Help: I'm working on an app to help families

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wesgarnett
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Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2014 11:22 am

Help: I'm working on an app to help families

Post by wesgarnett »

Hi, my name is Wes Garnett. I have 4 family members living with MS, one of which is my Mom. I'm posting this because I'd like to learn from you the frustrations you've experience with supporting people or personally living with MS. The app is for private messages and health/medication/exercise tracking.

MS showed up in my family 9 years ago when my Mom was diagnosed. Since the very beginning communication has been an issue. At first Mom didn't know how to tell us what was going on. Part of it was that she was scared and confused. Being honest, we al (the family) felt the same way, and the time we neglected to deal with the transitions together created a major gap in our relationships. It was like we existed in two different worlds. I'm sure you all have heard this a million times, but on the surface they looked normal. Surface appearances made it difficult to connect to their struggles - despite the fact that we really wanted to.

Over time we found our stride. We're light years beyond where we started. Every year we all get involved in the walk events where we live, and those times are the most incredible. It gives us a reason to work together and speak with each other more frequently. The app I'm working on is meant to replicate the closeness we have only a few times per year.

I started building the app about a year ago. Knowing full well that every individual and family experience with MS is different I've spent a lot of time doing regular life with people. It was important that I get a broad perspective of the ups and downs of MS in the context of family life. Married - unmarried, children - no children, retired - working, men - women ... I've talked to them all .. AND THERE IS STILL SO MUCH TO LEARN!!!

And that's why I'm here. I'd like to learn from you the frustrations you've experience with supporting people or personally living with MS. So far, we've learned that people with MS need a easier way to track their symptoms and exercises, schedule reminders for medications, and privately message health details to family and doctors.

Thanks in advance for your feedback. It will go a long way in helping me bring this app to reality.
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