The end of Summer is nearing and in some ways that is good. For those of you who are Hyperthyroid and can't take the heat, it will be blissful relief, yes? For those who are Hypothyroid, and can't take the cold, you still have many more weeks left of "not too bad"! For those who are fortunate enough to be Euthyroid, you can sit just as pretty as pumpkin pie! And for all of us, no matter where we are, we can be thankful that we are getting better everyday! Which brings me to this week's little commentary! Oh, yes! I feel another one coming on! :)

I have just a couple things I'd like to say on the subject of "Public Doctor Bashing". Public refers to taking up space on newsgroups and bulletin boards to put down personal physicians. Granted, many endocrinologists, whether local or internationally famous, do not have all the answers about Graves' Disease, but a public forum is not the place to vent your personal anger and frustrations. These forums are meant to be used as a place for support, information, and sociality. The atmosphere needs to be kept light for these positive things to take place.

Venting anger in a group of people with the same frustrations may seem like a good thing at first glance because there is nothing quite like knowing that you are not alone in your circumstances. You feel vindicated and learn that you are correct in your feelings. But once the "ball of anger" starts rolling, it keeps getting bigger until it is no longer contollable. The result is that the group has turned from feeling an empathy toward each other to feeling a need to satisfy oneself. Thus the group is no longer able to function in the capacity for which it was made. It no longer encompasses the group as a whole. It becomes a group that is now made up of satellite groups where those who would like to join in won't feel comfortable to do so.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having the need to vent and doing it. But a choice needs to be made as to where and how to release these frustrations. I know that I have had my share of wanting to string certain Physicians up by their noses and leave them for the buzzards to pick their bones clean! Ooooo! Yes! I have the same feelings, but I chose not to bring others in the groups down with me. I chose instead to find my own place and my own way to release these tensions. Perhaps creating a site of your own is not the answer for you, but if you feel the need to vent, then send it off in an e-mail ~ to a friend, to someone on the group, or to me! I'm always willing to listen! I know how it feels! Most likely, I've "been there" and "done that"! If you feel the need to make a statement publically, think it over once, then twice! If it is truly necessary, then go for it! Once in a while it is a good thing to see some open venting! Keeps those physicians on their toes! But do try to keep the Public Forums open so that everyone can feel welcome! Thanks a million!

Seems like what we're "running" with a few more tid bits of things this week to keep you up-to-date. In case you missed it, there is a link on "The Contents" page to some of the early NGDF Convention photos. And again, Ms. Dianne is up to "her stuff" :) This time she enlisted the "aid" of Unka Brucey! The links are below the Convention Photo Link! :)

Some more good news for me! The skin patches that I've had for over a year are almost completely gone. The "old" ones are cleared and I have only found a couple new ones in the past week! I had so many of them and many of those were very large and spreading out! Almost looked like I was "growing" armor! I was beginning to wonder if I would eventually turn into "Turtle Woman"! :) Well, that sounds better than "Armadillo Woman"! :) I think?

On a different note ~ I have a purple martin nest just outside my window. It contains four cute and noisy baby birds! Seems there are many sounds that stimulate their instinct to squack, open their mouths, and pop up over top of the nest to be fed! When my sister Jean came to visit the other night, I showed her the nest. One baby popped up and she said, "Look at dat!" in her (and my) overt way! :) When she said that, they all popped up, squacked, and opened their mouths! How absolutely adorable! Of course, we had to keep repeating this process over and over to see them pop up! :) We finally decided to quit when the parents got rough! They have learned that "going for the eyes" will shoo away any intruder! We decided it was time to shoo! :) I can't blame them one bit! :) In the last few days they have gotten many pin feathers on their heads. Looks like they are covered with bird-colored cotton candy! :) I will miss them when they are grown and fly the coop :( But I can enjoy them for now! :)

I have a few "Bits-N-Pieces" I'd like to cover this week. First, I'd like to mention that there are some plans in the works to get some of the great photos and news from the NGDF Convention held last week in Colorado Springs on the Internet! I've seen some of the pictures! What fun to finally see some of the people we've met through the Internet! And I can't wait to hear all the news! When I have that address, I will be sure to post it loud and clear!

This next little tidbit is just to tell you that all the links pages have been reavamped to include some information about each link! Hopefully this will make your search for information a little easier. I've also added another new category ~ "Graves' Disease Ophthalmology".

And the final tidbit is some great news! Finally after umpteen months of gaining, gaining, and gaining more weight, I am starting to shed a few pounds! I know this sounds like I have put myself on a nicey diet and have attempted to regain a semblance of "the real me"! But that is not the case. In the first place, the reason I gained was due to my metabolism being very slow because of Hypothyroidism. In the second place, my "regular" diet has consisted of "not much" of anything! How does one cut calories when one hardly consumes any? :) Apparently, after all this time, my metabolism is beginning to pick up and allowing my body to burn off the excess "fuel" :) ( That sounds much better than admitting it's f-a-t :)

So now, to send a message of encouragement to all those who have been in the same boat as I ( and I'm sure glad it didn't sink! :), I will tell you that my weight peaked at 210 pounds. That was up from 160, which is where my weight had stabilized for years. I am now a "svelt" 199! A drop of 11 pounds in approximately 3 1/2 weeks! I feel very certain it is due to a change in metabolism since I have made no other changes in diet or physical activity! So! Once again, I can say with certainty ~ Look to the Future! You will be able to get back into your "skinny" clothes! And maybe even before they go out of style!

This last week has been a whirlwind of "HTML" activity for me! My dear friend, Dianne Nicholas and I have been busy trying to put together a Ms. Graves' Disease Pageant for the Internet. For those unaware, The National Graves' Disease Foundation is having their Annual Convention coming up in just a couple days. Someone felt, since so many people were attending, that it would be befitting to have a Pageant and Crown The First Ms. Graves' Disease America! (It was Debby Jass, but I'm not telling!)

Thus, the post was made on the GD Bulletin Board requesting a Pageant. And, well, we thought the idea to be a good one! So, the Ms. Graves' Disease Pageant was "born" this week! The fact that it had been published "leaked" out (Due to Dianne's "subtle" ways of whispering LOUDLY)! It was all meant as a funny pun and to be taken lightly. But noooo-ooooo! The guys (Bruce Wiley mostly!) felt left out, so in a hurried flurry, I had to "create" a special page for the guys too! Heaven only knows I didn't want the guilt of wounding egos on this little balding haid!

But regardless of why it happened and who is to "blame" (There a few innocents among us!) the results are shoopa! This is a very special tribute to the First Ms. Graves' America! You get to meet the competitors, see and hear some of their performances, and vote for the candidate of your choice! You also get to meet the Distinguished Judges for this competition! And if it doesn't give you a much needed "tickle" then my name isn't.. it isn't.. hmmm? What is it?