Fun Resources For The Week – Quick Reference

Did you know just a few clicks of your mouse can help spread the word about Invisible Illness Awareness Week immensely! Thank you for participating in any of the ways below.

Copy and paste to your blog our press release and add your 2 cents too! Press Release About Bloggers for Invisible Illness Awareness Week

Read blogs about invisible illness

Writing your own blog? Share it with us!
Be sure to sign up here and list it here at Bloggers Unite so people can find it!

Are you on Facebook
Post a message on Facebook or your favorite social network about Invisible Illness Week

Please repost: “You don’t LOOK sick!” No, I don’t. But did you know that nearly 1 in 2 people in the USA have an INVISIBLE ILLNESS, such as diabetes, lupus, fibromyalgia, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, autism, bipolar disorder, cancer, heart disease, and many more. 9/12-18 is http://InvisibleIllnessWeek.com/ – Care enough to be informed and repost this to help spread the word! You never know how much someone is suffering silently.

Here are more Facebook goodies!

• Facebook Cause Page
• Facebook “Group” for Invisible Illness Awareness Week
• Facebook “Like/Fan Page” for Invisible Illness Awareness Week

Do you Tweet?

• Our hashtag is #iiwk11 (“invisible illness week 2011″)
• Cool things to tweet
• Get a Twibbon for your Facebook of Twitter avatar

What are people saying?
See what others are saying about Invisible Illness Awareness Week, their blogs about it, questions and more.

What is your favorite seminar?
Share a link to a program that touches you from our podcast seminars at Blog Talk Radio

Share a Video!
Watch and share on our videos! We appreciate it tons when you share it with friends!

Explaining Invisible Illness To Friends Can Be Challenging
http://invisibleillnessweek.com video shows how living with an illness can be hard to explain to friends who don’t understand how you pace yourself. Have you ever had a conversation like this one? What would you do differently? How do you explain yourself without sounding like a drag?

Living with A Chronic Invisible Illness is Like…
http://invisibleillnessweek.com shares some reflections on what living with a chronic invisible illness compares to, and they aren’t pretty–but they are real! But don’t lose hope! Connect with others and bring awareness to the campaign with a “deep breath, think fresh!”

 

Popularity: 9% [?]

About This Week’s Workshops

Monday is officially the first day of National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. In past years we have featured a 5-day virtual conference with special guests who help us learn to live better lives even though we also deal with the day to day struggles of an unpredictable chronic illness.

This year we will be featuring some of these exceptional workshops. Each day we will provide links to 3 or 4 podcasts we think you would enjoy. We hope that you find the information valuable and helpful and please feel fre to share it with a friend,on your favorite social network, or even in your own blog (you can actually get the embed code at blogtalkradio.com)

You can find them all podcasts here on Blog Talk Radio or, if you use itunes, enter “invisible illness” under “podcasts” and then download them to a music player to listen to anytime. >More instructions here

Popularity: 9% [?]

PRODUCT REVIEW: Skeptical People In Charge? Wear a Bracelet!

Each Thursday we’re going to do a product review of one of our
awareness items!

This week our featured products are “easy things to wear when you need to ‘prove’ you have a chronic illness.”

Just this summer I asked to take a short cut through the county fair entrance line and then wait for my family to walk the maze before entering. The man guarding the gate beside the big blue handicapped sign, however, looked at me skeptically.

All I said was, “I have rheumatoid arthritis and would like to save myself a few steps. Could I wait for my family here?” He looked at me for proof of my illness. “Do you have a handicapped placard?” he asked, as if my husband would pull it out of his pocket.

My husband said, “Well, we do… but we parked in the disabled section… so it’s in the car.” The man really didn’t want to let me in, but finally relented. And as he did I thought, “I’d wish I’d worn my silicone bracelet!”

2 items we love that may save you a bit of heartache (and a few steps too) are the National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week White Silicone Bracelets and the “dog tag” necklace.

The next time you’re going somewhere where you think you may just need to use the elevator (and everyone says, “This is for wheelchairs and strollers only,” just smile and say, “Yes, I know. I have an invisible illness and feel more comfortable taking the elevator, thanks.”

Popularity: 15% [?]

Why We Won’t Be Having a Virtual Conference This Year and Alternative Ways to Get Involved

It’s that time! We’ve announced our theme for National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week 2011: “Deep Breath, Start Fresh.”

Founder Lisa Copen shares how to get involved in this video. If you are unable to view the video in an email or RSS feed see it here: About 2011 Invisible Illness Awareness Week.

After much thought and prayer, Lisa has decided to not have a virtual conference this year. “To be honest, the conference takes a lot of time, my energy and money. It is an exhausting 3 months of preparation, follow through, and recovery for me,” Lisa shares. “At this time, I’d love to focus more on better meeting the needs of those here at Rest Ministries, such as the Summer Study, finishing up some Bible studies, and spending some time with my family.”

Lisa’s son is 8 years old and likely won’t be that interested in hanging out with his mom all summer for many more years. Invisible Illness Week, September 12-18th also falls between her husband’s birthday (9/11) and her own (9/19). “Over the years it’s become a time of sacrifice of my whole family, including my mom who flies down from Oregon to help me with my son and more,” says Lisa. “Right now, I am trying to focus on improving my own health, cutting back the prednisone, losing weight to decrease other health issues, and getting my rheumatoid arthritis under control.”

Lisa began seeing a new rheumatologist in March 2011, after experiencing the most painful 3 months January – March of this year, out of her 18 years with rheumatoid arthritis. “Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, it got much worse,” says Lisa. “It’s not about puffy cheeks anymore, it’s about being here for my son in ten years.”

“We will be posting links and information about some of our exceptional workshops we’ve hosted in the past,” says Lisa. “Even if you’ve heard them previously, it’s a great refresher time to see if you’ve put into place what you had learned in past years, and if not, see where to go from here!”

But we are still having Invisible Illness Week! There will be tons of articles and guest bloggers, loads of great informative posts and tweets to share with friends, and ways to help the world understand that invisible illness is a very serious and isolating experience. The Invisible Illness Week web site will also highlight programs from the conferences for the past couple of years.

Watch our site here at http://invisibleillnessweek.com in coming weeks for updates and also sign up to get the updates so you are on top of all the happenings!

Popularity: 8% [?]

“30 Things About My Chronic Illness ” Meme

Last year hundreds of people participated in our “30 Things” Meme. We’d love to hear from you again (A new year may bring new answer, so even if you filled this out last year, we would love to see your answers this year, as well! ).

This is a great way to blog about your invisible illness too. We may say, “No one understands!” but have we really given them the chance to?

Fill this out, post it on your blog or on Facebook, etc. and then let your friends and family know. You may even be surprised to find out who you know who is living silently with his or her own invisible illness.

Be sure to comment below with the name of your blog and where it’s posted so we can come read it!

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is:
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year:
3. But I had symptoms since:
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is:
5. Most people assume:
6. The hardest part about mornings are:
7. My favorite medical TV show is:
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is:
9. The hardest part about nights are:
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)
11. Regarding alternative treatments I:
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose:
13. Regarding working and career:
14. People would be surprised to know:
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been:
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was:
17. The commercials about my illness:
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is:
19. It was really hard to have to give up:
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is:
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would:
22. My illness has taught me:
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is:
24. But I love it when people:
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is:
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them:
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is:
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was:
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because:
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel:

Are you blogging for Invisible Illness Week? Be sure to sign up and let us know at Bloggers Unite!

Popularity: 19% [?]

Invisible Illness Week Now Accepting Articles For This Site

We have now opened up over submission page for articles and blogs to be featured on this website in the coming two months. I am looking forward to hearing your feedback on what it is like to live with a chronic condition that is invisible.

To submit your complete article, bio, and photo, click on the link above that says “Submit Article.”

Here are some of the topics we are looking for and your post should be trained 300 and 750 words.

• Our theme this year is “Deep Breath, Start Fresh” – what does this to you and how you live chronic illness?

What has your experience been in coping with…

• Physical needs that are not apparent to others because you look well
• Expectations from those around you, from your spouse to your boss, because you look well
• How your children perceive your chronic condition
• How you choose to reveal or not reveal the seriousness of your illness
• How you deal with your illness on a daily basis. When it is invisible is easier to deny the seriousness of it?
• The looks. . . when you park in a handicapped spot legally to when you explain your unable to walk very far
• Still finding joy in life despite some limitations
• How physicians and other medical care professionals don’t even understand that your pain is quite invisible
• How do have sought to bring awareness about invisible illness as in healthcare advocate
• How you have tried to explain to your loved ones about having invisible illnesses or a hidden disability
• and the list goes on!

We are eager to hear from you about the emotions of living with a chronic condition, how you have found yourself dealing with difficult circumstances, how you overcome the need to stay in bed and hide from the world are most difficult days, what ever is on your mind!

Before you submit your article you should have a third person biographies ready to go that is less than 150 words and contained only one week. If you submit more than this it will be edited and you may not be pleased with which part we keep. Please do not submit a link to your article on your website but rather the actual article, which you will copy and paste into our form. If it does not have the article in the form, it will be deleted.

And if you are talking about your illness or Invisible Illness Week we hope you will join our Bloggers Unite group so that other people can be sure to visit your website and read your postings.

Thank you so much,
Lisa Copen

Popularity: 10% [?]

Invisible Illness Week Plans Taking Shape

It’s that time! We’ve announced our theme for National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week 2011: “Deep Breath, Start Fresh.”

Founder Lisa Copen shares how to get involved in this video. If you are unable to view the video in an email or RSS feed see it here: About 2011 Invisible Illness Awareness Week.

After much thought and prayer, Lisa has decided to not have a virtual conference this year. “To be honest, the conference takes a lot of time, my energy and money. It is an exhausting 3 months of preparation, follow through, and recovery for me,” Lisa shares. “At this time, I’d love to focus more on better meeting the needs of those here at Rest Ministries, such as the Summer Study, finishing up some Bible studies, and spending some time with my family.”

Lisa’s son is 8 years old and likely won’t be that interested in hanging out with his mom all summer for many more years. Invisible Illness Week, September 12-18th also falls between her husband’s birthday (9/11) and her own (9/19). “Over the years it’s become a time of sacrifice of my whole family, including my mom who flies down from Oregon to help me with my son and more,” says Lisa. “Right now, I am trying to focus on improving my own health, cutting back the prednisone, losing weight to decrease other health issues, and getting my rheumatoid arthritis under control.”

Lisa began seeing a new rheumatologist in March 2011, after experiencing the most painful 3 months January – March of this year, out of her 18 years with rheumatoid arthritis. “Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, it got much worse,” says Lisa. “It’s not about puffy cheeks anymore, it’s about being here for my son in ten years.”

But we are still having Invisible Illness Week! There will be tons of articles and guest bloggers, loads of great informative posts and tweets to share with friends, and ways to help the world understand that invisible illness is a very serious and isolating experience. The Invisible Illness Week web site will also highlight programs from the conferences for the past couple of years.

Watch the site here at http://invisibleillnessweek.com in coming weeks for updates and also sign up to get the updates so you are on top of all the happenings!

Popularity: 7% [?]

Does Michaele Salahi’s admission of living with MS help or hinder awareness about invisible illness or multiple sclerosis?

I am thrilled to announce that I recently had this blog post, “Does Michaele Salahi’s admission of living with MS help or hinder awareness about invisible illness or multiple sclerosis?” ran over at the Huffington Post. Please be sure to visit and leave a comment to help us increase awareness of invisible illness issues.

Lisa Copen
Invisible Illness Week Founder

Related articles

• NOT WELL: Salahi reveals MS diagnosis (politico.com)
• Lisa Copen: Does “Housewife” Michaele Salahi’s Confession of MS Help or Hinder Illness Awareness Issues? (huffingtonpost.com)
• Michaele Salahi Has Multiple Sclerosis (thehollywoodgossip.com)

Popularity: 10% [?]

FRIDAY’S 9/17 SEMINAR: Working/Home Business & Closing Half Hour

Can you believe it’s already the end of the week? We hope you’ve been having a great time and have enjoyed the workshops. If you have missed any just a reminder that you can find them all (and the last 2 year’s worth too!) on Blog Talk Radio at http://invisibleillnessconference.com .

Today we have some great speakers to chat with us about working. This includes Rosalind Joffe a career coach for those with chronic illness, Tricia Robichaud who is a coach as well as and a wonderful home-based business; and Jenny Krogulski who has started a business at home matching nannies with families. This is an amazing group of gals we know will encourage you even if you aren’t planning to work or cannot work.

Then, Twila Belk, author herself and assistant to Cecil Murphey will join me to close up the last half hour and she has some joy that will help us end on a beautifully upbeat note.

Career/Working:
* Rosalind Joffe built on her own experience of living with chronic illnesses for 30 years, including multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis, when she founded cicoach.com. This career coaching firm is dedicated to helping professionals with chronic illness develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. Rosalind Joffe is a recognized national expert on chronic illness and its impact on career. She is the co-author of Women, Work and Autoimmune Disease: Keep Working, Girlfriend! Twitter: @WorkWithIllness

Jennie Krogulski is the founder of Hilton Head Nannies. Despite living with a chronic illness, she has started a successful business and will share some of her best tips. Twitter: @HHNannies

Trish Robichaud is a Maximum Life & Healthy Business Coach who lives with multiple sclerosis & major depression. She teaches women living with chronic illness or disability how to honour and accommodate their health while striving to achieving work/life balance and entrepreneurial success through her “Business Beyond Chronic Illness” coaching program. Download her free Optimal Health Kit at ChangingPaces.com. Twitter: @OptmlHealthGuru

LISA AND TWILA FOR THE LAST HALF HOUR – CALL WITH YOUR COMMENTS!

Popularity: 6% [?]

THURSDAY’S 9/16 SEMINAR: [1] Invisible Illness [2] Girl Talk

We have an amazing group of people tomorrow morning and we hope you will join us for day #4 of Invisible Illness Week, September 15, at 10:30 – 12 Pacific time; 12:30-2 PM Central time; or 1:30 PM – 3 PM Eastern time – USA time at http://invisibleillnessconference.com . Remember, if you miss it… it’s okay! It will be archived for ages!

First Wayne, founder of the Invisible Disabilities Advocate will be joining us for the first half an hour to talk about the idea of living with an invisible illness or hiddenn disability. And then we’re going to be joined by some women you just may know: Christine Miserandino, otherwise known as the “Spoon” gal from butyoudontlooksick.com ; Jenny Prokpy of chronicabe.com and Kerri Sparling who is the blogger behind the diabetes blog sixuntilme.com . I hope you will tune in!

Wayne Connell is the president of the Invisible Disabilities Association which he founded with his wife Sherri. Wayne’s desire to help others who struggle with disabilities has become a passion for him. He obtained a BA in Television and radio broadcasting in 1990. We will be talking with him about invisible illnesses and also the role he fills as husband and caregiver. Twitter: @InvDisabilities

Jenni Prokopy is founder and editrix of ChronicBabe.com , an online resource for young women with chronic illness. An award-winning writer, speaker, and expert on healthy living, she shares her personal experience – and rallies the expertise of hundreds of others – to help women live beyond their illness and be total Babes.
Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, and she has worked with dozens of organizations large and small, local and multinational, to create compelling messages that empower people to work better, play harder. . .and be their best. Twitter: @chronicbabe

Kerri Sparling is the founder of 6 Until Me, one of the largest patient blogs for those with diabetes. She is married to a “frantically funny, sharp-witted, and brilliant man who is both handsome and caring.” And on April 15th, 2010, her daughter joined the Sparling family. She is also a freelance writer and patient advocate.Twitter: @sixuntilme

Christine Miserandino is a writer, speaker, patient advocate, wife and mother living in Massapequa Park, NY. Christine is the founder of www.butyoudontlooksick.com, a website that provides resources and useful tips for living life to the fullest with a chronic illness. Her writing which has won various awards has been featured in numerous newspapers, magazines, medical newsletters and television media. She has been living with lupus for over 15 years. Twitter: @bydls

Popularity: 5% [?]

Next Page »