Each Day is an Opportunity to Learn: meet @sueinmn

Member Spotlights feature interviews with fellow Connect members. Learn more about members you’ve connected with and some you haven’t met yet. Nominate a member you think should share the spotlight.

JOHN: What brought you to Mayo Clinic Connect? What motivates you to take part in the community?

@sueinmn: When I was diagnosed with mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and pseudomonas pneumonia in June 2018, I had never heard of MAC. I am kind of a research nerd, so I immediately hit the internet looking for information. A few weeks later, further research brought me to Connect. I read all day, and immediately felt like I found a place where I could get real, research- and science-based information from people like me, not mere opinion.

JOHN: What about Connect makes you feel comfortable to share and to be open with the community?

@sueinmn: I found caring, compassionate and seeking people who were ready to support one another and who understood what I was living with. I immediately felt welcome.

JOHN: What groups do you participate in?

@sueinmn: MAC & Bronchiectasis and to a small extent, Caregivers: Dementia.

JOHN: Tell us about a meaningful moment on Connect.

@sueinmn: I think Terri (@windwalker) reaching out to welcome me was when I felt this was the place I could get support and answers. I have a caring and supportive group of family and friends, but it didn’t quite feel like they “got it” when I talked about the continuous coughing and fatigue, or the fear of the unknown with MAC — but Terri did immediately.

JOHN: What surprised you the most about Connect?

@sueinmn: The wide variety of topics and conditions on Connect, and the amount of information.

JOHN: What energizes you, or how do you find balance in your life?

@sueinmn: People energize me — I am an extrovert, happiest when I am helping others, arranging outings or gatherings, or just hanging out. I would be remiss if I failed to mention the joy I find in hanging out with my husband, kids and my two small grandsons. My faith in a higher power and in the innate goodness in people helps me find balance.

JOHN: Tell us about your favorite pastime or activity.

@sueinmn: Hmm … that’s tough — I guess, strange as it sounds, learning new things. I am a university-trained volunteer master gardener, never happier than when I am helping someone solve a plant or garden problem. I am also relearning Spanish, a common language in both places where I live, so I can communicate with more people. A close second would be traveling, in the U.S. and elsewhere. We travel to new and favorite destinations for at least a month every year — we love discovering new places and revisiting old favorites. 

JOHN: Do you have a favorite quote, life motto or personal mantra?

@sueinmn: My physical limitations do not define me; I will do as much as I can for as long as I can.

JOHN: What do you love about where you live or vacation?

@sueinmn: In my full-time home, I have lived in the same area all my life — I know the area, the people, the politics — and I am happy there. I have beautiful gardens that I will maintain as long as I am able. In my winter home, I live in a tiny home in an intentional community with people who have become my second family. We help and support each other in whatever we face, because all our families are far away. We explore our area and revel in the differences in culture and physical surroundings. For me it is an opportunity to learn something new just about every day.

See more Member Spotlights.