1) What inspired you to
start blogging?
My husband, Jim, developed dementia at 49 years old. After a series of
tests, the doctor told us Jim had dementia of the Alzheimer's type. That was
the beginning of our Alzheimer’s journey. We learned that nothing would slow
down the progression of the disease and that it was 100% fatal. Jim died in
2005, ten years after the diagnosis.
Writing was part of my healing process after Jim passed away.
Originally, I intended to write a memoir based on my tape-recorded journal, but
opted to share my experiences through a blog instead. A blog is an ongoing
interaction that breathes life into the stories and experiences of being a
caregiver. My goals are to encourage, inspire, and inform. Early Onset
Alzheimer’s blog reflects my desire to live life to the fullest and to find
humor in everyday life.
2) What would you do with
the money if you won?
I would use the money to help pay expenses to the Alzheimer's Advocacy
Forum in Washington, D.C. in April. I'm already registered for the 2016
Forum--my sixteenth consecutive trip to advocate for Alzheimer's research and
programs to help care partners cope. Each year, I join hundreds of other
advocates as we don our purple "beauty queen" sashes and storm
Capitol Hill.
3) What has been your best
blogging moment?
Since I began Early Onset Alzheimer’s blog in 2008, my best blogging
moment(s) are when someone tells me they learned something helpful or found
encouragement from one of my posts. I think my most thrilling moment was when
the national Alzheimer's Association featured a story about Jim and me in their
online newsletter with a link to my blog. That was the first time that more
than 100 people visited my blog in one day. After I first entered Healthline’s
contest in 2012, my blog has averaged more than 100 daily views and at times as many as 500
visitors in one day. This inspires me to keep on blogging.
Thank you, Healthline, for giving us bloggers this excellent
opportunity to reach a wider audience.
Note: Early Onset Alzheimer's blog won 2nd in Healthline's Best Health Blog Contest.
Copyright
© January 2016 by L.S. Fisher
