2. We also now have the ability to advocate for ourselves and spread messages about these battles in ways we could never have done before. Many of us are isolated by our symptoms or even house bound, but now we contact and network with others and show the world we live and the battles we fight. We can open the “window” to those who have no idea what we contend with. It is my personal hope that this ability is used much more in the future and we continue to advocate, educate and bring respect and dignity.

3. We can also search the internet for ourselves for new research and information regarding our illness/s and find resources for ourselves without being reliant on the information given to us by an overstretched medical system. (This obviously comes with responsibility and problems).

4. We can access hobbies, interests, studies and entertainment we wouldn’t have had.

5. We can make friendships with people we would never meet.

6. Some of us are able to work remotely and remain in some form of employment or even start a new business opportunity.

7. We can have a voice and send out a message to a whole new audience.

8. Messages move faster and information goes out and spreads at speeds and rates never known before and never imagined 40 years ago.

9. In this new era we have a physical life, an emotional life, an intellectual life and a “digital life” which can help and aide us when our physical life is compromised and challenged.

10. We can email, skype and message our doctors / specialists in real time – if our carers agree – and it is my hope that they WILL more and more, afterall, they will still be paid so I personally dont see why they should object.

Gentle hugs,

Trish