January is Thyroid Awareness Month. #IATFOTD is a new campaign to create awareness for thyroid diseases.
I usually like to sit here behind a desk in front of my keyboard where nobody can see me, plucking away at the keys where it doesn't matter what I look like, what I'm wearing or the fact that maybe I'm not feeling so hot or that my house is in mid-construction. This time, I did something really unusual for me - I showed up in video to tell my thyroid story.
Stretching myself into other media was a goal I set for 2011. My effort may not be exactly what I wanted, but I did it. I met the challenge. I accomplished something I didn't think I could - I stepped out of my box and let people see me when I didn't feel or look my best. It wasn't for lack of trying - there's just *so much* a girl can some days. But hey, that's what it's like when you have chronic illness. It isn't always pretty, or convenient.
Hopefully soon @ThyroidMary and @DearThyroid (Katie Schwartz) will add it to the handful of other videos already on the site I am the Face of Thyroid Disease. I would love it if my friends here would place a few comments there when that happens. In the meantime, here is my entry...
Ellen S - Adventures in Thyroid Disease
I usually like to sit here behind a desk in front of my keyboard where nobody can see me, plucking away at the keys where it doesn't matter what I look like, what I'm wearing or the fact that maybe I'm not feeling so hot or that my house is in mid-construction. This time, I did something really unusual for me - I showed up in video to tell my thyroid story.
Stretching myself into other media was a goal I set for 2011. My effort may not be exactly what I wanted, but I did it. I met the challenge. I accomplished something I didn't think I could - I stepped out of my box and let people see me when I didn't feel or look my best. It wasn't for lack of trying - there's just *so much* a girl can some days. But hey, that's what it's like when you have chronic illness. It isn't always pretty, or convenient.
Hopefully soon @ThyroidMary and @DearThyroid (Katie Schwartz) will add it to the handful of other videos already on the site I am the Face of Thyroid Disease. I would love it if my friends here would place a few comments there when that happens. In the meantime, here is my entry...
Ellen S - Adventures in Thyroid Disease
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Comment by Janeen on January 27, 2011 at 10:32am -
Great video Ellen! It was nice to see you "in person" :) It sounds like you went through heck to get your diagnosis. It's a good thing you are the health advocate that you are. A lesser HA would have given up early on in frustration and lived out the rest of their life in misery. We can all take a lesson from your story no matter what our health condition is. You know your body and don't give up until you receive the help and care you deserve.
If you get a minute stop by my post Blogging Your Diagnosis Story and share the link to your video blog about your thryroid diagnosis. I know your story will be of help to others.
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Comment by Ellen S on January 27, 2011 at 11:08am -
Thank you Janeen - I was feeling pretty icky that day and was really nervous about doing the video, but I'm glad I did it. I've already gotten great feedback from a couple that used it to show their friends/kids what living with thyroid disease is like - and it made an impact. Wow, what more could a Health Activist look for?
Honestly, I'm not all that strong a person. I'm really just an average Jane. I did give up at one point. I believed there was nothing else to be done, for a very long time because that was what I was told. It took a very bad hospital episode, and my kids showing symptoms to get me to wake up and take action. As a parent I often find that I am much more "able" to do something when it will benefit my kids than myself. I find the energy and the passion when I couldn't before, because I'd do anything for them - I know you know what I'm talking about. :) Finding that success with our thyroid disease is a great deal of the reason why I am a Health Activist with such passion today. I've seen how it can work, and I want every patient to experience that kind of success!
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Comment by eyssogreen on February 6, 2011 at 3:00am -
Very interesting story of your journey with thyroid disease, Ellen. Do you still have Lupus along with it? I was dxd with Lupus in 1975 but it was a wrong dx. I am certain, at this time, that I have been suffering mainly with thyroid disease, Fibromyalgia, and now Diabetes type 2, all along, but noone has actually told me that the thyroid disease could make me as ill as I have been most of my life. I was dxd with hypothyroid at age 20. I also have Migraines seriously bad, and was dxd with Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction, but my Dr. doesn't believe in it, even though he is a Kaiser Dr. and Kaiser Rheumatology dxd me with that in 1982. Now the thyroid has a nodule, or whatever is causing symptoms that could be a tumor. I am incensed that my Dr. hasn't referred me to Endocrinology LONG ago. I will keep you all posted. I have an appmt. with my G.P. who I intend to dump ASAP after this appmt. MONDAY. Grrrr.
My name is Gail Watson. I am happy to find your groups. :-)
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