Some thoughts about blogging

When I started this blog, it was mainly as a way to keep people in my wide circle of friends and acquaintances informed about how I was doing, but once I started I realized that it could eventually reach many more people. I'm really only marginally computer literate, and use the computer mainly for e-mail (and Googling any time I can't place a song lyric or other bit of trivia). I'd never even read a blog, so I still have no idea whether I'm doing it "right." I've Googled to find some hospice sites, and I've sent a few of them information about the blog; I know that several of them have shown the link on their pages. I really like the idea of people in the hospice movement, both professionals or patients, reading this.

Yesterday I was playing around with the look of the blog, rearranging some of the page elements and providing a bit more information in the sidebar. I also looked through the registered users; I know a lot of people who tell me they read the blog but don't show up, so I have no idea even of how many readers I have. It would certainly be helpful to me if people would register, although I realize a lot of people are reluctant to sign up for anything. Yesterday I had an e-mail from a reader who said he posted the link to the blog on Twitter (I know what Twitter is but have never used it), and who said that it had then been "re-tweeted" several times! And today I found a comment posted by a reader who said she'd seen a reference to the blog in the Toronto Star--I have gone to the Star site and tried searching, but have not been able to find the reference. I can't even imagine how or why someone at a Toronto newspaper is writing about my blog!

Today has been a lousy day. Marty went out to a meeting in the morning, and we were planning to go out to brunch and to a movie, but today was one of those days when I had no desire to get out of bed. So he was a little disappointed when he called to say he was on his way back. I asked him to bring me some egg drop soup (it's funny how specific foods will suddenly appeal to me), and it tasted really good. This evening he baked a sweet potato, which was also yummy.

After yesterday, when I spent a fair amount of time out of bed, this is discouraging. I guess it's better to go out on the spur of the moment, rather than to plan, since I can't predict when I'm going to have a good day. But it's been relatively warm this weekend, so it would have been nice to go out. Tomorrow is acupuncture day, so I'm going to try to get out if I possibly can.

I talked to the on-call nurse, Lisa, just to check in, which is reassuring, even when it doesn't lead to any specific action. Just knowing that I can call any time and speak with someone who at least has a reasonable idea of who I am makes me feel safe and cared for.