[stevebrot]

It is easy to make assumptions regarding the other people posting or responding to threads on this and other online forums. A few generalizations might be:

• New members are deemed clueless until their contributions or comments indicate otherwise. Being clueless is difficult to redeem oneself from.
• Normal intelligence is assumed
• Reasonable physical health is assumed
• Unless obvious by post contents, mental health is also assumed
• Ditto the above for addictions and substance abuse in general
• Unless shared with the community, we assume financial stability and healthy family/friend relationships.

Seldom do we picture:

• Severe physical disability that might include inability to hold a camera or frame a shot
• People living with dire health problems with the "end of the tunnel" clearly in sight
• Mental health issues held at bay, sometimes barely, by medications
• People whose social circle is virtually nonexistent and whose social skills match the size of that social circle
• People who truly cannot afford their chose hobby/craft
• People who consider other forum members to be their best and/or only true friends
• People who don't "get" our simple help instructions simply because fate has denied them the gift of understanding

I will admit that managing perspective on these two lists is a challenge to me, though I will also admit to making it a matter of my personal petition to my God. (Sorry about the religious reference, but it is pertinent from my personal perspective on this thread.)

Some time ago, our favorite squirrel friend finished his course here with very few of us knowing that he was terminally ill. Probably the only clear clue was that he never photographed anything that was not visible from his back porch (RIP Rupert). Several years ago, I remember a member responding to a rather vicious "flame" by sharing that they had been retching their guts out for the previous 24 hours subsequent to chemo for lung cancer and had no patience for a measured reply to the attack. We truly do never know.

Today was the first time in over a week that I posted to Pentax Forums. It has been a tough couple of weeks punctuated by severe illness that eventually resulted in a hospital stay spanning several days. I live alone, so this sort of thing is serious. Sadly, the quality of my comments in the days leading up reflected my general health.

Happily, I am making a good recovery, though with the company of a new best friend, that being a machine that provides me with supplemental oxygen. As a background to the acute illness of these last few weeks lies the solemn truth that my life is colored by a diagnosis with an unavoidable poor prognosis. With greater than about 90% probability, I will not be posting here past sometime in 2021. I feel blessed that these facts have not clouded my life too much and I trust that will remain true to the end, though they are part of the picture.

I cannot believe that I am completely unique in this regard and perhaps this note in our "General Talk" forum will have the effect of savory salt in the broth to help us all remember that we truly do not know much about the person on the other side of the wire.


Steve

[tokyoscape]

Steve, Hope you feel better soon. PM me if you come to Tokyo, I will show you around the town.

[gordon_l34]

Hi Steve,

I have just spent the last eleven months with a shoulder injury; unable to work, so I can sympathise with you.

All the best.

Regards,
Gordon.

[Pentikonian]

Steve, you are quite right about not knowing the situation of others, the anonymity/ impersonal nature of the internet being what it is. I think your post offers some good things for people to consider as they wander the interwebs.

You are definitely not alone. I was hit with health issues that kicked me to the curb pretty good about this time last year. Had a worsening this last month, and am doing the "shooting out the patio door" thing for right now. Single as well. Living alone with major health issues can be a bit challenging and worrisome.

I'll keep you in my thoughts, and beam positive waves your way. If you need to reach out and talk, feel free to send me a PM.

[PJ1]

Hi Steve

I appreciate you sharing that with us. Life can be tough and it can be tougher for some than for others. I enjoy your comments and contributions and I hope will continue to do so for a while yet. You are among a group that I tend to take particular note of because of your considerate participation.

Keep clicking away.
Peter

[Dartmoor Dave]

Thank you for that wise and beautifully written post, Steve. You're one of the keystone people on this forum who can always be trusted to know exactly what he's talking about.

I personally live with two of the conditions in your "Seldom do we picture" list, and I have to accept that lately they have been affecting some of the posts I've made here. I'm grateful for your timely reminder that the people out there on the other end of the internet are individual human beings too.

[timb64]

Steve,
Many people’s thoughts are with you,be strong,
Best wishes
Tim

[Racer X 69]

There are two things that are certain in this life.

We are born.

And we die.

It is what we do in between those two events that define us as individuals.

You continually lead by example here, and by your interactions here it is clear that you do in your non internet life too. You are a good man, and it would seem that you have led a good life.

Steve, I have always enjoyed and appreciated your participation and contributions to this community. Beyond that, I can only say that I truly hope your remaining time in this life is comfortable for you, and without unnecessary pain or burdens.

Be well my friend.
Racer

[Robin]

Thank you for sharing you story with us Steve, it helps to put the Forum into a perspective of more than just a website. For my part, it reminds me to appreciate the health and freedom I have. It also means that those of us that can get out there with our cameras, should share the beauty of photography, with our fellow members who aren't so mobile.

[Digitalis]

Happily, I am making a good recovery, though with the company of a new best friend, that being a machine that provides me with supplemental oxygen. As a background to the acute illness of these last few weeks lies the solemn truth that my life is colored by a diagnosis with an unavoidable poor prognosis. With greater than about 90% probability, I will not be posting here past sometime in 2021.

i'm sorry to hear about your illness, I often look forward to reading your posts as they often have some little piece of information or a perspective I had not considered. We often take many things for granted: that everyone participating in forum discussion is doing so on equal footing and based upon similar life experiences, but these are all merely assumptions.

Having my own personal health crisis - Being diagnosed in late Feburary 2019 with Type 1 1/2 Diabetes or LADA* as they call it , and a subsequent development of painful and rather rare treatment induced diabetic neuropathy which has spread through my body and affected my hands/feet and caused catastrophic damage to my nerves - the pain from allodynia is unfortunately, only being held back by powerful opioid painkillers**. I also am undertaking a advanced degree in music at University and I'm in the process of scaling down my responsibilities as a commercial photographer to give more time to devote to my studies. My university studies have unexpectedly brought with it a romantic interest, a part of myself I considered to be burned out. This has been a spur that has aided my recovery, in a fashion that is typical of my attractions he is already taken, he has been in a relationship with a dear friend of mine for over a year now, but I am respectful of their relationship and simply being in his company is enough for me.

Mentally the diagnosis it has been a blow, but I kept putting one foot in front of the other, and managing things as well as I could. I could manage the diabetes, I'm well aware of my body and I know when it is telling me something is going wrong. I have no phobias over the sight of my own blood or needles*** and I'm thankful for the advances made in electronics that allow for measurement of blood sugars in real-time.

The nerve damage I developed was a real shocker though, the development of allodynia means physical contact such as a handshake, hug, even a kiss, is painful. I'm not happy about being on opioid painkillers, I'm well aware of the risks considering my condition. Fortunately my creative outlets give me a powerful shield against depression which many diabetics have to deal with. Admittedly I have had one or two episodes where my thoughts degenerated into dark places that were admittedly difficult to pull out of. I'm confident have the tools and resources I need to keep myself above that event horizon.



*Latent Autoimmune Diabes of Adulthood . My father was a type 1 diabetic diagnosed in his early 20's. I was diagnosed at age 34 the start of the year - on the same day as my music audition, no less. At least I have the minor satisfaction I had over a decade longer of care free life than my weak, abusive father got.
** which I will point out are actively dangerous for me to take, as they are known to cause fatal hypoglycemic episodes.
*** After working in chemistry labs, using needles to introduce solvents and reagents in Schlenk line reactions is commonplace.

[ffking]

I think we have to work with the first list as a default assumption buy try to be sensitive to (and remember!) evidence of the second list or other - but that's not always easy to discern (and people don't alays want it discerned) - so I do find myself shocked - and saddened - by the revelations here - but they do draw attention to the need to always be conscious that things might not be as they seem, especially when people don't react the way we'd like them to.

[stevebrot]

Having my own personal health crisis - Being diagnosed in late Feburary 2019 with Type 1 1/2 Diabetes or LADA* as they call it...

Thank you for sharing. Though I have some knowledge, I can only imagine the full impact this has had on you. Thank you too for sharing that you are pursuing advanced music studies. It is amazing to consider the breadth of expertise and expression within our community. Your technical bent is obvious from your posts, but the music is something new and brings a smile to my face. I wish (and pray*) courage for you in all these things.


Steve

* Yes, the religion thing again...

[Digitalis]

I can only imagine the full impact this has had on you.

The complications have the biggest problem, Medications help a lot but there are still un-diagnosed problems that currently defy treatment that I have yet to face.

Thank you too for sharing that you are pursuing advanced music studies.

I had no Idea I would be so sick. In retrospect: I should have done this three years ago, but no. I had to tackle going back to university AND deal with chronic illness at the same time.


Thanks to those whom have sent me kind messages of encouragement!

[bertwert]

Very well said. There are many things that go unnoticed through the veil of anonymity on the web and it is important that we keep that in mind.
Thank you for sharing

[RGlasel]

Happily, I am making a good recovery

That is very good news, for however long it lasts, today being better than yesterday is something to cherish for any of us.

I will also admit to making it a matter of my personal petition to my God. (Sorry about the religious reference, but it is pertinent from my personal perspective on this thread.)

You won't be alone in your petitioning, even if you can't sense it. Thank you for sharing your real life challenge with this online community, just because we can't hold a candle to your personal interactions in the real world, doesn't mean that there is no value to doing this. I wish you much peace and happiness for as long as you are part of this world (and that might be longer than you think) and it looks to me that you are well set for what happens when you do leave this world (as we all do eventually).