Angela of A Survivor's Guide to Huntington's Disease?

Can we fight what is in our genes? On her blog A Survivor's Guide to Huntington's Disease? Angela describes living with a neurodegenerative genetic disorder: From her coming to terms with her mother's and her own illness to her attempt to break her family's heredity by In Vitro Fertilization, Angela lets us in on her hopes and fears.

For her interview, please follow the  jump below. 




What's your name, how old are you, and what do you do for a living (or all day, for that matter)?

My name is Angela, I am in my 30s and I work in an office, writing and editing reports.

How long have you been blogging? How did you get around to blogging?

I started in 2006. At the time, there was a lot going on with my mum (who has huntington’s disease and other mental health issues) and it felt like everything, words, emotions, feelings were trapped inside and needed to get out. The blog somehow just became an obvious means of therapy.

What's your blog called and why?

My blog is called: A Survivor’s Guide to Huntington’s Disease? The URL is: http://survivinghuntingtons.blogspot.com/ Initially the blog was about how I coped with mum, and with having a genetic illness but it changed as my circumstances changed and was a way of me dealing with my own test results (which were positive) and our subsequent decision to have PGD IVF [Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis In Vitro Fertilization], where they test the embryo before implantation. I called it A Survivor’s Guide because I wanted it to emphasise my determination to beat huntington’s and then dithered for ages about whether to add a question mark or not at the end, which I eventually did to highlight that I may never beat it if they don’t find a cure (no matter how determined I am).

What are you blogging about? Why?

At the moment, I am blogging about our experiences as we go into our second cycle of IVF. I find blogging a great outlet for pent up emotion at such a stressful time in our lives!

Who's your target audience?

Anyone who will read it. I get a wide range of readers – people with genetic diseases in their family (huntington’s and others), people going through IVF…

Who designed your blog? How much was that? In case you designed your own layout: Where did you learn how to?

I used one of the free templates available through Blogger.com.

Which software and which host do you use? Can you recommend them?

Blogger.com. I have never had any problems and find the software really easy to use.

What role play photos, MP3-files or video clips on your blog? If you use them, would you mind showing us one?

None.

How many readers do you have? How many would you like to have? Does their number matter to you at all?

No idea and I don’t mind how many I have. The blog is for me and for other people. Some people actually drift in and out of reading my blog.

Can you learn how to blog? Do you need to know a lot about computers? Do you have any advice for beginners?

I was never taught anything, I just write what is in my heart and my head.

Have you made negative experiences with blogging, too? What kind?

The occasional inappropriate comment but those are easily deleted.

Do you use twitter, too? Why (not)? What pros and cons do you see when it comes to twitter?

No. The blog and the emails that I get sent are enough for me to keep on top of!

Which other female bloggers can you recommend? Why?

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