I am a blogging queen

Today I received this message:

Nicole.lascurain@healthline.com has left a new comment on your post "There and back again":

Hi Jill, 

I am happy to inform you that your blog has made Healthline’s list of the Best Breast Cancer Blogs of 2015! Healthline’s editors carefully selected each winner based on quality, frequency of updates and contribution to the community. You can see the full list here: http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/best-breast-cancer-blogs 

We created a badge to help you publicize your achievement: http://www.healthline.com/health/breast-cancer/best-blogs-badge-2015

We encourage you to embed this badge on your site and share your status with your followers. 

Thank you again for providing a great resource to the Breast Cancer community! I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. 

Best,
Nicole 

Nicole Lascurain • Assistant Marketing Manager
p: 415-281-3130 | e: nicole.lascurain@healthline.com
Healthline • The Power of Intelligent Health
660 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.healthline.com | @Healthline | @HealthlineCorp
About Us: corp.healthline.com

Here is the Healthline link. I am number two on their slideshow, number one of the best breast cancer blogs of 2015! I am proud to be in the company of my new friend Mandi (Darn Good Lemonade, number 9 on the Healthline blog list)

Thank you Healthline for this recognition.

3000th blog post

My blog post is not about numbers or volume or anything like that but recently I realized I was nearing 3000 blog posts. Today is number 3000. My blog started June 2, 2007, 3089 days or 8 years, 5 months, 14 days ago.

I set out blogging as a way to vent my feelings and keep my friends and family updated through breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, which would be a year or so and then I would return to my 'new normal'.

It didn't work out that way. Not many of my local friends or family read my blog. I am still working on that 'new normal' (and if anyone ever finds it, please let me know where it is), and my health still sucks, even though there have been no new cancer misadventures.

I still benefit from my nearly daily blogging. It allows me a way vent my feelings on my sub-par health which is really what I need. I also like to think my so called 'words of wisdom' have helped others deal with breast cancer and other not so fun medical crap.

Along the way I have also met many wonderful people online who are dealing with their own medical crap and they have become friends, although we have not nor do I think we ever will meet in person. But we are friends. And as a result I have a bunch of greatly appreciated supporters when I go through my own bumps in the health roller coaster.

I think I will keep blogging, I see no reason to stop as long as it continues to help me.

I haven't blogged (Miss...)

Did you miss me? Actually I am around, I am stressed (no new health disasters), I am tired, and I am still without a laptop....

I hope to get my laptop back early this week. I have two doctor appointments on Monday and start PT for my knee. And have a PILE of laundry to get through.

Maybe by the time I am back to regular blogging, they will have discovered a cure for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and a bunch of other ailments. And world peace.

Why people stop blogging?

This morning I actually took a look at the back end of my blog and the list of blogs I follow. There was probably over 100. I went through the list and cleared out a bunch of them who either I am no longer interested in or are no longer blogging.

Obviously there are two reasons people stop blogging - either they just decide to stop or they are no longer with us, unfortunately. The second group are the ones that sadden me - lost friends.

But the first group intrigues me. Why do they stop blogging? Most of the blogs I follow are health related blogs, many of them on breast or thyroid cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or other lifelong ailments. So why do these people stop blogging? Its not like they are cured. But maybe they think they are. Or maybe they no longer have coping issues?

This is why I am intrigued. I think of blogging as a coping/venting tool for many. That's what it is for me, after 8+ years of blogging. My health is constantly evolving with new issues cropping up periodically (but I really wouldn't mind if I didn't have any more issues thank you) so I keep coping and keep blogging. Do these other former bloggers non longer feel the need?

The emotional impact of an ailment may dim over time and perhaps they get a false sense of security and assume they will be fine or are able to work past it and get on with their lives. Or maybe I am just really jealous that they are better and I am not? Damn.