Amanda Lakso writes a blog, Chronic Pain and Ramblings to educate and support people with chronic illnesses especially Fibromyalgia.  She is 31, married and has an adult step-son.I met Amanda on Facebook, where she is very active. We chatted a few times and I asked if I could feature her as one of my Spotlight Interviews. Thankfully she agreed.

Amanda has Fibromyalgia, Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression, Anxiety, Agoraphobia , Tachycardia and is Bipolar.  She’s been living with  pain and mental disorders since her early teens, but her actual diagnoses came later.
Amanda has severe widespread pain. She describes it well:

It feels like my muscles are all cramped up all the time and hurts to the slightest touch. The Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome I can only describe like this: Think of the skin on a chicken breast, it’s slimy and moves around really well. Now think of say your arm for example is made up of layers. First your skin, then the “chicken skin”, muscle then more “chicken skin”, then bone. My “chicken skin” has turned to concrete while most people’s move freely like the skin of a chicken breast.

After giving up a job that she loved 3 years ago, she has been trying to be approved for Social Security Disability unsuccessfully.  She is on prescriptions that cause her to twitch, which she finds embarrassing. Because of that and that the fear of leaving her home (Agoraphobia) as well as a fear of crowds, Amanda is almost always at home.

She has difficulty concentrating and has tried ADD medications without relief.  Because of this, Amanda has given up one of her favorite hobbies, reading, which is difficult for her. She was also a crafter, but now crochets or knits once in a while.  She does try to volunteer at her local fire department where her husband is the assistant chief, with reports. She also tries to volunteer at the library when she’s able. This gives her a feeling of paying it forward and giving back to her community.

Her family supports and understands her medical issues, but her is husband is her main support. “He has been wonderful about doing everything around the house. What a man!” She uses her blog to vent about the things that bother her and that helps her a great deal.

One book Amanda recommend is “Fibromyalgia for Dummies”.  She has a free copy for download,  or you can get it at your local library or an online bookstore.  Shes also like “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fibromyalgia”. There are so many books that she enjoys that she’s considering adding a blog page just for books.

Amanda recommends Fibro360 Forum, My Fibro, The Invisible Disabilities Advocate and The American Academy of Pain Management among others. You can find all of the websites she recommends by visiting the Links on the sidebar of her blog.

Contact Amanda and find out about her other blogs as well as where to follow her on Facebook.

Amanda inspires me as she has a positive attitude, but isn’t afraid to share when she’s feeling down. She reaches out to others who are in pain or have health conditions like hers.

This is an ongoing effort to spotlight people with chronic illness, health issues and disabilities who are making a contribution in some way despite their pain, sickness, etc.

This week, I’ll be attending a blogging conference, IzeaFest. The schedule is full of learning and networking experiences. Normally I’d be worried about being fatigued and not feeling well but after attending the Affiliate Summit I learned how to balance having a chronic illness and being a conference attendee.  Here are the Top Ten Tips To Get The Most Out of a Blog Conference When You Are Chronically Ill:

1. Rest Up the week before. Get yourself into a good sleeping pattern and even take some naps during the day so you can feel well rested before the conference.
2. Schedule Your Time at the conference. Go through the schedule provided including the speakers, events and parties. Prioritize what is most important for your needs. In case you need a break, you can take it during the least necessary events. Although being there in person is the perfect scenario, most conferences are available on video later so you can take advantage of viewing what you missed.
3. Eat Healthy Meals so that you are taking good care of yourself. If food is provided, take fruit or some other snacks with you. Also, remember to keep well hydrated.
4. Take Advantage of Breaks. If you are going to attend parties and other networking events, then use the allotted break times to either nap or just find a quiet place to close your eyes and it easy for a few minutes.
5. Take Your Medications on Time. Keep a timer to remind you to take your meds. I use the silent alarm clock on my cell phone. It can get so hectic that it’s easy to forget to take your prescriptions.
6. Find a Buddy. A buddy can take notes for you, pass out your business cards, let people know that you needed a break, etc.  There are many things that you can do in return - write a blog post about that person, mention their help on Social Networking forums, write a reference for them, etc.
7. Be Prepared to Miss Something. Even people who are healthy end up missing an event or even more. Sometimes it’s just too overwhelming. Travel problems may occur. Healthy people get sick too. There are many reasons. So don’t be disappointed if you don’t hear a speaker or attend an after party.
8. Take Lots of Photos. Keep your camera with you at all times and take photos of the people and happenings around you. Try to write down a short note about the photo so you’ll remember the details later. This will allow you to post about the conference later and create lots of memories.
9. Hand out Business Cards. Don’t push them on people, but after you start a conversation about the other person, ask them for their card, write down some notes on the back and then give them yours. If you can’t do a lot of networking, you can quickly introduce yourself, say that you need a break and really want to get to know them. Ask for theirs first again.
10. Relax and Enjoy! You’ve made it to the conference and that in itself is a big accomplishment. Have fun, meet new people, network and focus on the positives.

My advice for photos is to use an xshot so you can be in the photo too. Plus, using this camera extender will get people to notice you.

It is possible to work from home when you are disabled or have a chronic illness by blogging. If you can use a computer, spend a few hours a week online and can learn directions on writing blog posts, you can earn money online.

One of the main things you will need to help you in this endeavor, is web hosting. Having your own domain name and hosting helps you to earn more money because you will have more work options available to you. Finding a reliable web host can be difficult, especially when you are brand new to blogging. You can follow this guide to learn what you type of web host you need. You’ll need to know how much disk space you need, the cost you will pay either per month or per year and the type of support that is provided.

I suggest going with a host that has 24 hour support with a toll-free number. When you are brand new to blogging, you will have a lot of questions. You may also run into problems that you are unable to deal with on your own, so look for a good support program.

Finding dedicated server hosting does not have to be a daunting task. It can be the start of working at home by blogging.

This list is to help my blog and other blogs with our Technorati rating. I learned about this from a group on Blogging Moms.

Updated July 13th
http://www.dominiquegoh.com
http://www.golfersmom.blogspot.com
http://jeanstockdale.typepad.com
http://annettepiperjewellery.blogspot.com/
http://momcooks.net
http://brainfoggles.com
http://conniesview.com
http://mychroniclife.com
http://mickeyfanatic.com
http://table4five.net
http://mainfo.blogspot.com/

July18
http://www.atticgirl.blogspot.com
http://artsnark.blogspot.com
http://table4five.net
http://momreviews.net
http://momcooks.net
http://www.myleahrose.com/blog/
http://www.ageorgiaangel.com/blog/

July 24
www.whenwelisten.blogspot.com
http://poshmomdiary.com/

http://www.hereallalong.blogspot.com
http://dominiquegoh.com/

Aug 1

http://www.anutinanutshell.com
http://www.thetamom.com/
http://childhood101.blogspot.com/
http://annettepiperjewellery.blogspot.com/2009/07/some-housekeeping…
http://lusciousdeals.blogspot.com

This post is sponsored by PayPerPost.
Izea, the company that owns PayPerPost and Social Spark now has another new blogging site open, PayPerPost v4.0. There are a lot of features that I like about this:

• It is simple to join. Just add your blog name, URL and just a bit of information about your blog
• There’s no eligibility process for blogs. Join and you’re in!
• You chose how much money you want to earn per word for your posts and per link. Plus you can edit this price as often as you wish.
• If you need to make changes to your post once it’s completed, you just sign in to your account and follow the directions. Easy!

I don’t like that not accepting an opportunity reflects poorly on my blog and my account. If I receive an offer that doesn’t have anything to do with my blog theme, I most likely won’t accept it. I’m hoping since PPP V4.0 is still in Alpha that this will be addressed.

That’s the only issue I have with this new Izea program. Other than that I’ve received a few offers and have been pleased with them. Here’s another way for people with health issues to earn some money. Why not give it a try and join too?

As I am growing as a blogger I want to continue to provide you with resources to assist you in your endeavors. I’m finding that I am able to work in this capacity even with my multiple health problems and earn extra money. Especially now, with the economy as it is, this money helps pay for my medications and extra medical expenses.

Search Engine Optimization is an necessary part of blogging and of website design. It is somewhat difficult to learn and retain for me. I use as much help as possible. Now that blogging is worldwide, that is you may see or read blogs in Spanish, Italian, Chinese, etc. you will want your blog and website to be able to be picked up by search engines in other countries as well. Multilingual SEO can provide this for you. Imagine your blog being picked up by search engines in Russia.

Some bloggers or owners of websites use Pay Per Click ads. The same holds true for this endeavor. If people from Portugal or the Netherlands click on your ads you will earn money. So why not make use of Multilingual PPC? Go with professionals with years of experience in this field. Search Laboratory has language specialists that work with you blog and website and provide the tools you need to help you earn money.