Honest To Blog: Keeping Things Personal.

Hey guys. I just wanted to take a hot minute to explain a few things to you. When looking over some answers from my reader survey (click that link to take it if you haven't. It's totally anonymous, so be 100% honest with me), I see that people keep asking me to make videos of my therapy and/or the small amount of movement I've gained back. I have had people contact me on other sites as well about these things and honestly, I can see where it would help someone who may be in a similar situation as me.

However, here is the reasons I don't share such things.

My recovery + my therapy is very personal to me. I have asked that my mom come in and take pictures + videos of me when I start doing new things (like standing for the first time) because I thought it would be good for me to look back on and remember where I came from + have those things for myself. I don't have many pictures of me during therapy and I don't think I have any videos (because my camera wasn't working + my sweet mother didn't realize it). I do talk openly about my progress + my journey to walk again, but I think sharing videos of me is a bit much. 

Why?

Sad truth is that I've had to deal with many people who have fetishes for handicap (can I just say how much I hate that word?)  women. I honestly had no idea about this until I started talking openly about my spinal cord injury on YouTube. I've had many people personally message me + ask me to video chat with them, send them pictures of my feet/me in my braces or something of the sort. At first I thought it was just people who were curious. Until I started meeting others who were also in wheelchairs (for a large amount of reasons) and they told me to watch what I put out there. I've had to block several people on Instagram because they've creeped out my other SCI friends that I have contacted or made me feel uncomfortable. When you put yourself out there on the internet, you have to watch what you say and do anyways, I just really have to watch what I share now. I know it's part of being so public about my injury + it makes me sad that I have to filter what I share with others. I think these videos would be a huge benefit to others. I admit, I do watch videos online of people who are in chairs. I've learned a lot of neat things from these videos (like how to transfer correctly, etc) + I can totally see the benefits in posting such things, I just simply do not feel comfortable sharing personal things like that. I will talk openly about my progress and keep you all informed as things change. 

It hurts my heart that I can't share everything I want to share with you. I know what help it's been for me to reach out to others + talk about the things we have in common + how they live their life. I think you all understand that this is my blog + I have the right to share what I want and keep secret what I please.

If you're someone who has posted such videos + you feel fine with it, that's your call. I'm not saying you're wrong by doing these things because if you feel it's right, then do it. It's your call, but I do not feel comfortable posting videos of my therapy or my movement.

    

I am also aware that I did ask for what you guys wanted to see more of + I'm sorry if you're one of the people who asked for such things. I'm not upset or anything, I just wanted to explain why I didn't post such things. Maybe some bloggers feel they don't need to always explain themselves to their readers but I do.

Bloggers, how do you know what to share + when is "too much"? Please leave your comments below.

 Thanks for reading and thanks for understanding.