Wonderful David. Count me in.

Have you/healthcentral planned to summarize make the discussion available as a podcast or a transcript?

How often are you trying to plan these?

Thanks

Venkat

David Mendosa, Health Guide

2/10/10 8:02pm

Dear Venkat,

 

Good questions! My hope is to make this as centered on the participants as possible. Some people what as much privacy as possible under the circumstances. Therefore, I resisted suggestions that we transcript the discussion be transcribed or on a podcast. There won't be any record of the discussion.

 

I am thinking that I would like to do this once a month, if there is enough interest in it. But just after the initial call in I am leaving for five weeks in New Zealand and won't return until the end of March. So the second discussion would not be before early April.

 

Best regards,

 

David

Hi David! I think this is a fabulous idea! I want to participate and help any way I can to see that it can grow. Podcasts and other transcripting should not be so quickly ruled out. We need not be governed by rules that were designed for something else. Remember the ultimate in privacy is non-participation. All too often the medical approach to diabetes has been to silo patients under the guise of privacy. Reading all the blogs and participatory sites for diabetics tells me that privacy is not the problem. We can choose what to reveal or what not to reveal, but if we are that afraid, we can simply stay silent and listen to others. I facilitate a pair of weekly diabetes self-management groups that are run by diabetics not by health care providers and any observer would quickly realize how hungry diabetics are to share and listen to each other. We had to immediately change from 1 hour to 90 minutes just to accomodate all the voices who wanted to be heard! So let's get to it, with bells on! Had I learned earlier about this topic, I would have established it as our weekly topic so I could reflect the thoughts of more of our group members at A Partnership Of Diabetics!

David Mendosa, Health Guide

2/11/10 11:40am

Dear Robert,

 

Because of your comment and that of Venkat above, my editor at Health Central has already contacted me in hopes that I will record the discussion. I can easily do that with my digital voice recorder that is always attached to my phone line (but turned off) so that I can record the interviews that I make for my articles. I told my editor that I have changed my mind and will record the discussion. My point in not recording it was partly privacy but also something a little more delicate, specifically that I want to do this for people with diabetes and not necessarily to publicize myself or anyone else.

 

Best regards,

 

David

Robert Albee

2/11/10 2:35pm

Dear David, at my A-POD group today, several of the people wrote down the time and number for the discussion, so we might be fairly well represented on Monday night. One of my people is a well-recognized radio producer who is diabetic. I said this is your first effort, so nobody expects you to be perfect, so just relax and take it in stride. During your visit to NZ you will have plenty of time to consider this. Or maybe somebody else who is participating can facilitate while you're gone if you want to consider this idea...

Dear David, What a great idea. I will call in if possible. I just want you to know that those of us in Alaska need to call at 4pm our time. Not a big deal since we are used to being one hour behind Pacific Time. I am working on doing the low carb thing too and could use some help. Thanks for making this a possiblity. John Dodson