Thread by @SamanthaPostman

How my @Twitter community saved me from a serious debilitating auto-immune flair this month

A Surprising Thread 🧵👇 dedicated to you:

For me, June 2021 was set up to be one of my worst flares in 5 years.

Many of you don't know that behind the superwoman facade is a fragile body.

12 years ago I lost most of my life when it reared it's ugly head...

Since then, I have lived with the debilitating effects of a disease called Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD).

My immune system attacks my connective tissues with overlapping complications of 6 scary auto-immune diseases like Lupus & Rheumatoid Arthritis.

For many years, my life was full of pain, limitations, exhaustion, brain fog, surgeries to cut out damaged bone that restricted me from living life, like walking, washing my own hair, cutting my own food, typing, driving and more.

🎉 It's been 5 years since I used my wheelchair.

THAT wheelchair hangs in my garage with a sign that says:

"DUST is GOOD"

Every June, I pass by it and wonder if I will have to pull it out of retirement for a while.

Where I live, June is storm month & the dramatic drops in barometric pressures turn me immobile with excruciating pain and inflammation.

I used to think my depressive lows were a result from these physical flares until I was asked me if any of my past traumas happened in June.

Turns out, on top of my severe physical sensitivity to low weather, my body was remembering a horrifying trauma I thought I had outrun...

What does this have to do with my twitter community?

This June, I thought I was going to be back in that blasted wheelchair for a while.

My 2020 was exceptionally emotionally tough.

My beloved Dad(step) died after a 9-month fight with lung cancer which was layered with the horrid layers of COVID lockdowns.

I'm still greiving.

In addition, I missed the opportunity of a lifetime when COVID hit.

Just before the pandemic, I spent 2 years and a ton of my savings to build an online volunteer platform.

I paused the project just before coding, to help my ageing parents when my dad got cancer in Feb 2020.

If I landed enough funding, It was set to release April/May 2020, just a month or so after COVID hit in late March.

With so many people at home wanting to use their talents to contribute to the world and non-profits desperate to operate remotely in a digital world, my volunteer platform would have exploded!

Emotional distress is an auto-immune trigger. June is scary for me.

Last week, I was mentally preparing for the worst.

Instead of deep despair, I received love & outstanding support when I needed it most. ❤️

Amazing souls I met on Twitter and cohort-based courses were generously investing in me, they were nominating me as inspiring, kind, valuable, brilliant and more.❤️

I received DM's that I had helped add a skip in people's steps when they were dragging their feet in despair. 🙏🏻

That I had made a meaningful impact on improving their lives for the better. ❤️

One helped fix my podcast graphics, another agreed to mentor me for my #TEDtalks.

Many of you asked where to sign up early for my upcoming podcast called "Bold Perspectives", so you don't miss my upcoming podcast launch on June 24th. ❤️

Or to be notified of event details, so you can register for my upcoming #TEDtalks on September 25th. ❤️

My spirit was lifted so high that when the lows came, they were manageable. 🦋

Not one of these kind souls knew that their words, their timely messages, their calls, kept that wheelchair on the wall collecting more dust!

Expressing kindness and love has power. It creates an electric current that reaches every corner of the globe.

This June, the electric power of my global Twitter community helped save my body, my soul and put a skip in my step instead.

I am eternally grateful for you all.

Thank-you, my amazing global community.❤️ 🙏🏻

@Twitter #Ship30for30 @RoamBookClub

@samanthademers

We all make each other more beautiful.

You were a huge part of my courage to post this vulnerable thread.

Who would of guessed I’d find a #twittersister with the same name?

Love ya sis

@jessejanderson

You too are “an incredibly strong, talented, and kind person and I love how our friendship has grown over these last few months!”

We can be invincible if we have community supporting and loving on us.

Yes, Dust is good. 🙂❤️

@abel2readaloud

“Good things can come from [despite] the darkest of times. We need to be open to the possibilities [opportunities].”

Thank you for encouraging me for my podcast!

You’ll love the times we talk about the education system.

@AlexIglecia

“Dust is good!

It's worthy of a tattoo and definitely this inspiring thread.”

If I ever have time, I really should write a book about it with that exact title.

Dust is Good

Hmmm

@ozie_48

Your words here warmed me. I hope this thread helped you too.

“we all are here for you, I believe I am, feel free to make a Skype call, or just DM me as well so we can continue on healing together, platonic-ly”

Thank you

@dbustac

This is a mind-blowing experience.

I hope that chair remains dusty forever 🙏🏼

Thanks for you kind words.