November brings with it the start of National Health Blog Post Month and since I’ve been lax on updating things, I figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have to write a post every day this month.
Today, I had the choice between ‘why I write about my health’ and the topic you see before you. Since I wrote about the former earlier this year, I figured I wouldn’t bore you with it again 🙂
To me, social media has opened up a whole new life. At first, I used these things to stay connected with my extended family 2200 miles away and my high school friends who, six years after graduation, I still miss dearly. But as I did start to share the battles I go through with my illness – and the battles I’ve gone through since childhood – I was able to meet so many people who helped me to realize that I am not alone. For me, social media is an online health community. On twitter, I will rant about things with my family, wedding planning, and more – but the bulk of what I share all has to do with the health community that I am a part of.
Social media not only allows me the ability to watch my cousins grow up through pictures posted on facebook but also lets me ask questions about situations and in reality has probably saved my life. Back in July when I had C-diff (UGGHHHHH) really the only reason I got help was because a number of friends kept pushing me, kept checking on me, and really forced me to go – as much as you can from 9 hours away.
And even more than that, social media has given me a family that I did not have before. My extended family is full of people who share too much with each other and gossip and it ends up being a very catty situation. My social media family never judges me like that and they are always there for me, whether they’re in England and I’m up at 4am or they’re just an hour away from me.
Without social media, my only real rock in my support system is my fiance. I love him to death, but we all need more than one person to share woes and accomplishments with sometimes – and to push us when we’d rather not move.
So, with that, I love you all and you’re awesome 🙂
I love you!