Re: Assessing facts and tone of discussion

[Guest guest]

, I've been formulating some sort of comment all morning, while

doing the chores. Although I usually stay out of this sort of thing,

I'll take a stab at it.

This group has always accepted the questioning of authority, voicing

of opinions, and friendly debate. That's not being questioned.

Anise, will you believe an old farmy woman with a funny name when she

tells you she's been where you are now? ...Angry, feeling justified

in expecting people to toe the line, and articulate enough to make

points right and left without being objective enough to realize that

I was being unreasonable? When you are in the grip of the hyper

phase, you cannot see yourself as others see you. It is also

difficult to take a deep breath and step back and see the whole

picture.

By presenting your disagreement with Elaine in this public forum, you

are cornering her and demanding a response. She has explained that

she is tired and has many demands upon her and she has made an

attempt to give you some leads in finding the information you are

seeking. Give her a cyber moment! Let her have time to respond as

she will. If she's made some error of fact or in the presentation of

the information, she will acknowledge it in time. If there is a

better way to explain, she will do that. Just give her TIME.

What can be gained by demanding an immediate response? Elaine is not

the enemy. She is putting new information and theories out where

they can be questioned, studied, and even disagreed with. Great.

Patients have not been traditionally given access to the research and

theories about autoimmune diseases. Now, we are being flooded with

information and have access to sources of study. Take your time,

read and study. Be kind. Make your inquiries with an open mind.

We are here to support one another.

[Guest guest]

Good letter B

I think that was what I tried to say in my modest little statement.

Anyway, I agree.

> Hi everyone,

>

> Guess I feel that being an academic (an adjunct professor at a

university, with a PhD) gives me (and redhen -- are you out there?)

the authority (since that seems to be an issue lately) to address the

recent debate regarding the veracity of the information we post or

read about on this list.

>

> I think it's vitally important to separate tone and content, if we

can. Scholars of all sorts, even when they see the exact same phrase

or fact, often disagree. The key to continuing our relationships as

colleagues, and even friends, is to keep our tone friendly and avoid

words that connote blame or ill will. Occasionally, those of us on

this list slip a bit from this policy, but we always find our way

back. I'm confident we will this time too! I hope we can each

phrase our criticism carefully, so that we continue to monitor, yet

support, each other.

>

> Second, after reading no small number of endocrinology textbooks

myself and following research/theories on autoimmune thyroid disease

for three years now, it's clear that this is a contentious,

controversial, and elusive field of research, even for those

clinicians and researchers who've made autoimmune thyroid disease

their life study. I have brought my own research and my own clinical

history to several doctors, who have each interpreted the " facts " in

front of them differently -- sometimes drawing conclusions that would

result in entirely different paths for treatment, and entirely

different recommendations for lifestyle changes.

>

> The endo I saw at the Mayo clinic may have summed it best when he

said that knowledge about thyroid disease is changing rapidly, so

much so that the very categories we currently rely on: graves,

hashimotos, etc., may be replaced within a few years.

>

> Knowledge production is itself a complete category of study --

actually, sort of a 'hip' category in the academy these days. Lots

of scholars devote themselves to figuring out how 'knowledge' is

produced and to interrogating why/how we come to believe a certain

thing is a " fact. " So, in a way, we're simply doing what the experts

are doing and, I think, doing it pretty darn well.

>

> Oh, I wanted to have a pithy summary and check my spelling, but my

three year old just rolled out of bed and deposited herself on my

lap. Time's up, hope I got some sort of point across.

>

> B

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