Looking Back Over the Last Year

I was reading an article on blogging the other day that commented that many newer blog readers do not go back and read your earlier posts. Since I have written 165 articles over the last eleven months, I can see why some would never want to venture back through the archives. This article recommended that I publish a post by answering the following questions to update current readers on what I feel are my favorite posts.

• What was my first post? "Okay, I admit it" was my first venture ever into the world of blogging. The article was an overture to the world (a few readers anyway) that I have Kennedy's Disease. I also provided a little history of my early years of learning to live with Kennedy's Disease. My next article was "Now I am my brother." It was an explanation of how I was becoming more like my brother as the disease progressed.
  
• What post did I enjoy writing the most? This was difficult for me to answer, because I have many favorites. I would have to say that my personal stories of overcoming embarrassment were the most fun to write. "Inadequate" is probably my favorite. I can still see myself believing that I would show my wife that I could still get things done around the house. Probably my second favorite article is "Caught" because everyone around me on that plane was listening in on that conversation.
  
• What post's title do I like the most?
  This was easy. "Help my wife is a vegan" was fun to write and even more enjoyable to experience. It is about my journey to the "dark side" (eating red meat again). I smile whenever I see the title.
  
• What is my most helpful post? This is another difficult question because there are several that I believe were helpful. This question needed amplification in my opinion because it does not clarify "helpful to whom." Many of the research updates and researcher interviews provide us with hope. Several posts provide helpful information on buying a wheelchair, van or other mobility device. The two posts that I have received a lot of positive feedback on were applying for Social Security-Disability (Part I and Part II). However, the post that was most helpful for me to write was "The Natural History of Kennedy's Disease." Researching this article answered many questions that I had about the disease as well as further clarifying or supporting beliefs that I had. Similarly, "The Clinical Features of Kennedy's Disease" was also helpful for many of the same reasons.
  
• What post do you wish more people had read? I would have to say that it is "A New Exercise Program has really Helped" (Part I and Part II). A regular "smart" exercise program has proven to me, and to a several others, that it can make a difference in your strength, health and quality of life. Another post that I feel could make a difference is "Document Everything" (Part I and Part II). The process of documenting everything (including your medical history) could help people living with Kennedy's Disease to prepare for the future. Without adequate documentation, Social Security – Disability, short/long-term disability, and health insurance claims are much more difficult to apply for and prove.
  
• What post on someone else's blog do I wish I had written?
  Wow, these questions require a lot of thought. I read dozens of blogger posts daily so it is difficult for me to focus in on just one. I have always said, "Nothing comes into existence uninvited." This applies to blog posts also. It seems that when I really need inspiration or help, I come across the right article. There is one blogger, however, that I usually enjoy reading. She is Mary Jaksch and her blog is "Goodlife Zen." Check her blog out when you have the time.
  

Now, it is my turn to ask my loyal readers three questions.

1. What was your favorite post(s)?
   
2. What was the most helpful post(s)?
   
3. What subjects would you like to see more articles written about?
   

Your comments will help me come up with new articles. In addition, I cannot say THANK YOU enough for reading my posts as well as commenting. I never dreamed I would average 1,300-to-1,600 'page reads' a month. Your support really inspires me!