Erik's WIU Autobiography
v.2.0

I was born in Toledo, Ohio, but when I was eight we relocated to Garland, TX; a suburb of Dallas.  While I went to school in Austin at the University of Texas for two semesters, I ultimately dropped out due to a lack of motivation and purpose.

I married my high school sweetheart, and now have two wonderful children.  The oldest, my son, is now two and a half.  The youngest, my daughter, is now ten months old.  They are both growing up very quickly, quite literally as my son is mirroring my growth rate as a child and I am 6' 6" tall.

In May of 2003 I was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.  This first exacerbation left my hands almost completely paralyzed for six months; but after four months of high dose steroids, Solu-Medrol, I gradually recovered 95% of my hand function.  I have been taking Rebif injections three times a week for almost two years, and overall have been doing much better with far fewer, and less severe, exacerbations.  I have taken to extensively blogging my Multiple Sclerosis experience for the benefit of the community at http://home.comcast.net/~eriksmithtx/blog/, which has brought me quite a few new friends.

I am current employed by a large bank where I work as the Senior System Administrator, primarily focusing on the Windows 2003 and Windows XP infrastructure.  I am entirely self-taught as a system administrator through extensive reading of technical material, and online research.  I have been doing computer work for over 9 years, with almost 8 years of that time at my current employer.

I am very happy with my current position at the bank as a Senior System Administrator.  I have returned back to school to help ensure greater work stability, in the future, for my family; especially after my diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis.  It has now become essential that I work for a large company, but these companies are increasingly requiring college degrees, regardless of experience.  The two primary reasons that I need to work for a large company are: first, they tend to have a very good health insurance program that can absorb my very expensive medications, and ongoing treatment; and second, they tend to be very supportive of those with disabilities, and with the very real possibility of continued disability I need a company that will accommodate any special needs I may have.