Re: knowing how lucky we are

March 21, 2002

>

> I am greatful for the input of Dr. Lazoff, thanks very much

Marjorie !

Thanks for the kind words, . Support groups like this one are a

godsend, and you do a great job with rosacea-support.

Marjorie

March 21, 2002

>

> I am greatful for the input of Dr. Lazoff, thanks very much

Marjorie !

Thanks for the kind words, . Support groups like this one are a

godsend, and you do a great job with rosacea-support.

Marjorie

March 22, 2002

Hi ,

Some points in your post I agree with, some I really don't and must comment

on:

> As a group we can wander aimlessly, sometimes quite close to `the edge' with

> some quite bizarre messages. It is a good thing to have the views of someone

> with medical training and good mind. We need them to keep the group from

> going over the edge and becoming dangerous.

I think the idea that the group needs anyone here, with medical training or

otherwise, to " keep them from going over the edge and becoming dangerous " is

absurd! I think, by and large, the innate intelligence of individual group

members will always rule, regardless of what their " training " is.

> So I'm asking us to look for the good in all members and concentrate on the

> benefits of everyone's opinion. That takes effort and discipline. Of course

> it is far easier to become cynical, but for the benefit of us at large it

> gets us no where.

It depends on how you are defining cynicism of course. From one point of

view, cynicism can be a huge benefit and can take you far. Cynicism of what

unaware dermatologists prescribe as treatment has led many rosaceans to

question, for example, use of steroids on their skin. I would say that a

healthy degree of cynicism is what leads people to this very list.

I would also disagree with cynicism being the easier road to take. Not at

all....as a friend of mine likes to say " it takes a live one to swim

upstream. "

Cheers,

March 22, 2002

Just an aside, if you are receiving personal emails from rosacea-

support posters that you find to be harassing or mean-spirited,

simply block that address in your email program. You won't receive

mail from the person anymore, and the problem is solved.

If a person won't discuss issues rationally and has to resort to

anger and name-calling, I figure they have something else on their

agenda other than rosacea.

Take care,

Matija

March 22, 2002

The " going over the edge " part to me is that it's being

discussed as if not the side issue it really is, while core medical

understanding and treatment about rosacea is left out in the

mainstream of this group. Part of that bias is the result of a

handful of powerful posters here --popular online, writing helpful

posts and seemingly friendly and wise -- who then turn around and

harass others behind the vast majority of the group's back by

writing polite and not-so-polite critical private email to posters

they don't agree with. It discourages public postings, which prevents

a broad based but well- centered exchange of ideas and information

that we all need and deserve. (snip>

I have to agree with most of public-posted messages that having a

physician on the board can be helpful in offering the " strictly

clinical " viewpoint re: cea. By the same token, I would prefer

that we not discredit the " over the edge public posters " as being

totally outlandish. We all get stuck in paradigms and have to

encourage ourselves to think beyond the box. That's what I like

about this board, it encourages thinking beyond the borders.

Much what is posted here is anecdotal, that I hope one day will be

worthy of the golden double-blind clinical study

As a former scientist, I use to think that strictly botanial-based

skin care products were laughable. Of course, now I know better.

GT

March 22, 2002