I have a dilemma. I don’t like singing my own praises or bragging of any sort. In spite of this, I want to share some happy lupus blog news with you and I promise to explain my reason why at the end. (No cheating and scrolling to the end. Remember Santa is watching.)
My Lupus Crazy blog was recently included in the The 10 Best Lupus Blogs according to Medical News Today. I’m just as shocked as you are! I am reverently honored and befuddled at the same time. (It’s all very confusing inside my mind – I warn others not to go in there.) My reaction when I found out was literally, “I don’t get it, I’m just writing simple articles”. Despite my disbelief, I am truly grateful for the recognition.
Earlier this year, my blog was chosen as one of the top 30 lupus blogs by Feedspot. Initially I felt validated when I heard my blog was included in both of these lists. Maybe I am doing something right (for a change). I could get used to this. Then my conscience slapped me, jostling my noodle to remind me about what is more important and what has been the paramount impact to me as a result of 
my blog. A friend told me that she has a friend with lupus, who reads my blog religiously and loves it. That’s it, simple. Knowing that I am connecting with one person out there with lupus makes all of my efforts worthwhile. Plus, it fuels my drive to continue writing. I need all the fuel I can get to combat lupus fatigue.
Why Blogging?
When I began my blog, my single goal was to get in the habit of writing because I wanted to be a writer someday, but I could not conceive of that becoming my reality. I equated being a “true or real” writer with getting paid for my award winning novels. Ah, to dream… Shonda Rhimes said, “You want to be a writer? A writer is someone who writes every day — so start writing.” I love that! Her bluntness is refreshing and it sure the heck motivates me. 
My primary intention to write on a consistent basis needed focus, a topic or direction. I’m way too OCD to write about any old idea that I fancied for a fleeting moment. No can do, I need structure. Well, as un-luck would have it, managing my lupus consumes the majority of my life focus. Bing, bang, boom! Marrying the two, my need for a writing focus with my lupus, was the perfect (obvious) choice.
In the start of my blog, I loathed the idea of writing about lupus. Why? Because I hate the fact that I have lupus. There I said it. I hate lupus, 99% of the time, okay 95%. I didn’t want to focus on my lupus. The notion was depressing. Plus I believe the whole body/mind connection, what you focus on, the power of positive thought, etc. is valid. I feared that if I focused my writing on lupus, the energy I spent would in turn feed the lupus gremlins inside me. Thus, they would grow stronger and take over every cell of my being that they haven’t already pilfered.
Credit Where it’s Due
Enter my webmaster. No, I better call him my web guy. If I include the word “master”, he might get a big head, like this stick figure illustration. 
He encouraged (pushed) me to do a lupus blog. Without a doubt, he deserves major credit for building my blog website. He created the platform for me to write. But he deserves even more credit for believing in, encouraging (pushing), and helping me with everything from technical computer issues and more so with everyday lupus-life challenges. #majorbrowniepoints
After I wrote a few articles, I’ll admit it was fun. I try to keep a positive perspective, interject humor, or include useful advice in my writings. It’s not always possible, though. Case in point, my article about my villain psychiatrist that I had to fire. Or my article about lupus depression.
My blog became a safe outlet where I can vent. Believe you me, there are dump-truck loads of issues to vent about when you have lupus, or any other chronic diseases. As an unexpected bonus when I’m writing, I forget for a bit that I’m sick. Or my forgetting could be from the lupus brain fog. Whatever the reason, I’ll gladly take the little holiday from remembering about my lupus.
My Reason For Sharing
Circling back to the reason why I wanted to share the good news with you. (Well done to those of you who didn’t cheat by scrolling down to the end without reading the whole article! You’re on Santa’s “nice” list this year.) My goal is to illustrate how in spite of having a chronic disease that derails your life-plan, hurling you into a trajectory of an existence with overwhelming hardships and unrelenting levels of pain, you still have a purpose. It may not be the one you set out to accomplish, but you have a purpose! 
I’ll let you in on one of my most guarded secrets. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a Solid Gold Dancer when I grew up. Of course that will never happen, not because the show isn’t on anymore, but because my body is sick. (For the “X” generation and Millennials out there, you have to Google the Solid Gold Dancers. You won’t regret it.)
Our disease(s) already dominate, restrict, and hinder us (physically, mentally, emotionally, and psychologically, etc.), so why contribute by adding self-imposed limits? I know we’ve all said to ourselves, “I can’t do that because I have lupus or ____________ (insert any disease). I dare you to discover the liberation within the contrary. Example: “I’m no longer able to juggle flaming sticks while balancing on one leg of a chair, on a tight rope 100 feet in the air because of my disease, but I am able to type and share my experience of living with lupus.” Or an even better example: “Despite my disease, I can eat all the chocolate I want”. (I wish!)
I challenge you to find your new purpose. Liberate yourself, like you’ve just gotten home and you take your bra off after a very long day. Sorry gentlemen, I can’t think of an example that is comparable. Please remember, you have a purpose, despite having lupus! While I am humbly appreciative to be on these top lupus blog lists, the experience of sharing my lupus life has been more profound than I imagined. So, THANK YOU!!!
Pictures courtesy of Pixabay
You can read more about the biography of the author, Stacey, on her home page.