Diana de Avila

Retired, US Army and GE due to complications from MS.

I've done a lot of things in my life from being a being a military police to being a Nun to working with GE in a corporate setting as an engineer and being trained as a school psychologist. I've volunteered as an EMT (something I always wanted to do) and ended up working on an ambulance while able ... and when my health started to prevent that, I took my volunteerism and skills inside the Ambulance corps and redid the IT infrastructure for them. I am driven to give what I can, where I can and how I am able.

In 2001 while working with GE, I was diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting MS. The relapses pulled me out of my corporate job. I was retired at the time but so not ready to give up the idea of "working". I have spent the past 10+ years trying to get start-ups going and working in entreprenurial settings. I most recently moved to Sarasota and even tried Real Estate (thinking I could work on Flat Fee MLS or create applications for Real Estate with Google Glass - as I was a Google Glass Explorer). All good ideas in theory, but the disease process has been unkind and although I am ambulatory, this is not without assistive aids. The disability SUCKS and always reminds me it is there. In September 2014, I was diagnosed with Secondary Progressive MS (where the disease quits the relapsing remitting phases and starts a more progressive path). When trying to do real estate, trying to work full-time hours, it began to take a toll on me. So I am in the process now of tying up those loose ends and focusing on my health once again and enjoying better quality of life. I live in Paradise now with the beach in my backyard. I am going to focus on enjoying it. When people ask me what I do now ... I won't beat around the bush anymore and I will say "I'm retired". This time, I really AM retired.

In the past, I have been able to lend various skills (technical, counseling, HR) to volunteer agencies. Living in Sarasota, I will discover that opportunity again. Something that provides meaning and allows me to give back. I am not sure what or where the opportunity is ... but it will come to me at the right time.

As a staunch ISTJ, it may take me a little while to open up to you and I may appear quiet or aloof. I'm just listening ... trying to understand what's going on around me. I don't "do" small talk without a good reason and purpose. I do well 1 on 1 and if you are m