1000 page views on Plantar Fibromas

So now that I have hit 1000 page views I thought I would do a kind of top ten moments if you like on the blog so far. Not sure how close to ten I am going to get as it has come round pretty quick as I only started this in November and I think that it works out at about 20 views per post which is not that bad as I was only getting a few if any to start with. 

1) Understanding: Post referring to -  Understanding and Original post 

So I think that the number one thing about doing this blog has got to be the increased understanding that the people close to me have of what I am going through and actually just how much pain I can be in. I know that my partner who was fully aware of the problem was shocked at just how bad I had it and I found the blog a really good way to talk about it as well as in person. But not only her, my best man for the wedding and my mum were also reduced to tears upon hearing just how much trouble it was causing me. Everyone has been very supportive and some people (they know who they are) have been pushing for me to SIT, SIT, SIT and I think that all the sitting I have been doing has been helping. 

2) Meeting someone else with the disease: Post referring to My lovely lady lumps

I am not sure if this was really the blog or if it was the forum but in the last couple of weeks I have been in regular contact with someone who has the disease. It is fair to say that they have it much worse than I do but we have been through several of the same kinds of treatments and together we hope to be able to raise awareness of what it going on in our feet and hopefully band together some more of us so that we can get something done about it as the current solutions are just not acceptable and are certainly not well enough understood. She now has her own blog so for anyone interested see here.

3) Finding out about Rare Disease Day: Post referring to Rare Disease Day

In the process of trying to think of how awareness can be raised I came across an event that is called rare disease day. This is a get together that takes part pretty much worldwide with the ambition to increase the awareness of lots of different rare diseases. I had a look at and plantar fibromatosis or ledderhose however you like to look at it is considered a rare disease. This year it takes place on 29th February (leap day and so it only once every 4 years and so is rare). 

4) The number of views: 

Ok so this isn't a single post or a single moment but rather the coming together of everything. I have Google analytics linked to this blog so that I can see in more details what is going on. I get visits from different places which is nice but the biggest thing for me is that there are several different people, mainly across UK and USA that are spending around 20 minutes on the sure and are looking at lots of different posts and this means a huge amount. One of the main reasons for me doing this blog other than to vent was to let other people out there with this know that they are not alone and that there are lots of different treatments out there to try.  

5) How people are finding the blog: See this post - Top 10 blog and forum in Google

I was really pleased when I started doing Google searches using relevant search terms and the blog and the forum both came up. Also when I look at searches that people have used to find the blog and simple searches like "plantar fibroma 2012", "cortisone injections for reducing plantar fibroma" and "are there any insoles that help plantar fibromatosis" come up makes me realise that perhaps the right people are finding the blog.

6) Getting my foot spa and chair: See here - Foot Spaaaaah

So these things happened because of the blog and because people wanted to help. The foot spa was a Christmas present that was researched and purchased by someone who is fairly over protective of my foot (for my own good) and I really appreciate having it and would probably not have ended up with it without have the blog. The same goes for the stall that I currently use for washing up and the like, this is on loan from someone because they read the blog. 

7) My foot appointment for the orthotics: See here - A good appointment 

I was in quite a bad place before this appointment as the guy who I went to see about my foot, the so called "specialist" was a completely and utter waste of space and didn't know what he was talking about and just wouldn't listen to me. I went to this appointment not feeling that optimistic but the guy was great and he explained everything in a way that I understood but it didn't seem like he was talking down to me which I often feel having a scientific background. As it is I am in the Orthotics and I think things are going well with them. Hopefully for me they will at least resolve the issue until after the wedding and maybe far beyond.  

I think making it to seven is not a bad thing so now I will list a couple of frustrating things to get me ever closer to those 10 things.

Frustrating things: 

8) Lack of people following / joining the forum: 

I wish that I had a better conversation rate of views to members or followers. I understand that a lot of the page views will be by the same people especially as I have previously said many of the people that are coming here are coming back and are viewing multiple pages but even so it would be nice to see a but more obvious support.

9) Money - Well lack of it:Relevant post 

The book I mentioned that looked really interesting and maybe helpful in terms of understanding would be great to have but at over £100 it is such as crazy price hat there is no way I could ever afford it. Also there is the fact that people with money can get whatever treatments they want and pretty quick whilst the rest of us have to wait.

Well that is a rap as they say. Ok so I only made it to nine but I think that is quite good and perhaps I will do another post like this if I reach 10,000 views and then again at 100,000 and 1,000,000. Certainly would have raised awareness if I get to those sorts of numbers. 

Plantar Fibroma support forum