Friends

One of the things I enjoy doing is connecting with friends, both online and in real life. Who knew that having a friendship with someone on the other side of a computer screen is every bit as real as picking up the phone to talk to your closest IRL friends?

I already mentioned my interest in blogging. But what I didn't mention was the number of really neat people I've met through my blog. Not just fellow MS or RA patients, but medical professionals, health policy wonks, and even former classmates.

Daily, I check my messages, read others' posts, answer questions, leave comments and offer up support to a wide range of individuals. I get as much out of these online relationships as I do from many of my face-to-face relationships. In fact, some friends fall into both categories, online and offline.

After having moved several times while pursuing graduate degrees, I lost track of some of my friends from earlier school days. However, my significant other still has active friendships with folks from each phase of his life, dating back to elementary school. Fortunately, I now call many of his friends, my friends.

Some of the more popular group activities include weekly Friday-night gatherings, viewing of college and NFL football games, poker games (which I'm a bit addicted to online), monthly D&D games followed by dinner (Rob is still trying to get me involved in this one, I'm not so sure), and simple cookouts depending upon the weather.

I'm fortunate that my friends are very understanding and accommodating when it comes to the unpredictable nature and limitations of my health and physical abilities. If I'm not up to doing something, it's really OK. I've only encountered acceptance and support in response to those limitations.

And with the popularity and accessibility of social networks, I'm now in touch with many of those long-lost school friends, and fellow musicians, and MS folks, and blogging folks.