Sunday 15 December 2013

My top moments to get to 100,000 page views

Ok so the crazy moment has arrived where my blog had now had 100,000 page-views!!!!

When I started the blog I never imagined I would get 10,000 page-views let alone to 100,000 and sometimes 5000+ in 1 month. Although I have been the one asking a lot of the questions and doing the research I have to thank everyone that has done an interview as they are really popular and helpful posts that really make the blog as successful as it is. 

When I got to 1000 and 10,000 page views I did a recap on some of my favourite posts and things since I started and I thought it would be nice to do that all again, especially as so much has changed. Not surprisingly none of the science posts or treatment posts will make my list as although they are useful they were not as enjoyable as many other posts. 

1) The original post that I have been updating. This is by far and away the most viewed post on the blog and probably is one the most useful posts. I started this post when I was very low and my foot was really starting to progress and get to me more and more. It began to show to others how I was feeling and how bad the foot was, it ultimately it was started the blog and got the ball rolling. 
Everyone who ran / walked to help raise money for me to get radiotherapy.


2) The run to raise money - Whilst the post was not that significant and may not be that useful to visitors the run itself showed me how much various people cared for me, how much of their time efforts and money they were willing to donate to help me and to get my foot better. Thank you again to everyone who ran and donated as this was the start of road to radiotherapy.



3) I got married - It seems like a long time ago but back in February 2012 I got married to my wonderful wife. She was my rock when this condition was awful and I owe a lot to her. There is no specific post for the wedding but instead I'll link to the interview she did for the blog.


Me and the machine about to zapp me.

4) Starting Radiotherapy with Dr Shaffer - Back in May 2012 I started radiotherapy with Dr Shaffer. This treatment has so far led me to be able to live a normal life, no walking stick and I can run and play badminton. I remember the day my wife and I went for this first day, it filled me with hope and was the first time I had had anyone draw on my feet.




5) My interview with Dr Shaffer - I am not referring to the consultation (which was very good) but to the interview I did for this blog. It was the start of getting specialists to post on here, a great addition and it brings a genuine medical perspective to the treatments. I am biased because Dr Shaffer treated me but he did give a very detailed review of things and I am still in contact with him now.

6) Helping other and their e-mails - By far the best thing to have come out of the blog is that I have managed to help others. It is a fantastic feeling when someone tells me that my blog has helped them, whether it just be that they no longer feel alone or whether it is like the linked e-mail where the lady found Radiotherapy and Dr Shaffer. I have continued to stay in touch with the very nice patient who contacted me and she, like me, has seen a great improvement after radiotherapy.

7) Ditching the stick - Pretty much all of 2012 was spent hobbling around with a walking stick and in a great amount of pain. Towards the end of 2012, after my radiotherapy, I gradually started to walk without the stick and come the end of the year I decided to walk with the stick. It got put away and I no longer carried it with, since then I have not need it and have progressed on to...

8) Playing badminton and running again - When I originally started the blog I did a post along the lines of the things that I miss, when I came back to it later the only thing I really missed was badminton and my freedom to be able to get off the bus a stop early or walk from a car park to a restaurant etc. I am now back fully playing badminton and running (up to) 10km. Anyone who has this condition will know what it feels like to live with it day in day out and to get away from that and being able to run was the ultimate way to celebrate radiotherapy working.

9) Amelia -Just as I was starting to get over this condition my wife became pregnant, this was fantastic news and I remember how delighted I was to see the positive test. However from there the pregnancy was awful, constant sickness and trips to the hospital for dehydration. Still at the end of it our beautiful daughter arrived. Amelia is fantastic and her smile never fails to light up a room. I can wait to see her develop and I am loving seeing all the changes that take place as her personality takes shape.

Some things still annoy like when doctors say they will do an interview and never send back their answers or they just ignore the first e-mail, I am not asking a lot of them and not only could the interview help patients but it also helps patients find them.

I guess the next goal is to get to 1,000,000 page views and more importantly hopefully help at least 9 times as many people in the next 900,000 page views as we have helped in the first 100,000 page views. 

Thank you.

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