Hi @ancientknowled3. I've just joined Steemit myself and I was looking through the self-intros for ideas on how I should write my own, when I came upon yours and was moved by it. I can only imagine what it's like to be forced into retirement by an illness, but I applaud you for not letting it break your spirit, and from what I've seen so far, I believe there are people on Steemit who can be a resource for you in moving forward in life. I hope I can be one of those people for you.