The Procrastinator

Here is my contest entry that I submitted twenty minutes too late. The prize was a Kindle 2 and three years of free software updates. Oh, well.

Dragon to the Rescue

Damsels in distress are usually rescued by knights in shining armor, but my hero is a dragon. Dragon Naturally Speaking has enabled me to continue using my computer in spite of a progressive disability. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) twelve years ago and my disease has slowly taken away my mobility and independence. Because of MS, I can no longer walk, work or stand and my fine motor skills are also affected. Typing has become particularly difficult because I find myself only able to use one finger of one hand quite often. This is okay if I am just checking emails or surfing the web but when I want to do more, it's Dragon to the rescue.

With my trusty Dragon, I can reply to my emails, participate in social networking sites such as FaceBook, manage my family's website, solicit donations for the MS walk and even keep a blog about living with MS. Also, I am a political activist writing to my senators and congressmen about legislation that affects me and everyone else living with the disease. I could not possibly do all these things if I had to rely on my diminishing typing skills.

Dragon helps me stay connected to my friends, family and the world. I can't imagine my life without it. In this age where technology is creating smaller and smaller devices, I often feel left out because I can't use them. Dragon allows me to fully participate in the online world despite my physical limitations. I am no longer a "damsel in distress." I am an empowered woman riding through cyberspace on my mighty dragon!