Guest guest Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 I have seen other support groups that opened up another message board secondary to their support board that was designed to discuss personal interests. These posts related to work discussions, hobbies, activities, music and art interests, children, etc. Something like that would be wonderful for this group, as I do agree with Anyse, that it would be nice to know who we really are, behind our CP. We have a group with so many varied interests and ideals, and that really doesn't come out into discussion on our current forum. Or when it does, some people object, saying they aren't interested in hearing about so-and-so's personal business. An example of this is when I was so enthused talking about the preparations for my daughter's wedding last year. Several other members kept asking for more details, they had daughter's themselves, or weddings that they had participated in, or were just interested in the discussions of decorations, fabrics, design, flowers, planning, etc. A member wrote in and complained, saying that she had " no interest " in hearing about any of that, that it was off topic, etc. So from that point on, I refrained from any wedding discussion, even though several other members said they loved hearing about it and wanted to hear more. So we kept our discussions off the board. The thing is, for those six + months, that wedding was a very important part of my life and was in direct relation to my mental health, and how I was coping with my CP. It would have been nice to have shared the excitement, fear, worries and expectations with someone else who was also interested. Whether it's something like that, or the other things that make us tick; computer programing, software design, gardening, sports, crafts, medicine, art, music, cooking, etc, etc.....the list goes on and on.....there's so much more to us than just this dreadful disease....it would be mentally beneficial for us to be able to show the other side of who we really are. People may know that I have (had) my own business as an architectural draftsman, but do they know that I've been painting landscapes in oil for the past 40 years, have strong interests in horticulture, do decorative sewing, taught alpine skiing for 6 years and like to fish? These things are elemental to my well being, just as I know that each of you has more behind you than CP. I dunno, it might not be possible, but I know I'd be interested in seeing if we could develop another way to learn more about each other than just how many surgeries we've had, whether stinting worked, or the latest tricks for treating nausea... If anyone has any ideas, let's discuss it and figure out how we could do it. I think it would be really healthy for us to have something else, other than our health, to discuss and share....lol! With love, hope and prayers, Heidi Heidi H. Griffeth www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html Bluffton, SC SC State & SE Regional Representative Pancreatitis Association, International www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pancreatitis/ Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should not be substituted for professional medical consultation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 I agree Heidi, I am here to learn more about my CP but I also want to make " friends. " I want to be able to talk about my health but also be able to relate to others that know not everyday is good. Some are very bad and it's ok. Let's do something like this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Heidi I agree with you 100%. I think you should be able to post about your wedding or any other thing you want to share with the group. There is this really cool button called delete if people are not interested in reading your post because they are to personal...It shouldn't be that big of a deal. I hope this finds you and yours well Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 30, 2005 Report Share Posted May 30, 2005 Hi all, I totally agree with the idea of a database or bulletin board so we can learn more about each other. I think this would be great because in our own lives we are often seen by others as the person with the pancreas problems. I think to have a place to escape that and just chat would be a good thing. So far the patch is working on the pain but the side effects are not lessening with time. The anxiousness side effect has been the worst so far. I can't sleep and if I do, I wake up every hour or so. I will need to see my doctor this week. Also going to the endocrinologist on Wednesday. Hope you are all well...Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 31, 2005 Report Share Posted May 31, 2005 , I didn't know that you are a runner. I too am a runner. I am a distance runner at Idaho State University. However, I have been plagued by stress-fractures since Novemeber. I was cleared to start running again just the past couple of weeks. Crystal Galloway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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