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posted by
majroj
on September 9, 2006 at 7:24 AM
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Maj,
Hey,
I LOVE being Ms. Girl. I may go with that from now on. The Terpgirl30 thing comes from my obsession with Maryland Terrapin basketball player from when I was 12 years old. People have been telling me I should move on. He's retired from the Mavericks now, and I'm still only JUST considering it, but the Ms. Girl has such a SNAP attitude to it! I need that because, frankly, most people would agree that I just don't get snappy enough.
I took what you were saying totally in the marketing sense, and even separated it from our earlier discussions. Oddly, the person whose blog (from early 2005, I believe) led me to think about doing this, sent me an email today. I think she only posted the one or two posts, then it faded away...which is why I asked. Just trying to get a sense if it's, as you said, the malady is a bummer aspect, or just that people aren't that concerned or look to this place for much lighter topics. I have to think it's the former because Andrew Weil does very well for himself.
What I have in mind is stuff coming out of NIH, and cutting-edge (staying away from the loopy as that annoys me) that many people may not have access to or a way to research. My mother, for example, has asked me to research something for her. My dad has another goofy problem, and as I said on here, my brother found a doctor on a fluke who specialized in this one crazy thing. I know that neither of my parents could do the kind of research I know how to do, so I have to think there are a lot of people out there who are just listening to the one GP because that's their pipeline to all things medical...and that bothers me. Also, I'm next to NIH and Hopkins, as well as one of the best burn and hand injury hospitals in the country. Couple that with having been in the newspaper game for so long, and I get things sent to me still.
Like you said, I think I'll float things to see how it goes. Now, my style has always been to tell an anecdote to go along with the subject because I find it draws people out to tell their own stories or to relate it to their own things. I just want to be careful not to become one of those old cat ladies who talks about my medication or latest MRI. If that happens, I trust you'll thump me. Of course, then I'll have to write something on head injuries, so it might be counterproductive.
posted by
terpgirl30
on September 8, 2006 at 9:28 PM
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I didn't mean to be derogatory or devalue anyone, and I fail to see where
I did either of those.
It's just that I feel I've seen, from my own experience and others', the phenomenon that, for whatever reason, readers will shy away from posts with accounts of medical maladies. Maybe it is because they feel helpless, or it doesn't fit their image of the blogger, and it doesn't seem to affect folks if it is part of a bigger picture (blogging about a hike when you broke your arm, or how you have exhibited humor etc overcoming your broken arm, versus blogging about your broken arm per se and period).
My comment was intended more as marketing advce if you will, not a criticism of Terp's post or taste in blogs. When I say "Go for it" I am sincere, and I'll be back to read and comment.
I don't think or say that those who gather to share medical experience and opinion are less or more "worthy" than others, and if your memory serves you, our hostess Terpgirl and I shared some notes early in 2005 when I was undergoing physical therapy.
I think it's cool if you are defending Ms Girl. If you want to flame other commenters, that's your right, also, but we don't have to like it and we don't have to be silent.
(What WAS that in my coffee?!)
posted by
majroj
on September 8, 2006 at 8:43 PM
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Passion, in Maj's defense
The question I had asked was whether or not people are interested in resources. Unless it's in the journal section, I didnt' want to so chronicle my stuff. It would bring me down too much.
Second, I didnt' get the first part of your post. You are referring to someone, I'm assuming, and I got lost
posted by
terpgirl30
on September 8, 2006 at 11:08 AM
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Go for it!
posted by
majroj
on September 8, 2006 at 7:54 AM
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I was a little bit offended by what Majroj says -- that
Bloggers tend to be "turned off" by blogs about their pain. Pardon me, but that's Bulls**t! First of all, though she has been around for a while, she's never been very popular.
Secondly, we have a good many people around here with various medical condtions from depression (me, Blanche, Mysteria to name a few) to diabetes or cancer. We discuss, we offer support, we offer sympathy because we're a cyber - family.
It's your blog and your dollar. I say, write about whatever you feel like. Those who may be offended can take their toys and go home.
posted by
Passionflower
on September 8, 2006 at 7:11 AM
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Maj
You tell me. I don't want to talk about my injury etc....just options I've found for people with various conditions. For example, I have someone who had a weird ailment of having the taste buds burned to the point of never tasting anything for two years. Well, we just found a doctor who has specialized in it for 40 years. I wouldn't have thought such a person existed. Most people go through horrible pain and are told it is mental when it can't be cured. I just believe in options.
I'll feel the water and see how it goes. There are so many things that GPs just can't address, and people never look any further. I've found so many things in my travels that may work I'm hoping it would be worth a try for someone.
Bottom line, Maj...I'm a giver. :) I want to share. :)
posted by
terpgirl30
on September 7, 2006 at 9:37 PM
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Passion
I've been to chiros with great results. In this case however, it was disastrous and I wouldn't recommend it. The guy was such a con that I'm left with permanent damage. When I got to the neuro, I was told that because I had taken so long to get to the neuro (because the chiro insisted I just wasn't doing it right) I will never certain things back in terms of strength.
This guy told me to lay on a bed and touch the ground to stretch the muscles. I would go in week after week telling him the pain was increasing, and he got angry with me and dismissed me. That was for this particular case. It was a cervical spine thing with a pinched nerve. He couldn't have helped it if he wanted to...but he had no idea what he was doing.
But for another injury (two, in fact) I went to chiros who were empathetic, kind and even more...stopped the pain.
posted by
terpgirl30
on September 7, 2006 at 9:32 PM
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To blog or not to blog about pain...
In the general categories, blogs about one's medical condition (as the main theme, as opposed to it being just part of the experience) has seemed to turn readers off. But not always. Blog away.
PS: I'm within operating limits thanks.
posted by
majroj
on September 7, 2006 at 9:04 PM
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Well, you didn't mention a chiropractor but that's the most obvious
Choice since it's back pain and that's what they specialize in. Perhaps if you've tried one chiropractor without success, I might ask you to try another. Every doctor is different.
I see a chiropractor about once a month because I carry all my stress in my neck and upper back. So that area will begin to get stiff and ache when I have a stress overload.
The best neck doctor I ever saw was in New Orleans. His office was in Metairie actually and only recieved about 3 or 4 ft of flood water. The day I went to see him, there were workmen and he said he had saw dust everywhere but if Ididn't mind that, he'd be glad to adjust my neck and back.
I told him I'd been working really hard and sleeping on an army cot, plus worried about the rumors of a cholera epidemic, etc. Working condtions in NO were extremely dangerous!!!!
posted by
Passionflower
on September 7, 2006 at 8:47 PM
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