To celebrate National Health Blog Post Month, WEGO Health is hosting a 30 Days, 30 Posts Challenge for health-related bloggers. Each day, they have a different topic for a short blog post, with a Facebook page for posting links. Today's topic: 3 Favorite People to Follow on Social Media. Since I have avoided Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram so far (seems like they would suck up too much energy - I can barely keep up with Facebook and blogs as it is!)...so I am focusing on my 3 Favorite Chronic Illness Blogs:
Wow, it's hard to pick only 3. I may have to cheat a bit here. I'm going to divide these into two categories: Informational Blogs and Supportive Blogs.
Informational Blogs are those you can count on for the latest information on research, advocacy, and other important, ever-changing topics that I just can't keep up with on my own. In this category, I rely especially on two excellent blogs:
Jennie at Occupy CFS - Jennie was a lawyer in her pre-illness life, and she has a rare talent for distilling complex information into understandable bits. She is an excellent writer and has the ability to report on complicated, even controversial topics with uncommon grace and a lack of bias. Besides, I have met Jennie (she lives near me), and she is a kind and delightful person. I rely heavily on Jennie to sift through all the information and keep me up-to-date.
Research 1st...which I see has just (a few minutes ago) announced its new name and location, Solve CFS Blog - This is the official blog of the CFIDS Association of America which has proven itself over the years to be the #1 resource for keeping up-to-date on research news, as well as other news of interest to those with ME/CFS. I have relied on this website for almost 11 years, ever since my diagnosis, and the blog they started last year has proven very useful in staying current on all the latest news.
Supportive Blogs - these are the personal blogs written by other people with ME/CFS, the ones that are great for honest accounts of what life is really like with chronic illness and for finding emotional support. Here are some of my own personal favorites:
My World, written by Upnorth, a Canadian woman who has had ME/CFS for over 11 years, is a beautifully written blog that often includes nature photos or artwork. Upnorth writes eloquently of the ups and downs of life with this crazy illness and has an upbeat, positive attitude. Although we have never met, she's become a good friend of mine.
Infinite Daze by Baffled - Like many of us with chronic illness blogs, she writes of her own daily struggles, but she also often writes of medical issues, healthy eating, and even some much-needed humor. Another excellent blogger who has been around the blogosphere for many years and has become a good friend.
Mummy and M.E. and MEcuperate by Jennifer Barber - Mummy and M.E. is Jennifer's blog, about being a chronically ill mom of young kids, and MEcuperate is the website she started last year to provide a place for people with ME/CFS to gather - a virtual clubhouse for talking about books, movies, recipes, crafts, and yes, illness, too. I enjoy both the blog and the website, and Jennifer has also become a virtual friend.
OK, so that's 5 in all. I could just go on and on here - there are so many great blogs out there that I follow! But these are a good sampling of the ones I have followed most closely.
What blogs or other social media resources are your favorites?
7 comments:
I'm really touched Sue, thanks!
Oh Sue, thank you so much for your kind words!!! I try to live up to what you said about my writing and unbiased approach, always worried that I'm missing the mark. It means a lot to me that you find the blog helpful, and I'm honored to be on your list!
Thank you Sue for being so connected and informed - you were the first blog I found when I entered "this world" of CFS/ME support and the one I always come back to for this very reason...
Aw...thank you for the kind words, hkd! And I forgot to include your blog! I do enjoy it, even though I don't always visit as often as I'd like.
Sue
Ahhhh Sue, just catching up on your posts as I seem to have missed that you wrote new ones, and then I see this one. Thank you so much! This means a LOT coming from someone I admire so greatly! Your blog is the top dog of ME blogs for me, there's so much information that is invaluable. There have been a lot of 'friends of friends' who have been newly diagnosed recently and I always refer them to this blog.
Thank you so much for the kind words. I've been having a horrible time with commenting on blogs or I would have been in contact sooner. Turns out Google Chrome isn't playing nice with Blogger. Anyway, thanks again for the shout out.
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