I fully understand your reasons for taking a break. Thanks so much for the time and energy you've put into The Tonic: your thoughts and experiences have often reassured and resonated with me on my own Long COVID journey Wishing you all the best with both paid work and training in the months to come!
Love your fresh contributions and they inspired me in starting my own stack! (Which I'm ALSO taking a hiatus from!) Do whatcha need to do. We'll miss you while you're gone, we'll be here when you return, and we'll be cheering you on if you need to move to the next thing!
I’m still here as a reader, and I’ll be thrilled when your next post hits (whenever that is), because you make me laugh and you make me think! I hope you’re doing well these days.
Totally get needing a break. It’s hard to keep up with the demands “to be seen” on here—constantly having to feed the algorithm with notes and posts so often that you can’t do anything else. It’s truly wonderful to see how full your life is and is becoming! Go live it for those of us who are yet to fully be able to.
Thank you for everything you’ve shared here! It’s been such a pleasure and I hope to stay in touch! 💕
You are a cherished new friend from this venture, Keisha! And, I’m not leaving Substack as a reader, so we’ll definitely stay in touch. I’m holding out hope for our NYC toast one day! 🥂
I will miss reading you on The Tonic, Amy, but I fully understand and support your decision to take a hiatus. I am so happy about your recovery. The Tonic has been an amazing resource for all - not just those with Long Covid - and you should be very proud of all it (and you) have accomplished. Be well!
Just stopping by to say thank you for all you have done. Your writing, your wit, your heart have all been so great to read. That said, your decision to take a hiatus sounds like a wise one to make. And I am SO glad to hear you are feeling better (on at least some fronts)! <3
Thank you for your presence here in the chronic illness community on Substack sharing your experience and resources! While I’ll miss your posts, I totally get needing to take a step back. I’m in the same season with my substack and recently took 2 months off due to starting a new job. Prioritizing your health (mental and physical) is everything ❤️🩹
It’s so interesting you mentioned migraines when coming back to work because SAME! Ive been having migraines since working longer hours on the computer 😪 Hoping you feel better with this much deserved break! (And also hoping I’ll see you back here in April)
Amy- you have been a lifeline to so many of us. You connected me to the Workwell Foundation for the 2 day cardiopulmonary exercise test, resources for disability such as the Sleepy Girls Guide to Disability, my Sensate (with your discount code), and now CFS Recovery where I’m already making strides in my return to health. I’m sure there is more I’m not thinking of as well. Even connections to other Substackers like Heather Hogan have been a wonderful add to my reading. I’m so happy to read about your return to work and making smart choices to protect your health. Cheers to you and your beautiful future!
It’s been such a pleasure to have been with you on this journey, though of course we both wish we had met under better circumstances! Thank you for listing the specific ways I’ve helped - that really means a lot to me to hear that. And I have high hopes for you with CFS Recovery! Please do stay in touch.
Amy, thank you so much for your heartfelt writing and advocacy to tell it like it is about this illness. I did not know that the reader metrics don't show up on email, my bad. So I made it a point to come on the app today. I also love your humor, your swearing, and your sharing of your life through this journey. I think the decision to take a break is a very wise one. Though I will miss your writing, your health and continued improvement is the most important thing. I know you will be back with more wit, creativity and advice. We'll be here waiting ❤️
Thanks so much, Roger - you’ve been a loyal, longtime reader here and I have so appreciated your show of support!
To be clear, the reader metrics on open rates do apply to email, but email readers are far less likely to engage with me through likes and comments. So it was hard to know if email readers were opening the email and closing it just as quickly, or if they were actually reading. No matter, I’m grateful that you came here to comment!
Amy, you made something incredible here with The Tonic since 2023 — so much information, so many resources, so many people you helped, so many smiles and laughs you prompted in hard times. It's unfortunate that writers rarely ever see the impact they make, but I know I'm not the only one that clicked on your newsletters in my inbox quickly, learned so much every time, felt my day brighten with the hilarious memes, and felt a little closer hearing about your journey, your progress, your insightful thoughts, your outrage, your humor. This is a good reminder to me and to all of us that we need to be cheering each other on and reaching back out, letting the vibes boomerang back to reinforce the voices we want to hear in the world. The internet gives us the illusion that we know what is happening and what matters, based on likes and views and such, but some of that is fake and what really occurs on the other end of the note is invisible unless we the readers make it more visible. (OK, end my deep thought of the day. :) I hope The Tonic returns (if it is the right thing for you!), but either way, you made an amazing and powerful difference in the dozens and dozens of comprehensive issues you created over nearly two years. What a feat. I'm so glad you are feeling better enough to turn to new and exciting work, where you will continue to make a difference. Thank you for The Tonic. Thank you for being you.
Brianne, I am so grateful to have found you here and I feel the same - when Odyssey of the Body posts drop, they are always the first ones I’ll read or save. You make such a good point about cheering each other on. I’ve been so touched by all the comments on this post, and seeing a lot of names for the first time. I’ve been trying to make an effort as a reader to click like or make even a short comment on others’ posts or Notes, because it costs me nothing but could mean something to the writer (or to the writer via the algorithm).
Thank you for the lovely words of support here and in your email as well. I’ll be responding soon (and yes to another hang!)
I am generally an email reader so thought that I would come on here to say hello! You need to know that you are very much appreciated. I would like to thank you for all of your communications and hard work. You have made a difference to me.
I have long Covid too and try to support the cause whenever I can but it is exhausting and trying to get engagement does feel like wading through treacle sometimes. It helps to know that we are not alone on this journey. So I fully understand your reasons for taking a break. It sounds like the sensible thing to do. I wish you all the best. Onwards and upwards!
Claire, thank you for being here as a reader and taking the time to jump onto the app to comment - that means a lot to me. Wading through treacle is a great way to put it. I’m going to reflect on the ways being here has brought me joy, and see if I can channel that into a return. Stay tuned!
I wish you all the best and hope you will return occasionally. I think the issue is the algorithm, I have to constantly hunt for the people I follow when there used to just be there. Thank you for all you have shared. I have loved your newsletter.
Thank you for saying this, Rae. I’m so glad you’ve loved it. And I’ve heard from a few others that my new posts stopped landing in their inboxes, so I’m not sure what’s going on with the platform. It used to be such a welcoming place for lesser known writers. It’s pretty disappointing how it’s changed.
I will miss your intelligent and humorous writing very much, but understand and applaud you for caring for your self. All the best during your hiatus. Return to us refreshed and with a twinkle in your eye!
Gahhhh sorry to hear about the return of chronic migraine😪
Glad to hear you are taking a break though.
A good winter and summer break needs to be a must. Especially when you have got so much else on right now and such little returns come from Substack.
I hope to see you dip in and out as inspired and in ever increasing wellness.
Relapse has certainly been part of my journey. Just had another one though it was only relatively mild and weekend illness so next to nothing by comparison of the past.
Amber, your constant support and cheerleading have meant the world to me. I’ll still be on Substack as a reader, so I’ll see you here and there in various comments sections. I’ll be following where you’re headed still 🫶🏻
Amy, absolutely “put on your oxygen mask before helping those around you,” as the airlines say. As political outrage and economic stupidity proliferate, Substacks like The Bulwark have hired more author/hosts, launched YouTube channels, and have gone to dawn to midnight video postings.
A year ago, Substack recommendations were for people I hadn’t heard of. Now it’s for journalists who left/got kicked out of CBS & Washington Post or working journalists and authors who have added it as yet another Social Media channel.
There is also LC exhaustion for patients. They try things until they stop finding things that help and then want to spend their limited brain focus and energy on regaining whatever fraction of their old lives they can, or, like you, they got well enough to work.
Nate Silver wrote a post titled, “Always be blogging,” or something like that, and he said one meaty post and one ok less effort per week had kept his base growing. The higher effort ones get forwarded and draw in new subs in 2-3 days and the second post provides new content.
Your posts and Brandon’s Long Covid Weekly contain more info than most patients can handle if reading the links is included.
If you come back to it, for me and I think others from what I’ve seen in support groups, is that attention span is between 1-3 paragraphs. Perhaps a shorter post on just actionable ideas for therapies and staying safe with links to longer posts on other stuff.
Thanks for the validation re: Substack and for your feedback. I don’t know if shorter posts are in my constitution, however. I’m more of a storyteller and I’ve never been a fan of short stories 😂. My thinking has always been folks can pick and choose how much they want to engage with my writing and with the links. I often save Substack posts of other writers to come back to if they’re too meaty. Luckily, there is a wide range of LC and ME/CFS writers on Substack, so if what I’m peddling here doesn’t work for some, there’s likely another writer who can meet the need.
I fully understand your reasons for taking a break. Thanks so much for the time and energy you've put into The Tonic: your thoughts and experiences have often reassured and resonated with me on my own Long COVID journey Wishing you all the best with both paid work and training in the months to come!
Thank you for being here and for this comment!
Love your fresh contributions and they inspired me in starting my own stack! (Which I'm ALSO taking a hiatus from!) Do whatcha need to do. We'll miss you while you're gone, we'll be here when you return, and we'll be cheering you on if you need to move to the next thing!
I’m still here as a reader, and I’ll be thrilled when your next post hits (whenever that is), because you make me laugh and you make me think! I hope you’re doing well these days.
Totally get needing a break. It’s hard to keep up with the demands “to be seen” on here—constantly having to feed the algorithm with notes and posts so often that you can’t do anything else. It’s truly wonderful to see how full your life is and is becoming! Go live it for those of us who are yet to fully be able to.
Thank you for everything you’ve shared here! It’s been such a pleasure and I hope to stay in touch! 💕
You are a cherished new friend from this venture, Keisha! And, I’m not leaving Substack as a reader, so we’ll definitely stay in touch. I’m holding out hope for our NYC toast one day! 🥂
I feel exactly the same and value our friendship greatly! I’m soooo looking forward to that day. 😊
I will miss reading you on The Tonic, Amy, but I fully understand and support your decision to take a hiatus. I am so happy about your recovery. The Tonic has been an amazing resource for all - not just those with Long Covid - and you should be very proud of all it (and you) have accomplished. Be well!
You have been here since the beginning, my friend. Thank you for your steadfast support!
Just stopping by to say thank you for all you have done. Your writing, your wit, your heart have all been so great to read. That said, your decision to take a hiatus sounds like a wise one to make. And I am SO glad to hear you are feeling better (on at least some fronts)! <3
Much appreciated! Thanks for being here.
Thank you for your presence here in the chronic illness community on Substack sharing your experience and resources! While I’ll miss your posts, I totally get needing to take a step back. I’m in the same season with my substack and recently took 2 months off due to starting a new job. Prioritizing your health (mental and physical) is everything ❤️🩹
It’s so interesting you mentioned migraines when coming back to work because SAME! Ive been having migraines since working longer hours on the computer 😪 Hoping you feel better with this much deserved break! (And also hoping I’ll see you back here in April)
Holy parallel process for us! I hope your headaches ease up soon. We were not meant to be on screens all day like this.
And thank you for your kind words of support!
Amy- you have been a lifeline to so many of us. You connected me to the Workwell Foundation for the 2 day cardiopulmonary exercise test, resources for disability such as the Sleepy Girls Guide to Disability, my Sensate (with your discount code), and now CFS Recovery where I’m already making strides in my return to health. I’m sure there is more I’m not thinking of as well. Even connections to other Substackers like Heather Hogan have been a wonderful add to my reading. I’m so happy to read about your return to work and making smart choices to protect your health. Cheers to you and your beautiful future!
It’s been such a pleasure to have been with you on this journey, though of course we both wish we had met under better circumstances! Thank you for listing the specific ways I’ve helped - that really means a lot to me to hear that. And I have high hopes for you with CFS Recovery! Please do stay in touch.
Amy, thank you so much for your heartfelt writing and advocacy to tell it like it is about this illness. I did not know that the reader metrics don't show up on email, my bad. So I made it a point to come on the app today. I also love your humor, your swearing, and your sharing of your life through this journey. I think the decision to take a break is a very wise one. Though I will miss your writing, your health and continued improvement is the most important thing. I know you will be back with more wit, creativity and advice. We'll be here waiting ❤️
Thanks so much, Roger - you’ve been a loyal, longtime reader here and I have so appreciated your show of support!
To be clear, the reader metrics on open rates do apply to email, but email readers are far less likely to engage with me through likes and comments. So it was hard to know if email readers were opening the email and closing it just as quickly, or if they were actually reading. No matter, I’m grateful that you came here to comment!
Amy, you made something incredible here with The Tonic since 2023 — so much information, so many resources, so many people you helped, so many smiles and laughs you prompted in hard times. It's unfortunate that writers rarely ever see the impact they make, but I know I'm not the only one that clicked on your newsletters in my inbox quickly, learned so much every time, felt my day brighten with the hilarious memes, and felt a little closer hearing about your journey, your progress, your insightful thoughts, your outrage, your humor. This is a good reminder to me and to all of us that we need to be cheering each other on and reaching back out, letting the vibes boomerang back to reinforce the voices we want to hear in the world. The internet gives us the illusion that we know what is happening and what matters, based on likes and views and such, but some of that is fake and what really occurs on the other end of the note is invisible unless we the readers make it more visible. (OK, end my deep thought of the day. :) I hope The Tonic returns (if it is the right thing for you!), but either way, you made an amazing and powerful difference in the dozens and dozens of comprehensive issues you created over nearly two years. What a feat. I'm so glad you are feeling better enough to turn to new and exciting work, where you will continue to make a difference. Thank you for The Tonic. Thank you for being you.
Brianne, I am so grateful to have found you here and I feel the same - when Odyssey of the Body posts drop, they are always the first ones I’ll read or save. You make such a good point about cheering each other on. I’ve been so touched by all the comments on this post, and seeing a lot of names for the first time. I’ve been trying to make an effort as a reader to click like or make even a short comment on others’ posts or Notes, because it costs me nothing but could mean something to the writer (or to the writer via the algorithm).
Thank you for the lovely words of support here and in your email as well. I’ll be responding soon (and yes to another hang!)
I am generally an email reader so thought that I would come on here to say hello! You need to know that you are very much appreciated. I would like to thank you for all of your communications and hard work. You have made a difference to me.
I have long Covid too and try to support the cause whenever I can but it is exhausting and trying to get engagement does feel like wading through treacle sometimes. It helps to know that we are not alone on this journey. So I fully understand your reasons for taking a break. It sounds like the sensible thing to do. I wish you all the best. Onwards and upwards!
Claire, thank you for being here as a reader and taking the time to jump onto the app to comment - that means a lot to me. Wading through treacle is a great way to put it. I’m going to reflect on the ways being here has brought me joy, and see if I can channel that into a return. Stay tuned!
I think you should make a quick stop off in Ireland on your way to the UK, just saying…
Haha, I do wish! Would be fun to see my partner after all these years
I wish you all the best and hope you will return occasionally. I think the issue is the algorithm, I have to constantly hunt for the people I follow when there used to just be there. Thank you for all you have shared. I have loved your newsletter.
Thank you for saying this, Rae. I’m so glad you’ve loved it. And I’ve heard from a few others that my new posts stopped landing in their inboxes, so I’m not sure what’s going on with the platform. It used to be such a welcoming place for lesser known writers. It’s pretty disappointing how it’s changed.
I will miss your intelligent and humorous writing very much, but understand and applaud you for caring for your self. All the best during your hiatus. Return to us refreshed and with a twinkle in your eye!
Thanks for your support, Katharine!
Gahhhh sorry to hear about the return of chronic migraine😪
Glad to hear you are taking a break though.
A good winter and summer break needs to be a must. Especially when you have got so much else on right now and such little returns come from Substack.
I hope to see you dip in and out as inspired and in ever increasing wellness.
Relapse has certainly been part of my journey. Just had another one though it was only relatively mild and weekend illness so next to nothing by comparison of the past.
See you on the flip side 💛✨
Amber, your constant support and cheerleading have meant the world to me. I’ll still be on Substack as a reader, so I’ll see you here and there in various comments sections. I’ll be following where you’re headed still 🫶🏻
Amy, absolutely “put on your oxygen mask before helping those around you,” as the airlines say. As political outrage and economic stupidity proliferate, Substacks like The Bulwark have hired more author/hosts, launched YouTube channels, and have gone to dawn to midnight video postings.
A year ago, Substack recommendations were for people I hadn’t heard of. Now it’s for journalists who left/got kicked out of CBS & Washington Post or working journalists and authors who have added it as yet another Social Media channel.
There is also LC exhaustion for patients. They try things until they stop finding things that help and then want to spend their limited brain focus and energy on regaining whatever fraction of their old lives they can, or, like you, they got well enough to work.
Nate Silver wrote a post titled, “Always be blogging,” or something like that, and he said one meaty post and one ok less effort per week had kept his base growing. The higher effort ones get forwarded and draw in new subs in 2-3 days and the second post provides new content.
Your posts and Brandon’s Long Covid Weekly contain more info than most patients can handle if reading the links is included.
If you come back to it, for me and I think others from what I’ve seen in support groups, is that attention span is between 1-3 paragraphs. Perhaps a shorter post on just actionable ideas for therapies and staying safe with links to longer posts on other stuff.
Best of luck to you in whatever you do!
Thanks for the validation re: Substack and for your feedback. I don’t know if shorter posts are in my constitution, however. I’m more of a storyteller and I’ve never been a fan of short stories 😂. My thinking has always been folks can pick and choose how much they want to engage with my writing and with the links. I often save Substack posts of other writers to come back to if they’re too meaty. Luckily, there is a wide range of LC and ME/CFS writers on Substack, so if what I’m peddling here doesn’t work for some, there’s likely another writer who can meet the need.
Thank you for the share and wishing you a lot of rest and relaxation while you’re away!!
Thank you! ☺️