5 Ways the Internet Is Important to Me

          Blogging Against Disablism: I submit this idea: the Internet
            is an equalizer among people with different abilities.

Before I was diagnosed with MS, my days were active and I worked full time. I was a single mother of two boys, went to school, and I tried to have a social life, too. After my diagnosis, I continued my schedule. As the disease progressed, I moved into telecommuting before becoming a stay-at-home person with a disability. Life has changed, and living with a disability is different than any time in the past. One big reason is the Internet. Today, much of my life is occupied with my laptop.

Here are five ways the Internet is important to me:

1. Learning Information
There are all kinds of articles and news about medical research. The Internet can keep me abreast of new research and legislation. Because I have signed up with newsletters and organizations such as NMSS and MSIF, I get messages when new articles are available. It is uplifting to learn how much research in so many different areas is active in so many different regions worldwide.

I have also learned about people's dedication, personal experiences, and the ways so many people have touched others' lives. I was in awe of Sylvia Lawry when I first read her story and the significant impact she has had on so many lives, all because she loved her brother. There are many stories out there, and I plan to read them all -- even the strange ideas like administering carbon monoxide.

2. Socializing
The Internet allows me to maintain contact with friends, and has brought me many new friends online and around the world.

Of course there is email. I know telephones would handle this, too, but email allows us to communicate regardless of our schedules. We don't have to wait until it is convenient for both of us.

Social networking like My Space and Facebook allows me to keep up with all kinds of people and with what they are doing. Flickr lets me look through my friend's vacation pictures on my own time.

Then there are health networks like Disaboom, Revolution Health, and Patients Like Me. Again, there is the opportunity to maintain relationships, but there is even more. Each of these networks has its own strengths and satisfies a different need.

On a smaller scale with a more specialized target are networks specifically for MSers. These are usually set up by one person like Brass and Ivory who collects and shares MS blog addresses, and sometimes with a particular interest like Active MSers. They make me feel as if I should do it, too, but I have a hard time keeping up with what is already out there. Maybe one day I'll start my own niche MS network.

3. Managing my Health and Life
With resources like news articles, the National MS Society, Disaboom, and personal sites and blogs, there are so many places to find hints about everyday living with a chronic condition. I can learn more about my MS and the many, varying symptoms. Many people write about their symptoms and medication, and how they learned to deal with them.

I can create a log, tracking my disease progression, and read about others going through the same or similar experiences. I can find recommended equipment or accessible devices, or find resources to help with a new problem.

I can learn to communicate better with my doctor to ask the questions I would not have thought about. I regularly find hints to help me live the best life I can manage. I can feel bolstered by my online community.

4. Maintaining my Status as a Person
The Internet allows people with disabilities to do many things done by everyone, without discrimination.

There are dating sites, even some that cater specifically to people with disabilities. There are sites to help find employment, again, some specifically for people with disabilities. I do not need a date or a job, but I am glad to know they are available.

I do like to learn, and can take classes, and continue my education.

And I do not plan to be uneducated.

The Internet is a great resource for shopping. Most stores have an Internet presence, so I can shop, and compare items, brands, and even stores. There is hardly anything that cannot be purchased online. I just have to be careful with my personal information and allow myself plenty of time for shipping. It just takes planning, and a little learning, because the item purchased does not always look like the picture. I admit I sometimes use the mantra, "I want everything and I want it delivered." The Internet helps make that happen.

Then, like other Internetters, I can find online entertainment in the form of music, reading, visiting museums, and playing online games.

5. Making a Difference
I am in awe of people who leave their mark, who inspire people to do great things, to do all they can. I do not flatter myself with that self image, but I try to write positive pieces and encourage people to try again, to extend themselves as much as they can. I try to connect, one person at a time, and I will listen to a dream, a fear, a hope, a hard time, or a minor accomplishment. I hope I can make a difference in a life. Maybe I can share my smile, and thereby pass it along. The Internet allows me to try.

The Internet is important to me because it allows me to continue learning and to be part of a community. My friends and family as well as new online friends help me manage my everyday life, and it feel as if I am still the person I have always been, even with limited mobility and time resources. I can even feel as if I help people or at least touch them one at a time, making a difference.