I joined because...........

Mars · Post by **Mars** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 7:04 pm

#1 - I had questions that needed answered

#2 - I was scared and everyone made me feel like I was family, not someone with big horns growing out of my head!

#3 - The diverse group who came to solutions from different levels of expertise, experience and opinions

#4 - I liked the name "potty people" and nothing was too gross to discuss - this is important because with this disease, everything is just plain, downright GROSS! LOL

Why did YOU join?

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 7:21 pm

Hi Mars!

I just posted my response to this question that Wayne first posed in his "sticky" on splitting/adding new forums. I'll copy it here, too, since it will be good to have it all in one place:

In my case, I probably joined mostly for the support. I didn't know anyone else with MC, so it was so exciting to find kindred souls. Plus, I had done extensive literature searches and already found Dr. Fine's site. Of course, Sally and Alice and Maggie all discussed Dr. Fine and the gluten-free diet with me. (Don't forget, at the time I joined, there were only a handful of members on Sally's board, and the info on the GF diet had just become available). And since I was the FIRST one to have extensive multiple intolerances, no one was available to help me with that. I had to experiment on my own to learn what to do. But everyone was very supportive of me while I waded my way through the MI maze. Now it is different, with so many people with years of experience. The accumulated knowledge is incredible.

Have a great evening!

Love,

Polly

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:09 pm

OK, I already put mine in the other thread also but here it is again.

I joined because I was looking for information. I had no idea what MC really was.

I stayed because of all the wonderful people.

Love, Shirley

Wendy · Post by **Wendy** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:21 pm

I at first didn't join, because I was living out west, didn't know anyone there and was living with a disease that I didn't understand and didn't get any information from the doctor who diagnosed it because he was too overworked and he also lived in the place that I had just moved from. But I have always been scared of attaching to anyone, as in my history I had lost everyone that I was close to, so why put myself through it again. BUT Sally wouldn't let me stay all by myself, and she wrote me an email and said to please, please join. And so I did. And I was not only helped through the awfulness of living with a horrible person, I was also given support when I got really, really sick. They also cheered me on when I finally left that awful person, and when I got my own apartment, for the very first time in my life and it goes on. And when things started to wrong on that board, I was really, really scared that it was happening all over again, and I know I sound like a big, big suck, but I kept going back to that board and looking for hours for posts from the people I knew....and one by one I didn't see them anymore, and I didn't know what to do. My instinct told me to preserve myself, and go back into my shell..............but I missed the raport (sp) that was there when I first joined, I think it was 83 members at the time. So when I got the email from Polly, it was like OMG, I have to get there and say hello and tell them I am still around and I missed them all. Because I really missed them all, and my puter was sick during some of that time and boy oh boy, I got pretty down at times. But its hard to walk alone when you are sick allot, and I have a hard time trusting people because of things that have happened to me. And I am so glad to be back, and I think that is another reason my posts got to be less and less on the other board too. It was not feeling the same. And I for one, just love the new board here. It has allot of things that help when you have memory problems too. Like the little email messages that you get from the last place you posted to. Laugh if you will, but sometimes, (actually lots of times) I forgot that I posted a reply. And I did it once on here to Gaea's posting, I went back and seen that I left her two messages, ha ha, I didn't see the first one I posted, duh. Sometimes I wonder about myself, others must wonder too!
But these are all the reasons I joined, the first board started me off, and this one is keeping me going.

Lots of Gentle hugs
Wendy

kate_ce1995 · Post by **kate_ce1995** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 7:30 am

I joined because I had a doctor who told me in one sentance "your biopsies showed microscopic colitis, but that doesn't mean anything, you have IBS". I had joined some support groups for endometriosis, and knew what a help that was in digesting information. And since I was forced to figure this one out on my own, I knew I needed that help.

I've found a great deal more of course...friendship, thoughts on gardening, crafts, nature, interior design, cooking, etc, etc. Invaluable when one is dealing with a chronic disease.

Katy

Sally · Post by **Sally** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 8:27 am

I started the first Board way back on Yahoo because I was alone and miserable and thought others might be also. It was hairy for the first few days when I was alone, but shortly here came PEOPLE with my disease!!! I couldn't believe it. Then it grew and grew and we moved and then it just imploded.

When I got the email from Polly I dashed off my letter to Wayne before I even answered hers. I KNEW that this was where I belonged. The relationships I have formed here are like none others that I have. I can talk about bathrooms and gardens and kids AND my yukky feelings and know that I am understood and supported. I cannot imagine not being here.

Thanks to Wayne for making it possible.

Love,

Sally