Sharing Sunday Link Up #25

Happy Sunday and welcome to Sharing Sunday Link Up #25!

I am happy to announce The Zippy Zebra was able to collect $5.39 in this month’s Change for EDS campaign and will be sending the check out this week!!!  How is your Change for EDS coming?  Not sure what I am talking about?  Click here for details.  Not sure how $5.39 is going to make a difference?  Let’s take a look:  If all 300+ Zippy Zebra followers donated their change to EDS each month and it was on average $5.00 that would equal $1500+/month and one year would be $18,000 to EDS research.  Imagine what that could do?

Life here at the Zippy has been full of surprises (like it always seems be with 4 zebras and their comorbids) but nothing we can’t handle so far.  How has your week been?  Have you enjoyed your summer?  Avoided the heat or embraced the season?  Personally we stayed cocooned inside or only venture into the shade due to heat and sun intolerances.

BUT enough about us we want to hear about you.

Plans for 2017 and remaining 2016:

This month we would love for each of you to leave a comment below, send an email or comment on our Facebook page with the things you would like to see from The Zippy in 2017.  More personal stories, more tips, more of a peek into our daily lives, more articles and websites, etc…?  If you would like more tips, would you like daily photos with quick overlay ideas or lists such as “5 Ways to Fight the Heat”, “10 Tricks to Help You Garden”,  “25 Things to Make Being a New Mom with a Chronic Illness Easier?”  We WANT to hear from you and not just share whatever pops into our little heads.

We are also looking for the following:

Contributors to share an article a month, week, etc…  I cannot offer any kind of reimbursement but credit will be given and you will be helping encourage someone else (without the hassle of running a blog).  These can be short stories, feelings, etc… just a contribution from another source.  I imagine y’all get tired of hearing from me.

Personal Real Life Stories:
We would like to feature one EDS story per week in 2017.  That is 52 stories to spread awareness and help others.  With over 300 devoted readers I know we can manage 52 stories, even if you have already submitted a story you can continue to tell the developments or some short stories.  All contributors by October 31st, 2016 will be entered in the drawing for a FREE T-shirt and magnet.

We would also like to feature one Marfan Story per week/month.  (Marfan Monday.)   Once again we would need 12-52 stories and I would need them by the end of the year.  Stories submitted by October 31st, 2016 will also be entered to win a Marfan T-shirt.

As the year progresses I will be asking for additional stories for various awareness months:  Autism, Cancer, Fibro, Lupus, Chiari, POTS, CCI, etc...  These will also be entered into a drawing with the gift to be announced.

We are planning an explosive year for spreading awareness in 2017 BUT we NEED your help to do it!!!!

Many of you have offered your story, or to share a life event but have been unable to submit them due to complications.  If you can do it NOW is the time.  We want to hear from Y.O.U.!!!

For details on submissions click here.

Sharing Sunday Link Up #25

“Sharing Sunday” Link-up is available EVERY Sunday for blogs featuring articles that will help those with a chronic illness.

This linkup is not only for the chronically ill but for everyone that has a personal story, that offers help (allergen-free recipes and ideas), adaptation ideas, testimonials or anything that would be helpful or encouraging to others, (even sharing a day in your life).

The idea of the “Get The Word Out” link-up is to spread the word about our illnesses, adaptations, short-cuts, tools, articles, stories, recipes, income earning ideas, etc… and to support each other during this sometimes, lonely journey.

Bloggers struggling with pain and challenges can visit other sites, while non-bloggers can find others like them and follow along in addition to finding recipes, tips and adaptations that may help.

I LOVE fun, crafty, anything goes linkups but the “Sharing Sunday” Link-up is not one of those.  If you want to share something fun and crafty check out our Sharing Saturday Link Up at Treasured Tidbits.

We will have a few guidelines to keep the links useful and uplifting to our readers.

Bloggers before linking up please follow our guidelines found here.

Sharing Sunday Link #24

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Hannah’s Story and Diagnosis

Hannah’s Story

My whole life, I thought I was the biggest wimp alive.  Until one day, when I was commiserating with my sister about how we have more aches and pains now that we’re in our 30s. I explained how much pain and fatigue I have each day, fully expecting her to say something along of the lines of “Yeah, me too!”

She didn’t.  Instead, she looked at me and said, “Wow. I couldn’t deal with that everyday.”

It was at that point I realized that maybe not everyone felt as bad as me all the time, and maybe I wasn’t just being weak and pathetic. I started asking other friends and family members about their pain levels each day and discovered that I had been wrong my entire life.

Read more »

Real Life Stories #4-Awaiting Diagnosis Marfan Syndrome

Awaiting Diagnosis

Hi!  My name is Rachel.

I am 14 and a freshman in high school.

I enjoy designing clothes, reading books, hanging out with friends and watching movies.  I like creating stories and drawing.

I have been diagnosed with severe scoliosis, flat feet, severe vision issues, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Type 3, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.

I am currently awaiting gene testing results for Marfan Syndrome. Read more »