A Personal Story

Stories are the first way we learn as children. So, I am going to share my personal story in the hopes that a lesson is learned from reading this post. I lost my sweet English Springer Spaniel, Sadie, 2 weeks ago. I was lucky enough to have her with me for almost 15 years. We were inseparable and as connected as two souls can be.

Despite speaking frequently about the power of online communities to help with healing and being able to recite related behavioral theories, it was hard for me to write a message on the English Springer Spaniel Lovers Facebook Page. I don't like being vulnerable, and asking for support feels vulnerable: what if it makes my pain worse? What if I'm really crazy to miss my dog as much as I do?


However, using my mobile phone gave me the courage to write on the English Springer Spaniel Lovers Facebook Page. It felt intimate and safe to use my mobile phone to do so...perhaps because I associate my phone so closely with texting my lovely friends and family. And, just like the theories and studies I often recite in my speeches about healthcare and the power of online communities, I felt the overwhelming power of support from a community of peers who assured me I wasn't crazy to feel like I did. The support didn't make my pain disappear, but it replaced my pain with a feeling of connectedness to other dog lovers who honored my sweet Sadie through their support.


The Moral of the Story: I am thankful that my mobile phone gave me the courage to join an online support group and to begin to heal. This experience inspires me to continue further community development within the EndoGoddess app to allow users with diabetes to more easily gain that courage to heal their pain too. And yes, you guessed it: I wrote this piece using my mobile phone! :)