We had company the other day and ended up discussing a topic that led to more questions than answers. Wanting the facts, we decided, “Let’s google it!” I love having information so easily available. We headed to the computer in search of an answer.
One thing about my computer is that I tend to start something, then get interrupted. Okay, that’s life in general, not just the computer. Anyhow, I’d left my browser open, which means that our guests saw that I write a blog. Why would anyone blog? What’s the point? Isn’t that like publishing an online diary?
I hope not! It’s a little hard to explain. I quickly clicked through to my family’s blog – where distant relatives can see pix of my kids and read more about what everyone is doing than the one-line status updates permitted on Facebook. Much like I suppose my mother wrote letters to her parents and grandparents, I can write about my family’s doings. The difference is that I don’t drop letters at the post office; I post them online for all the family to see. I have cousins who do the same. Much to my children’s distress, I can post video from music recitals, too. Our guests agreed that was a cool application of technology to help family members keep in touch with one another.
I mentioned this blog, too, but didn’t show it or provide a link. As you know, this blog is different. Partly, it’s a way for me to deal with a horrible diagnosis without dumping all over my family. Partly, it’s a response to the dearth of first-person accounts that were available when I first was referred to a rheumatologist (there has been quite an explosion of patient blogs since that time). Wonderfully, it’s become a way for a number of us to network and find others dealing with similar issues. There’s another aspect, too, that’s hard to explain. Doctor D gets it!
Anonymous blogs allow people with medical issues to express their minds with a candidness they are rarely able to display face to face with their doctor or nurse.
Exactly! I can say stuff here that I’d never say to my doctors.
