On this
day, 10 years ago, I started this blog. I was just finishing my first
year of graduate school, and after eight months of crazy symptoms and years of
strange illnesses here and there, I was able to put a name to what was plaguing
me. And because of lupus and RA, this blog was born.
I’ve
debated whether or to link to posts here, but it’s so hard to pick from them.
In the beginning, this blog was kind of unfocused. I talked about my illnesses, but I also
talked about shopping, cooking, books, and other more frivolous things.
But the more I blogged, the more focused it became. And it has been lifeline for me to the
outside world, to those who know what I’m going through (and even some who
don’t).
All I
know, is that in the last 10 years, you all have seen me through the good and
the bad, the highs and the lows. There have been several serious
relationships that have crashed and burned.
And then there’s the one. You’ve
seen me through the losses, of which there have been many: the loss of my
cousin, my uncle, my grandpa, my dad, and my grandma. You’ve seen me
through blood work, prescriptions, injections, colonoscopies, colposcopies,
oral surgery, foot surgery, and more.
You’ve celebrated my triumphs and mourned my tragedies alongside me. And quite honestly, that’s more than I ever
could have asked for and more than I deserve.
But I
made it. I’m still standing. After all these years.
I can’t
believe that then, I was a young twentysomething graduate student just finding
my way in the world, and now I’m a thirty something; a homeowner, engaged, and
working full-time. Back then, my life and my future felt so
uncertain. And maybe now life is just as
uncertain as it has always been, maybe some of the time I just handle it
better. Maybe I am stronger in the
broken places.
I worried
when I first started writing that literally only my mom would read it (shout
out: Hi Mom!). But it turns out, she wasn’t the only one. And I am so grateful for the connections I’ve
made through this blog, and for the love and support over the years. I am
grateful to my readers, who have read, commented, and kept reading, and have
followed my journey along the way.
I guess I
will leave you with the links to my “year in review” posts, as those probably
give the best summary if you want to look back at my blog through the the
years:
You’ll
just have to stick around to see how the rest of 2018 goes…
With
immense gratitude,
Leslie, it is a great blog. Congratulations on ten great years.
ReplyDeleteI just saw your blog for the first time and am anxious to start from the beginning and catch up. At age 59, I've now had Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis for 55 years and Psoriatic Arthritis for 25 years. I can't imagine how it felt to be diagnosed as a young adult and always felt fortunate to have had the disease my whole life. After all, I have nothing to compare it to, right? Pain is and always has been a constant, though unwelcome, companion. The biggest piece of advice I have for others is to stay as active as possible even when you think it's impossible. Okay, off to read your blog...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your life and since this is my first time reading or commenting on a blog ideally I want to be positive it's not easy and after bueno in remission relapsing joints blowing out and personal issues. truly i am inspired to get back in track and fight again one thing that is also inviable to others is the impact of negativity stress or demeaning attitudes or comments honestly hearing well I'm sick to suck it up is one I've heard so many times it's not a contest to who feels more pain it is a journey and I love working I'm 54 now still have dreams and things I want to achieve the isolation even before COVID is was hard. Thank you for making a place to talk or blog to people who know who fight who succeed it can be done.
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