Has anyone actually tried this?

[AndrewT]

As, some of you, may well know, I am a Middle-aged Fat man who has 'Non-specific ANCA Vasculitis'. Actually about five different, not specifically named, Overlapping 'strains'. I had a Kidney transplant, in July 2013, and now live in Supported Living.

My question is this- Does anyone have any experience of 'Friendship', or 'Chat', rooms. I'm NOT really after a Date, or necessarily a sexual relationship, just a 'Pen', maybe 'Internet', friend- in other words Someone to Talk to.

I know that, we all, 'Chat' on here and can, within reason anyway, say whatever we like. We HAVE had some, quite 'dark' content, sometimes along with a few Good Laughs. However this isn't quite what I'm 'after', if that makes, the slightest, sense.

Maybe I want to get to know Someone better, in a personal sense, for who they are.....is this making sense?

I'd be, very interested, in any thoughts, or information, you might have.

Many thanks

AndrewT

[ZiggyDiego]

I've made a good friend through the Vasculitis UK Facebook forum: she posted a similar message and I noticed she lived near to me. So we met up a couple of times and it was great. It's a bit of a challenge meeting up because we're both quite poorly, but we connect very regularly via Facebook messenger and most recently, Twitter. Good luck!

[Christophene47]

Hi, Andrew, A couple of years after my first husband passed away, I joined a couple of websites that could be called "dating sites," ; there are

so many; international dating, and Elite Singles, Our Time for people over 50, etc..I never went out with anybody, but it was therapeutic to see photos of people ( many looking for sex), and to exchange ideas and points of views and to know that men were interested even if nothing came of it. I imagine there are UK based sites.

I would give it a try; you will be able to quickly evaluate the character of of people on site by how they describe themselves; if they are interested in more than sex, etc. Just be very careful to never go out with someone unless it is to a public place until you get to know what they are about; never fall for hard luck stories where someone is asking for help or money.

Otherwise, it is a way to socialize from the safety of hour home and get an idea of what people are after. If you do join, make sure you know how to opt out, and what their billing policies are, or they will continue to bill your credit card even if you stopped using the site. Once you join one, be ready to get solicited by other sites. And beware of "catfishing" where people create a fictional persona and photo and are not who they say they are at all. It was kind of fun and helped me resolve grieving.

I did remarry 5 years after my husband's death, but not to anyone on a website; I married a Frenchman who I had known from the time I vacationed in the French Carribean islands for years and where he lived. Now we live in the US and he is now a legal US resident, both of us lazy and retired. So far, so good. Seriously, he has been a wonderful support when I was very ill; I did make sure he understood I had an illness, and to make sure he understood, I did a Google translation in French well before we decided to marry.

But the meeting websites are fine as long as you know the pitfalls and are cautious. I would create a different email address for the website than the one you normally use. All of them have mechanisms to report someone who you think speaks inappropriately and block them; only communicate through the website unless you are sure the person is legitimate and you are very, very interested.

Have fun!

[PattyMPA]

Try the Facebook Vasculitis Social Group.

[AndrewT]

I MIGHT try, these 'Sites', but I am rather Nervous....There are just so many 'Scams', out there. A friend, of mine, and his brother both inherited a, very reasonable sum- I don't have the exact figure- on the Death of their parents. My friend invested his, into his business, whilst the other was Badly Scammed.

A lady, allegedly in the UK, turned out to be in Africa (I think) and Needed money- Urgent Treatment, University Fees and so on. This man is, We believe, on The Street- if he is even still Alive, that is! So, yes I AM, nervous, after all, Simon (not his real name) was not a Stupid man.

Thank you both for you, very kind, suggestions I WILL 'Bare Them In Mind'.

AndrewT