I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the readers and supporters of Autoimmunitygirl, and me personally, for all the support and kindness over the years. You have truly been  wonderful and a blessing. All of you. 

You have seen / read me through so many different events and challenges from out there in the ether and I am deeply grateful. Like throwing out a little message in a bottle into an unknown sea of people, it has been an act of hope and belief on my part and I am so pleased that these little notes have been found and read by some of the most amazing souls. 

When I started Autoimmunitygirl I wondered  which way I should take this little blog. What do I write? What should I share? What will be useful? 

Since there is already so much out there about medications and treatments, positive slogans and so many different Autoimmune sufferers, what could I offer? 

I didn’t feel it was my place to suggest anything about medications. I am not a doctor and, most importantly, I am also not the same as everyone out there who will have their own reactions and results. Although I am grateful for those who have assured me that my experiences are not unique! 

I didn’t want to talk about just Autoimmune issues like neuralgia or inflammation, surgery or blood results. People will have their own stories and experiences of these too. I am not the blue print for what will happen and some diseases take decades to diagnose. 

So I chose to write about day to day life. Thinking. Feeling. Realities. All the many things that happen when your body starts telling you that something is wrong. 

I realize I probably started out much more positive and now have become a mixture of pragmatism, hope, love, frustration, confusion and many other things as well. I don’t apologize for this and I believe I owe it to myself, and those readers who take the time to read my blogs, to always be authentic. And that’s what they get. 

So… I wanted to thank you. 

I appreciate you all coming on this journey with me and sharing your own thoughts and feedback. 

I hope that it does some little bit of good to help share with others who have no idea what life with unpredictable and chronic illnesses can be like, I hope I encourage others (and myself) to hold our heads high, even in our darkest times. And I hope this little site builds connections and understanding. 

You have become my friends and my family when my friends and family drifted away. You became my colleagues and peers when my own career was taken away. You also help me see things in different ways when you share your own insights and I truly appreciate it. 

I guess all I have ever wanted to do was to help make a small difference, time will tell if that has happened, but what I want to acknowledge and express is my thanks to you all for your support and honesty over the years. 

Gentle hugs, 

Always. 

Trish.