“Hi. I have MS (multiple sclerosis) or some other Degenerative Brain Disorder.  I also have High Blood Pressure, Degenerative Disk Disease, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

 

Because of my disabilities, I'm unable to work in RL. This meant a loss of some of my independence, and a change in my financial situation. I feel isolated, and I have depression and anxiety.

 

For adaptive equipment for my computer, I have a screen reader I use sometimes when I'm having problems with my eyes.  In SL, I also use large fonts and different color schemes.

 

I came to SL because of an article I read about support groups for MS. This was about August 2008, in the magazine from the National MS Society. At first I landed in the info hubs. It was kinda scary at first. I met a lot of strange people, and I was unsure of what I was doing.  Then I started doing searches for Health information, groups, and things like that.

 

That's when I met Gentle Heron who introduced herself to me at the Consumer Health Library here on SL.   She gave me landmarks for fun places and talked to me about classes I could take.  She gave me free clothes and introduced me to VAI, which I have been a member of ever since. I was ready to quit in the beginning until Gentle showed me all the things I could do here.

 

Through Virtual Ability, I have attended meetings/classes on several different topics.  One was on care giving. Another was on SL relationships. I also went to building classes on making a Christmas gift box, and another one on how to make flowers and pets.

 

There are so many ways that SL has helped me in RL. SL gives me a chance to communicate with others, to socialize, and gain valuable knowledge through VAI and training.  SL helps me to remember things because it's so visual.  I found lots of friends who help support me when I feel bad. Gentle and other friends have helped me to keep going in RL and SL when I was ready to give up: to keep searching for appropriate medical care.  They helped me to find RL resources for independent living, medical resources, doctors and much more. I did some work in SL that I can't do in RL. Thanks to Gracious Streeter who hired me as a hostess. She helped build my confidence in myself and made me feel important, wanted and needed.”