An H Pal is kinda like the buddy system when it comes to asking for advice OR sharing something that has happened recently in your life that you aren't necessarily comfortable sharing on an H message board. Although we do encourage people to share their stories and ask questions on our H message boards, we do realize sometimes there is a need for one on one support.

H Pals get e-mails from people all over the world that ask questions, share stories, or just need somebody to offer an opinion about something that has happened. When you write an H Pal they will respond to your e-mail just as soon as they can. If they don't respond then that probably means that they are on vacation OR haven't had a chance to check their e-mail yet. Keep in mind that not everybody has time to check e-mail every day. Some people will check their e-mail once a week OR a few times a month.

If it's taking too long for an H Pal to write you back then I highly recommend that you contact a different H Pal. Better yet, why not create a secret screen name and just post your question to one of our H message boards? I highly recommend Picking Up the Pieces OR Shut Up N Post! STD Message Board. This way more than one person can see your note and respond OR offer up some advice OR resources that may help you to find the answers that you are looking for.

Remember, we are NOT healthcare professionals and what we share with you should NEVER EVER take the place of your own doctor. And don't EVER let anybody attempt to diagnose your symptoms or decipher your test results over the internet. YOUR doctor is the best person qualified to do those things for you and in person is definitely the best way. If you are not happy with your own personal physician then find one that knows what they are doing. If you are not in a position to see a doctor then I highly recommend you find an STD clinic OR Planned Parenthood.

Does an H Pal have to be Online all the Time?

No, if you are interested in becoming an H Pal for your area we ask that you at least be able to check your e-mail a couple of time a week. You do not have to check in every day but we do expect that you have some consistency with regard to checking your e-mail. Normally when people take the time to contact you it's because they really could use somebody to correspond with so please keep that in mind if you are wanting to become on H Pal. Try and remember what it felt like for you when you were diagnosed with something and felt as though you had nobody that you could turn to. It's not a very nice feeling so keep that in mind.

If I were to become an H Pal would the e-mails come directly to my E-mail Account?

Yes and No. The e-mails would go directly to your inbox but only after they are forwarded from the main address on the Yoshi2me domain. As the facilitator of the H Pal program I like to make sure the program is actually working and that nobody is spamming the H Pals. The only way to do that would be to monitor the notes as they are sent in by you. More easily stated: I get a copy of each note as it arrives through the H Pal program. So, when you write to an H Pal not only are you writing to that H Pal but you are also writing to me. If you write to the H Pal team you are also writing to a group of us that has agreed to answer your notes in place of an H Pal that is no longer available for whatever the reason. You can rest kindly knowing that any time you send one of us a note it will not be shared outside of the program. Simply put, your notes will always remain confidential.