to share their life experiences as someone who has dealt with illness for a length of time.

Jen pointed out that personal experience and day to day anecdotes are just as important to readers in increasing their understanding of their disease, as are those activists who attend health fairs and hand out autoimmune disease awareness fliers.

Ah. What a gal. I felt less of a slacker after our discussion. But after a bit of thought, I had to agree with her.

Well, of course I wanted to anyway....heh. It wasn't a hard sell.

But seriously, I just don't have the energy that some of the other impressive bloggers do. As much as I admire their efforts and recognize the need for the awesome work that they do, it's more than I am capable of.

What I AM capable of is to sit down with a cup of coffee and peck away at my keyboard every day as I share my weirdo life with Sjogren's syndrome. Sometimes I have really good information to share, other times, just those things that make me laugh. Or complain. Or cry. And everything in between.

I know that I appreciate reading others' experiences and perspective in dealing with chronic illness. Several of Reasonably Well readers have expressed the same opinion.

I'll keep writing, if y'all keep reading.