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16 Chronic Illness Bloggers Share Their Top Posts for 2020

16 Chronic Illness Bloggers Share Their Top Posts for 2020 | A Chronic Voice

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Top Posts of 2020, With a Slight Twist!

It’s been a while since I’ve done a year end top posts roundup, and this year I’d thought I’d do it with a slight twist! Top posts from other chronic illness bloggers will also be included, and they all live with different disorders and disabilities.

A Variety of Perspectives from Various Chronic Illness Bloggers

I find it important to showcase as many voices as possible, as chronic illness and their co-morbidities are as diverse as people themselves.

I hope that the top blog posts from these chronic illness bloggers will provide insight, tips, resources, entertainment, comfort, awareness, inspiration and even some humour! Please note that this is not a competition; it’s just a fun way to share good content with one another, and to build community.

I’ll start out with my own top 10 blog posts for 2020. Scroll further down to read the very best posts from 15 other chronic illness bloggers. Now sit back with your favourite beverage, relax and have a read!

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16 Chronic Illness Bloggers Share Their Top Posts for 2020 | A Chronic Voice

The Chronic Pain Cycle & How to Break It (Top Tips From an Occupational Therapist) | A Chronic Voice

1. The Chronic Pain Cycle & How to Break It (Top Tips From an Occupational Therapist)

A Top Notch Guest Writer & Tinkering with Pinterest Strategies

Cynthia Hill is an absolutely delightful lady who contributed this guest post to the blog. She is a fantastic therapist with extensive knowledge regarding pain, and provided some very useful tips for pain management. I really appreciate guest posts like this one from medical professionals, as the advice is backed by real-life experience and expert opinion.

During this time, I also started to create more Pinterest graphics for posts to see if that was a viable blogging strategy. This post managed to reach 2000 views within a month, so it seems like the answer was yes! (Though with all the changes in Pinterest algorithms, who knows what’s down the road.)

Thank you for your contribution once again, Cynthia – your post was #1 on the list for 2020! 🙂

Chronic Illness Christmas Giveaway: Gifts for Every Body in Pain This Lonely Pandemic Season! | A Chronic Voice

2. Chronic Illness Christmas Giveaway: Gifts for Every Body in Pain This Lonely Pandemic Season!

Ending 2020 with a Big Bang!

This Christmas Giveaway was an exciting way to end the year on the blog and with a big bang! We were lucky enough to collaborate with some awesome sponsors to add some cheer and to lift the mood despite the horrible pandemic going on.

The logistics and organisation for the giveaway was a killer, and I ended up with a bad pain flare. But it was worth every ache and inflammation.

I also hope that it brought the chronic illness community closer together. Every single one of us matter, and together we are stronger. Stronger as a collective voice in society. Stronger bonds as friends, and stronger within ourselves knowing that we’re not alone.

I would love to make this an annual event, and introduce other pain management products, arts and crafts, apparel and more. Hopefully this becomes a repository we can refer to for pain management resources as well! If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor for 2021, I’m already taking names 😉 Just leave a comment at the bottom of this post! 😉

3. The Extra Costs of Living with a Chronic Illness or Disability (That the News Often Don’t Reflect)

Yes, Money Plays a Big Role in Quality of Life for Chronic Pain Patients

This was a sponsored post, where they gave me leeway on the topic as long as it tied back to their product, too. But it morphed into a topic that I believe needs more awareness about in society.

The cost of living with chronic illness and disability are often taken at face value. Many people think that the costs end at doctor appointments and medications.

Yet there are so many hidden costs that patients need to bear the brunt of in silence. Some of these may seem ‘unnecessary’ to healthy people. But they can make a big difference to the quality of life of someone in chronic pain.

This includes various foods and supplements, more adequate mobility aids and lifestyle products. Then there is the need for aid with everyday ‘no brainer’ chores such as cleaning or cooking.

Living with a chronic illness or disability requires a lot of planning. And in a bid to retain some quality of life, money does play a part. Often it isn’t even so that we can live a life of luxury. But just so we can experiment with new treatments, and afford pain management tools that actually make a difference.

Freedom to Write Can Morph Into More Useful Posts

This post also taught me that more helpful posts result when a client allows for more flexibility in topic. Reviewing a single product or service does serve a purpose, as people may be searching for these as well.

But turning the post into something that benefits an entire community, with your product as part of the solution, is another strategy. It can create more traffic, outreach and evergreen posts.

4. All You Need to Know About the Coronavirus From the Beginning to Right Now (with a List of Live Updates from Verified News Sources)

Publishing About a Trending Topic, Before It Reaches Its Peak

So, no, this post isn’t updated with the latest news sources anymore, because there is so much to take in every single day.

But what happened was that I wrote this post right before the panic set in, and before the situation blew up. In fact, I rushed the post out as if it were on a deadline. I included the latest research at that time, and also tools to track information about the virus. This was right before I had to book a last minute flight back to Singapore from Berlin myself, because of the situation.

I don’t want to say that riding on the wave of sudden tragedy is the way to go. But you can use this period to write posts that are well researched, current, backed by facts, and helpful to your audience.

Publishing a post on a trending topic – especially right before it peaks – turbo charges your blog traffic for a period of time. It’s important to keep your finger on the pulse, on whatever it is that you blog about.

7 Reminders for Those Dim Days When You Lose Your Way | www.achronicvoice.com

5. 7 Reminders For Those Bad Days to Keep You Going

To Update a Post from the Archives, or Not?

There is the ongoing debate on whether you should update your post URL or not for SEO reasons. For me, it usually depends on a few common factors:

  • How well is the post performing in search engines currently?
  • Does the post still contain value, or do I have more important thoughts to add on to it?
  • Is it a topic that might still be of interest or use to readers. How can I make it more useful for them?

When I first started blogging, I wrote a lot more introspective posts. There is nothing wrong with that, and I still write them every now and then. But at the end of the day, the purpose of blogging is to serve an audience – whoever that looks like for you. For me, it is to raise awareness about chronic illness from different perspectives, and to support others who are suffering.

Going back to the drawing board, if I can enhance a post with graphics, useful information or better copy, then I choose to revive it. I update the URL to something more SEO friendly, if the current search terms aren’t making much of an impact anyway.

For this post in particular, I have packed it with a lot more shareable graphics and quotes for Pinterest, and optimised the SEO. I hope that with time it goes up the SERP, as it’s one of my favourite posts for coping with those bad days!

12 Simple Lessons You Can Use to Manage Stress Today | A Chronic Voice

6. 12 Simple Tips to Manage Stress (or ‘How to Relax’ by Thich Nhat Hanh)

Another Makeover from the Archives, and Evaluating Post Titles

This is another post that I updated, as the original one was not so SEO-friendly, and a littlxe plain. I did spend a good portion of 2020 updating old posts, to increase the longevity of articles on my blog.

It also seems like Thich Nhat Hanh’s books are quite popular, and people do search for reviews. So in this case, it was vital to include his name in the post title.

This blog post consists of my personal takeaways from the book on how to manage stress (which I should totally pay more attention to, myself!).

How to be a Positive Thinker: Without the Unicorns & Rainbows | A Chronic Voice

7. How to be a Positive Thinker: Without the Unicorns & Rainbows

Reframing Negative Thoughts Into Truthful Ones, So That Positive Action Can Take Place

Yes, yet another updated blog post! Whilst this post was more popular, I still chose to update the title to try and hit the right notes. First published on Thrive Global, it is one topic that I think needs to be addressed more.

I share my own method on how to reframe negative thoughts in this post, especially on those high pain days. Sometimes, one small thought can make a whole lot of difference, in a good way. I hope that you find it helpful, too!

A Car Accident & A Song Gone Silent (How Life Lessons from Chronic Illness Tide Me Through) | A Chronic Voice

8. A Car Accident & A Song Gone Silent (How Life Lessons from Chronic Illness Tide Me Through)

I Still Miss You, Horace

This blog post is one of my personal favourites written last year, even though it’s filled with grief and sorrow. I wrote it as a memorial to my dearest cockatiel, Horace, who startled and flew off by accident.

It was a horrific week, where I pushed past my limits to look for him. I literally searched for him from waking to sleeping. Trudging under the hot sun for nine hours straight isn’t great for Lupus or chronic pain. But what if he was just there, on that tree, or the next?

We recognised his distinct call five days after he went missing, and rushed down to coax him off a tree branch. He was hesitating to take that leap of faith, when a crow swooped down at him. It is a moment I will never forget. He escaped those black jaws of death with such grace, despite his innocence as a hand raised and hand fed bird.

I will always miss the cheer, shenanigans and joy he brought into my life. He will always be my little baby boy. I still peek at ‘missing pets and birds’ groups every single day. Just in case, you know?

33 Things That Stop People with Chronic Illness From Leaving the House (Sans COVID-19) | A Chronic Voice

9. 33 Things That Stop People with Chronic Illness From Leaving the House (Sans COVID-19)

A Peek at Perpetual Lockdown Life, From the Chronic Illness & Disable Community

This blog post is the final piece of a three part series. It shows how the pandemic has affected people with chronic illnesses and disabilities from around the world. Lockdown mode is something that we’re familiar with, even before the pandemic happened.

I hope that this post raises awareness on how difficult it is for spoonies to leave their house and stay in, both. The isolation does take a heavy mental toll, which society is also realising by now. Staying indoors day in and out is no fun. Being stuck in bed in pain all day, every day – even worse.

10. Drink Pure Wine Review (A Product That Excites Me as a Person with Chronic Illness)

A Revolutionary Product (That I’m Still Purchasing for Myself!)

Finally, we have my Drink Pure Wine review. I got to test out some wine wands, and was duly impressed. I share more about the product and its benefits on this page as well.

I tested the wine wands on all sorts of wines, from red, to white, to even champagne. Each time it did a fantastic job, if you follow the instructions and stir it thoroughly.

I was actually able to enjoy and laugh with friends whilst having a glass or two of wine. The alcohol felt good, and I woke up each time without the usual inflammatory pains associated with Lupus and Sjögren’s Syndrome.

I even bought more wine wands out of my own pocket, and am definitely saving them up for those special occasions!


And Now, Presenting…The Top Posts from Other Chronic Illness Blogs in 2020!

1. Jenny of lifesapolyp.com

Jenny of Life's a Polyp

I love how diverse Jenny’s top 10 blog posts were for the year. From vacations, to chronic pain, to self awareness and knowledge about her conditions. She lives with two rare diseases, FAP (Familial Adenomatous Polyposis) and Short Bowel Syndrome. I quote from her About Page: ‘FAP is a hereditary rare disease that causes the development of hundreds to thousands of colon polyps’. Sounds painful, alright.

If you’re someone who’s suffering from these rare diseases, Jenny has had them since she was 8. She’s definitely someone whom you might like to connect with online if you live with them, too.

Top 10 Posts on Life’s a Polyp

  1. Managing Diarrhea Through Diet
  2. The Whipple Procedure
  3. Finding or Establishing Support Groups
  4. A Journey From Running Away to Running Forward
  5. Desmoid Tumors
  6. Physical Therapy After Abdominal Surgery
  7. Navigating and Understanding School Accommodations
  8. Vacationing Amidst a Global Pandemic with Chronic Illness
  9. FAP and a Feeding Tube
  10. Pets and Chronic Illness

Jenny’s Reflections

“I tried to focus a lot on sharing educational information and stories of what others face with the rare disease of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis.”

Jenny’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“I hope to further grow the reach of Life’s a Polyp in various formats to increase awareness of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and bowel diversions.”

Connect with Jenny on Social Media

Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest


2. Claire of throughthefibrofog.com

Reading Claire’s reflections and goals for her blog, I’d say that she’s pretty well on track! She is one of the goto resources from a patient’s perspective on low-histamine diets for MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome).

She spends a lot of time in her kitchen experimenting with new flavours, creative recipes and more. Her blog also has a lot of tips and resources for coping with a range of chronic illnesses. She lives with (vestibular) migraine, chronic headaches, fibromyalgia, POTS, Raynaud’s Syndrome and more.

In addition to that, she is a moderator in my FB Group, Chronic Illness Social Pod. We call her our resident detective, because she is the sharpest one of us all! 🙂

P.S. If you’d like to support a fellow hardworking chronic illness blogger, her e-book, ‘Low Histamine Kitchen breakfast recipes’, is only $2.99 🙂 She also has another book, ‘Living with Fibromyalgia’ (affiliate link), that is full of great tips and resources.

Claire of Through the Fibro Fog

Top 10 Posts on Through the Fibro Fog

  1. Low Histamine Recipes
  2. Low Histamine Foods – Shopping List
  3. Easy low histamine diet food swaps
  4. Low Histamine Diet
  5. Low histamine breakfast ideas and shopping list
  6. Low histamine vegan power bowl
  7. Living the low histamine diet life – FAQ
  8. 22 non-pharmacological forms of pain relief recommended by those living with chronic illness
  9. Clothes and chronic illness: comfortable styles and symptom management
  10. 4 health professionals to consider seeing if you live with fibromyalgia

Claire’s Reflections

“Well, my top ten has rather a theme of low histamine resources! So I am very glad that people find them so helpful and I hope it helps others who follow this diet to find support and some tasty recipes too!”

Claire’s Hopes & Goals for Her Blog in 2021

“I hope to further act as a resource for a low histamine lifestyle for those advised to follow this diet by their doctors, and to also continue to raise awareness of the conditions I live with and offer any help I can do for others.”

Connect with Claire on Social Media

Instagram / Instagram (Low Histamine Kitchen) / Twitter


3. Liz of despitepain.com

Liz of Despite Pain

Elizabeth’s posts are always filled with fantastic chronic illness tips, resources and reflections. She’s in her early fifties, but had to retire for medical reasons at 28.

She lives with and blogs about coeliac disease, Raynaud’s Syndrome, Scoliosis, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Arthritis and Osteoporosis. Read her blog for inspiration, hope, and tips on how to cope with chronic pain. Also, the emotional and mental burdens that come along with it.

Top 10 Posts on Despite Pain

  1. 20 Ways to Distract Yourself From Pain
  2. How to Get Help in a Trigeminal Neuralgia Emergency
  3. Why is Appearance so Important to People
  4. How to Explain the Pain of Trigeminal Neuralgia
  5. Trigeminal Neuralgia Triggers Which Make Life Difficult
  6. Jokes About Disabled People Are Not Funny
  7. Accepting a New Normal When You Miss Your Old Life
  8. How to Protect Your Face From Cold Weather
  9. What’s Life Like for Young People with Trigeminal Neuralgia?
  10. This is Why Trigeminal Neuralgia Needs Awareness

Liz’s Reflections

“Some of those posts gave suggestions about coping with or treating pain, while other posts might have helped non-sufferers to understand more. When I first started blogging, I wanted to share my experience of living with pain in the hope that I could possibly help other people. Hopefully, those posts, and others, have done that.”

Liz’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“There are so many aspects to living with chronic pain so I hope to add more posts covering more of those issues. I especially want to add more self-help and pain management posts. I can’t offer miracle cures (I wish I could), but I really hope that some of my posts will help someone in some way. Even just knowing that someone else really understands what they’re dealing with can help a person.”

Connect with Liz on Social Media

Facebook / Twitter


4. Caz Homer Of invisiblyme.com

Caz of Invisibly Me
I love Caz’s dreams and hopes for her blog, and advocacy work off screen. And also the richness of topics on her blog! She does a neat roundup of frugal finds every Friday – so don’t forget to check them out for some fab deals!

Caz had her large bowel removed and lives with a stoma bag. That can take a huge blow on any young woman’s self-esteem and mental health, which she shares more about on her blog.

She also lives with osteopenia, suspected undifferentiated connective tissue disease, bronchiectasis with lung inflammation and scarring (long term damage from recurrent chest infections), anxiety, ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, Raynaud’s Syndrome, Erythromelelgia and Pernicious Anaemia.

That’s a lot to deal with for anyone, much less for a young adult who is supposed to be in the peak of health. Her online persona is always so upbeat and lovely, too. Find out more about her chronic illnesses and how she copes with them in this post.

Top 10 Posts on Invisibly Me

  1. Stoma Life : A Unique & Individual Ostomy Experience
  2. 10 Ways To Deal With News Overload & Emotional Stress
  3. The Sunshine Vitamin : Why Vit D Is So Important
  4. Invisible Conditions : The Terrors Of Public Toilets
  5. 8 Ways To Nurture Self Confidence
  6. Give Yourself A Winter Health MOT
  7. Medichecks Home Blood Tests Review & Discount
  8. Thoughts On Talking Mental Health
  9. Snuggle Up With Heat Holders
  10. Justin Bieber’s Diagnosis : Get The Lowdown On Lyme Disease

Caz’s Reflections

“I’ve not been able to post as much as I’d hoped given my chronic illnesses & stoma problems, but I’m proud of what I have achieved. I’d hoped to widen the scope of content while providing more reviews and applicable advice.”

Caz’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“I want to take a little of the pressure off as I often feel I’m not good enough and I’m not doing enough. I’m hoping to do more collaborations with fellow bloggers, while continuing my advocacy efforts in regards to the things I’m passionate about.

Things like: the closure of my local A&E, the legal case against the first surgery I had to protect other patients in future, the removal of opioid medications for many patients on the NHS, difficulties patients face with pernicious anaemia treatment and so on.

I’d like to continue diversifying content on my blog and raising awareness, providing a little advice and support while challenging stigma.”

Follow Caz on Social Media

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


5. Lisa Ehrman of chronicallycontent.com

Lisa of Chronically Content

Lisa’s blog name has such a nice perspective to it, doesn’t it? I believe that names have meaning, and affect our approach to life. Lisa’s goal is to encourage those who are suffering from chronic pain through her blog.

She lives with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hypermobility), Sjögren’s Syndrome, Mast Cell Disorder, Small Fiber Neuropathy, Left Branch Bundle Block, Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis.

Lisa is also a Christian, and some of her blog posts share outlooks from that perspective. If you’re in need of some encouragement, direction and hope, check out her top blog posts below!

Top 10 Posts on Chronically Content:

  1. Chronic Illness & Holiday Loneliness
  2. With Thankfulness
  3. Moods
  4. October Thoughts
  5. Chronic Illness Failure?
  6. The Never Ending Rollercoaster Of A Chronic Life
  7. Having A Grateful Outlook During Dark Days
  8. Better Health Isn’t Guaranteed
  9. Attention Seeker: Yes Or No
  10. Sjogren’s: The Unknown Auto-Immune Disease

Lisa’s Reflections

“These posts are my favorite because I’ve included posts that share my struggle to deal with chronic illness and live a life of contentment.”

Lisa’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“My goals and hopes for ChronicallyContent.com are that I will reach readers that can be encouraged by reading here.”

Follow Lisa on Social Media

Facebook / Instagram


6. Cynthia Covert of thedisableddiva.com

The Disabled Diva Banner

Cynthia is right on the money when she says that many of us with chronic pain are always on the lookout for tips and tools to better manage our pain.

She lives with Fibromyalgia, Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Endometriosis. Her blog focusses a lot on pain management, as she experiments with and uses cannabis and PEMF to cope.

Oh and she’s also obsessed with Disney, and blogs a lot about her trips there with insights into accessibility. That was mostly pre-pandemic days, but there are still plenty of interesting and useful reads!

Top 10 Posts on The Disabled Diva

  1. 6 Fibromyalgia Triggers and How to Avoid Them
  2. What You Need To Know About Fibromyalgia Leg Muscle Weakness
  3. How to Make Cannabutter
  4. Five Types of Wearable Pain Relief Devices for Muscle and Joint Pain From Fibromyalgia and Arthritis
  5. How to Prevent Fibromyalgia Flare Stank
  6. PEMF Therapy for Pain Relief
  7. Health Benefits of Tea for Fibromyalgia and Arthritis
  8. How COVID-19 has Changed the Lives of the Chronically Ill
  9. Is it Fibromyalgia or Something Else?
  10. How to Reduce Chronic Pain with Magnesium

Cynthia’s Reflections

“I think my top ten posts reveal that there are many people who are not having their pain relief needs met by the medical community and/or are looking for non-pharmaceutical alternatives.”

Cynthia’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“My goals and hopes for The Disabled Diva Blog in 2021 are to continue sharing alternative pain relief options, products to simplify tasks, and ways to make life easier and more enjoyable.”

Follow Cynthia on Social Media

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


7. Katie Clark of painfullyliving.com

Painfully Living Banner

Katie is an absolutely lovely lady whom I wish I could call my grandmother! She was one of the first few who joined my FB Group, Chronic Illness Social Pod, and is now one of my trusted moderators who help me to manage the group.

The team leans on each other for support to keep the group up and running. It is not unusual for one or all of us to be in pain, or to hit a pacing barrier every single day. But splitting the workload up with these ladies makes the group tasks more pleasurable!

Katie lives with Fibromyalgia, Interstitial Cystitis, Acid Reflux, likely IBS, FMD, and grew up with a lot of trauma in her household. I love her blog posts, which are full of elderly wisdom. And also the ones where she shares quality moments spent with her grandkids!

She is also a retired teacher and you can tell that it runs in her veins, as she never stops learning. Read Katie’s blog for more inspiration, wisdom, research and reflections.

Top 10 Blog Posts on Painfully Living

  1. Acceptance is my Superpower- Living Fully with Fibro
  2. But….HOW do I Practice Acceptance (My Super Power in Development)
  3. Those Are Fighting Words! Metaphors Make Meaning
  4. What’s Good Enough?-Acceptance to Eliminate Shame
  5. Breast Pain and Fibromyalgia
  6. The Danger of Distraction: Turning Toward Pain to Eliminate Suffering
  7. Tentatively Ecstatic! My Experience With Low Dose Naltrexone Part 1
  8. You’ve Gotta Be Kidding! Looking Back at Childhood Fibromyalgia Symptoms
  9. Ur In Trouble: Interstitial Cystitis and Fibromyalgia
  10. Traveling Across the USA in the Time of COVID-19

Katie’s Reflections

“For me 2020 was a lot about acceptance and discovery. My wellness journey is up and down, back and forth, but I do feel through it all, I’m growing into a more full person. I share from my experineces so that others know their not alone, so that we may find strength in community.”

Katie’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“My goal is to continue sharing and connecting with those who can identify. My hope is to stay true to my purpose for why I am writing and continue to find joy and purpose in sharing through my writing.”

Follow Katie on Social Media

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / LinkedIn


8. Lynley Gregory of topladytalks.com

Top Lady Talks Banner

Lynley’s blog covers some important topics that society needs to be more aware of. Things like ableism that people don’t even realise is a thing. Also, stigma surrounding disability and more.

She is a retired teacher from Wales who is now a disabled wheelchair user due to a pelvic fracture. This was caused by underlying Osteoporosis, which she didn’t even know she had.

She blogs about her romantic relationships, and interactions with society as a disabled person. Don’t forget about her wheelchair too, as she shares a fair bit about her wonderful mobility device, and how it helps her to live a better life.

Top Blog Posts on Top Lady Talks

  1. Is having a disabled partner a burden…..???
  2. “Me and my wheelchair” – an essential yet ‘interesting’ relationship……
  3. Am I an addict…..???
  4. The Disabilty Discrimination Act 1995 is 25 yrs old – a time to celebrate or to commiserate……???
  5. My CBD Oil trial aka ‘no Dad, that doesn’t mean I’m on drugs now……..’
  6. A Covid 19 thought for those with chronic illness….. aka ‘Welcome to our world’
  7. What is the ‘right’ body type? aka “Disabled people are hot too……!”
  8. Can love with a disabled person last? A Valentine Day’s musing………
  9. Caught on camera? “Do I have to be a virtual recluse to be considered disabled ‘enough’?”
  10. I’ve been on the telly……!!!

Lynley’s Reflections

“I think that my top posts of 2020 are a great spread of topics, both serious and lighthearted and are a true reflection of what my life as a disabled person with chronic pain is like. It’s not always smiles and giggles and lockdown has been a real challenge but there are some lighter moments which I’m glad to grab if ever I should see one….!”

Lynley’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“My goal this year is to give more time to my blog. This festive season has been rather difficult for me and I haven’t given as much time to it as I have done previously.

I really want to try to be more disciplined in this new year as I have a lot of content to get out there and I know that I find comfort, support or solace from other people’s blog post then hopefully someone can find the same in mine. I just want to shine a light and say ‘you’re not alone’.”

Follow Lynley on Social Media

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


9. Melissa Reynolds of melissavsfibromyalgia.com

Melissa vs Fibromyalgia Portrait

Once again, pain management is a hot topic for many of us who live with chronic pain, as can be seen in Melissa’s 10 top blog posts for 2020!

Melissa is a yoga teacher who is passionate about using it for pain management, and wants to help others with chronic pain do the same. Her yoga classes are adapted specifically for those who live with Fibromyalgia and chronic pain, and don’t involve pretzel twists.

She lives with Fibromyalgia, and is a mother of four (not sure how she handles it!). If you’re interested in using yoga as a gentle tool for pain management, get in touch with her. Don’t forget to check out the wealth of reviews and resources on her blog, too!

Top 10 Blog Posts on Melissa vs Fibromyalgia

  1. Inexpensive Items for Fibromyalgia My Top 9
  2. How Micro Yoga Helps Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia Plus Your Toolkit
  3. The Best Supplement for Fibromyalgia: Recovery Factors
  4. My Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) for Fibromyalgia One Year Experiment
  5. MSM Supplement for Fibromyalgia: A Review
  6. Yoga for Chronic Pain and Fatigue: What it is, isn’t, how I use it and you can too
  7. 6 Practices for Calming an Overactive Nervous System
  8. Copaiba Essential Oil for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain
  9. My Favourite Five Books About Fighting Fibromyalgia
  10. The Central Nervous System, Restorative Yoga and Fibromyalgia

Melissa’s Reflections

“These most popular posts are unsurprising, we just want some help with managing our symptoms and other people’s research and experience is a big help!”

Melissa’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“I hope to share the benefits of yoga for chronic pain and fatigue with as many people as possible so they can build a toolkit to help them manage as well as possible until a cure exists.”

Follow Melissa on Social Media

Instagram


10. Sam Moss of mymedmusings.com

My Medical Musings Banner

Sam is a prominent advocate in the online chronic illness world. She runs her own FB Group, Medical Musings with Friends, where she spends a lot of time and effort to support and lift others who are suffering.

She lives in perpetual pain with a degenerative bone disease, on top of other health problems. She is also a Christian lady, and whilst her blog does not revolve around that fact, her outlook on life is reflective by her peace and focus.

Check out her blog, which is always full of interesting reads, encouragement, honesty and cheer all at once!

Top 10 Blog Posts on My Med Musings

  1. The Spinal Surgery Recovery Road
  2. A Case Of Chronic Illness Overload
  3. A Chronic Disease Management Plan – Do You Have One?
  4. It’s OK To Be Tired
  5. Meet The Admin Team
  6. Dancing To The Beat Of My “Chronic Illness” Drum
  7. A Full And Fulfilled Chronic Illness Life
  8. “I Should, I Better, I Have To” …..No, You Really Don’t!!
  9. A World Changing Course – Entering The Unknown
  10. Wigs, Hats, Scarves, Or Au Naturale?

Sam’s Reflections

“It’s been a huge year for so many reasons, including my own health challenges. I think my Top 10 posts have really captured the essence of my journey through 2020 and my thoughts throughout the year. A good roundup overall.”

Sam’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“I would really love to expand my following. I want to ensure I’m connecting with my readers, in a way that makes a difference to how they approach living with chronic illness.”

Follow Sam on Social Media

Anchor.fm / Twitter (@My_medmusings) / Twitter (@Med_Musings) / Pinterest


11. Suzanne Kopecki of fibromomblog.com

Fibro Mom Blog Portrait

A huge congrats to Suzanne for acquiring her BA whilst blogging and living with chronic illness! It is a dream for me too…someday.

She lives with Fibromyalgia and Endometriosis, and her blog shares insights and tips on how to cope with these painful disorders. She is both a mother and a student, so her perspectives are pretty well rounded, and she covers much ground!

Top 10 Blog Posts on Fibro Mom Blog

  1. The Weight of Fibromyalgia on My Body and Soul
  2. The Best 12 Fibromyalgia Gifts Of Christmas
  3. How I Let A Pandemic & Fibromyalgia Break Me
  4. Suffering From Fibromyalgia Or Fighting It: The Choice Is Yours
  5. How To Stop People Pleasing To Lower Your Fibromyalgia Symptoms
  6. Finding Hope When You Want To Give Up
  7. College Student With Fibromyalgia? Here Is How To Stay Organized.
  8. New Tool To Improve Fibromyalgia Symptoms & Overall Health
  9. The Emotional And Physical Toll Of Raising A Child With Mental Illness
  10. My Love/Hate Relationship With Taking a Shower

Suzanne’s Reflections

“It turns out I only wrote about 10 posts for 2020. I really got knocked down with stress and anxiety and found it hard to devote time to my blog. You can see that theme in many of my posts. The last post is actually written in 2018, yet it continues to be my post popular post to this day.”

Suzanne’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“Since I have now graduated with my BA and I have most of the year before my graduate program starts (hopefully I get in) I hope to spend more time on my blog. I want to focus on articles that can help others raise their quality of life while living with their chronic illness.”

Follow Suzanne on Social Media

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


12. Rebecca of strengthandsunshine.com

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Top 10 Blog Posts on Strength and Sunshine

  1. Easy Slow Cooker Vegan Chili (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)
  2. Cold Italian Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Allergy-Free)
  3. Dairy-Free Pizza Chicken Bake (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free, Keto)
  4. Vegan Southern Potato Salad (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)
  5. Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad (Vegan, Allergy-Free)
  6. No-Bake Vegan S’mores Pie (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)
  7. Air Fryer Vegan Calamari (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)
  8. Homemade Dunkaroos Recipe (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Allergy-Free)
  9. Healthy Lemonade Recipe (Sugar-Free, Homemade, 3-Ingredients)
  10. Creamy Vegan Carrot Risotto (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)

Rebecca’s Reflections

“People were looking for a mix of comfort food, fun and creative recipes to try in the kitchen while stuck at home, as well as nourishing meals to feed the family.”

Rebecca’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“Will be going on 8 years so I plan on expanding into some new content areas!”

Follow Rebecca on Social Media

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


13. Sarah Rathsack of mymigrainelife.net

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Sarah has been living with migraine disorder since she was five, and is now a mother herself. She shares about her life journey, lessons learned, coping tools and more on her blog.

Top 10 Blog Posts on My Migraine Life

  1. Sponsored: Setting Goals vs. Resolutions with Chronic Illness
  2. Sponsored: How Traveling was Different this Year
  3. Sponsored: Migraine in the Workplace
  4. Social Distancing: What’s That?
  5. Corona Virus is Not a Break: It’s Our New Reality
  6. Sponsored: 5 Ways My Migraine Life Has Changed during COVID-19
  7. Sponsored: Know Migraine Mission: Breaking Down Stigma
  8. 20 Gifts for Migraine Relief: Gift Guide 2020
  9. Care Plan for Chronic Pain: Pain Management Tips
  10. Photophobia Glasses: Axon Optics Review

Sarah’s Reflections

“It was a crazy and tough year but I’m proud of all that I accomplished!”

Sarah’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“I want to continue my migraine advocacy and build my audience and community.”

Follow Sarah on Social Media

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


14. Sue Jackson of livewithcfs.blogspot.com

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Sue lives with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), and so do her two young sons. Her older son also has Lyme Disease.

As with many spoonies, we often start out with a fast-paced career, unaware of what is going to happen next in life. Sue shares more about family life with chronic illnesses on her blog, and how to live a good life despite that.

Top 10 Blog Posts on Life with CFS

  1. Coronavirus and ME/CFS
  2. The October Slide: ME/CFS and Infectious Triggers
  3. Info & Resources on COVID-19 and ME/CFS
  4. My Update: Crashes, Infections, and Treatments … Oh, My!
  5. Weekly Inspiration: Lift Up Your Spirits
  6. Weekly Inspiration: 5 Ways to Start the New Year Right!
  7. Weekly Inspiration: You’re Right Where You Need To Be
  8. COVID-19 Long-Haulers and ME/CFS
  9. Interview with Rachel of Chronic Fatigue Sanity Blog
  10. Weekly Inspiration: Chronically Ill Holiday Gifts and Tips

Sue’s Reflections

“People were clearly looking for information on how COVID-19 might affect those of us with chronic illness, how to cope with daily life and extra stresses, and positive support for lifting spirits and living your best life.”

Sue’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“I want to continue to be a source for both reliable scientific information about diagnosis, treatments, and COVID-19, as well as for inspirational posts that are uplifting and positive, and a place for people to connect. Plus just plain fun!”

Follow Sue on Social Media

Facebook / Twitter


15. Rhiann Johns of brainlesionandme.com

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Rhiann is another supportive member of the online chronic illness community. She not only shares insight into her life with FND, vertigo and more. But she also takes the time to read and share other blogs to raise awareness about other conditions.

Her posts are full of wisdom, self-reflection, knowledge and humanity. Have a read and I’m sure you’ll agree!

Top 10 Blog Posts on Brain Lesion and Me

  1. Identity Crisis: Am I Defined by Chronic Illness?
  2. Chronic Illness: A Harbinger of Shame and Guilt
  3. What Happens When Pain Becomes Chronic
  4. Chronic Illness: A Burden & Being A Burden
  5. Living Inauthentically With Chronic Illness
  6. Am I Warrior? No, I Am Just Enduring
  7. 5 Ways to Find Self-Love When Chronically Ill
  8. The Most Painful Parts of Living With FND
  9. The Reality of Living Through a Flare
  10. Loss In The Time of Chronic Illness

Rhiann’s Reflections

“I feel proud that I have managed to cover a broad range of topics of life with chronic illness, and perhaps more so that one particular post of life with FND has made it in the top 10 as it is a condition that is not widely known about, understood and one which has many misconception surrounding it – pleased that I could shine a spotlight on something that is a constant part of my life and raise awareness for other struggling with it.”

Rhiann’s Goals & Hopes for Her Blog in 2021

“I would love to share some other blogger’s experiences of living with FND and I would also love to broaden my own writing to a wider audience perhaps such as the piece I wrote this year for the British Medical Journal.”

Follow Rhiann on Social Media

Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


Don’t Forget to Support Your Fellow Chronic Illness Bloggers!

So there we have it – the 10 top blog posts from a variety of chronic illness bloggers! I hope that you have found something educational or interesting from this roundup. Don’t forget to support and follow these lovely chronic illness bloggers on social media, too!

*Note: This roundup/article is meant for educational purposes and is based on each author’s personal experiences. They are not to be substituted for medical advice. Please consult your own doctor before changing or adding any new treatment protocols.

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!

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16 Chronic Illness Bloggers Share Their Top Posts for 2020 | A Chronic VOice
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9 comments

  • Thanks so much for including my blog in this outstanding round-up!! There is so much great information and so many resources here – thanks for all your hard work in pulling this together!

    Sue

    Live with ME/CFS

  • Terrific round-up of fantastic bloggers. All my favorites are here!

  • Such a great list! I love many of these bloggers already but now I have a few new ones to check out and a lot of reading to do. Thanks for sharing!

  • I’m so honored that you’d like for me to be your grandmother, Sheryl. I’d definitely dote on you:) Maybe one day we can see each other in person. You have an open invitation to MI, if ever we can travel again:)

    It’s amazing to be listed among this group. I had aspired to get more blogging savvy this last year, but for the time being, I’m just going to keep doing what I do. Maybe one day I’ll learn and implement more. I just hope, that what I’ve put out there in the world finds those that need to read it, warts and all. Feeling understood, heard, and cared for is the best gift we can give anyone. Thank you for doing that for me:)

  • 2020 was a bad year for me. 2021 not really aiming to be much better. I really want to do some structural work on blog posts and some maintenance on my blog but, man, I just have so little actual functional time in the day. I like the idea of revamping some of them though. Some need some work. Headlines, SEO, some editing of content… sigh.

    Thank you for sharing such an awesome list of blogger posts to check out. I was going to contribute to this list but like I said I had issues so never got around to it. But this is a fine list of people and posts to dig into! 🙂 Some of my fav peeps on here. 😀

  • The post on chronic pain was so interesting! I’ve read it a few times now 🙂

    And thank you for including my posts! They are very low histamine orientated but I hope people find them helpful.

    I look forward to reading some of those from my fellow chronic illness bloggers too.

  • This is absolutely fantastic, Sheryl, what an amazing collation of posts!

    You said “When I first started blogging, I wrote a lot more introspective posts” and that’s something I’ve realised recently, too. I’ve been going through old, very old, posts nearer to when I first started blogging. Cringe-worthy doesn’t cut it. They’re awful, no SEO awareness, and typically more personal and introspective, as you found when you started blogging. Now it is more about serving a purpose and writing for an audience. Could I just ask – when you revive old posts, do you ever worry about losing the old link? Ie. you might update a post from 2017, update the URL to today’s date and something more SEO-friendly, and republish. Any links to that particular post will then be lost. I suppose that’s less of an issue compared to a post that wouldn’t rank well or be read much though, so maybe I’ve answered my own question.

    I know and follow most of these bloggers, all but one actually, and it’s incredible to see them all here together. So much brilliant content, so many fantastic bloggers & kind, passionate people helping to make the chronic illness community the kick-ass place it is. Thank you also for including me in the post, Sheryl. You rock!  ♥
    xx

  • I love this list, so much information. I see a lot of reading ahead, I’m looking forward to gleaming some advice.

  • Sheryl, thank you so much for listing my blog. You have shared some amazing chronic illness bloggers.

    You are such an amazing health advocate but the support and encouragement you give to other bloggers is outstanding. Thank you for that.

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