May 2020 Linkup Party for People with Chronic Illnesses

How’s everyone coping so far with the COVID-19 pandemic? Hope anxiety levels are not through the roof, and that you’ve found ways to keep yourself occupied (if not, you know, join us in this May linkup 😉 ). There are quite a lot of awareness dates going on this May, so perhaps we can also keep advocating for these causes in our own little ways. I’ve listed them here in case you’d like to use them for writing your May linkup entry. Most importantly, have fun with the writing prompts 🙂

May Awareness Dates:

• Air Quality Awareness Week (4 – 8 May)
• Mother’s Day! (10 May)
• M.E. International Awareness Day (12 May)
• Fibromyalgia Awareness Day (12 May)
• Lupus Awareness Month (15 May is Put on Purple Day)
• World IBD Day 2020 (19 May)
• ALS Awareness Month
• National Arthritis Awareness Month
• Asthma and Allergy Awareness Events (There are various dates for various allergies)
• Cancer Awareness Dates (There are various dates for different types of cancers, including bladder, skin, melanoma, brain & more)
• Celiac Awareness Month
• Lyme Disease Awareness Month
• Mental Health Month (There are various mental health dates which includes: national anxiety & depression week, maternal depression, children & more)
• National Nurses Month
• Stroke Awareness Month

What It’s All About

It is a monthly get together for anyone with chronic illnesses. An opportunity to share, to listen, and to learn from one another. I also think it’s a great way to provide insight into life with chronic pain, from many different points of view. All you have to do is write a short excerpt for at least three of the listed prompts, and publish it on your blog. Then click on the blue ‘Add Link’ button below to add your blog entry here. Voilà, you’re now part of the party!

A Few Simple Rules:

1. Only 1 link per website.
2. Do comment on at least 2 other blog posts in this linkup if you participate. Helping to spread the word on your social media is always appreciated, but not required.
3. This linkup starts on the 1st of every month. There will be 5 different prompts. It will close at the end of each month before midnight. All timings listed are in Singapore time (+8 GMT).
4. Pick at least 3 of the prompts to write about. 5 is best, of course! 😉
5. We also ask that you share this main link to at least one of your social media outlets within the same month.
6. Failure to follow these rules might get you blacklisted from future linkups. Let’s keep it fair for all 🙂

Prompts for the Month

1. Foreseeing

It’s hard to foresee much on a regular day, and much less so during these pandemic times. Is there something you knew was coming or should have foreseen? How long do you foresee this global situation and lockdown lasting for? Are you foreseeing something happening in terms of career, health, family, friends or your blog?

2. Panicking

There was and still is a lot of panic going on with the coronavirus situation on a global scale. One small misstep affects billions of lives. Are you or someone you know dealing with panic attacks? What are your reactions to panic buyers? You could also be panicking over something totally unrelated to the coronavirus such as your studies, new health issues, or finances. You could also be finding ways to keep anxiety at bay, or trying to quell the worries of loved ones.

3. Upbringing

A bit of a mismatch in this month’s prompts, but the word called out to me! Upbringing is everything, as they say; it influences your character, reactions to events, how you perceive, give and receive from the world. What was your upbringing like, and how has it affected you even at your current age? You could also be focussing on giving your own kids (human or otherwise!) a certain kind of upbringing.

4. Accessing

As can be seen, many things and places have been made more accessible because of COVID-19, things that many disabled and chronic illness people had to fight so hard for before. You can share your thoughts about this, how it can be improved, what’s done right and wrong. You could also be having trouble accessing your regular daily essentials, going to the stores, and more. Have you found ways to work around them, and how has it affected your chronic illness life even more?

5. Soothing

Finally, are there rituals or routines you use to soothe yourself either on a daily basis, or when you’re in pain or not in the best of moods? With anxiety levels sky high at present worldwide, it is even more important to have some form of distraction, preferably a healthy one. Or you could be soothing someone over a loss, quelling your children’s fears, or reassuring yourself that everything will be okay. Everything will be okay.

You can find the previous linkups on this page, if you needed reference or wanted to read them.

If you liked this article, sign up for our mailing list here so you don’t miss out on our latest posts! You will also receive an e-book full of uplifting messages, quotes and illustrations, as a token of appreciation!

Pin to Your Writing & Chronic Illness Boards: