Please do not post Visitor Messages to me

[Wise Young]

I just noted with shock that I have 20 pages of visitor messages that people have posted to me in the last few months. I do not regularly check Visitor Messages and consequently do not answer them.

If you have a question concerning spinal cord injury care or diagnosis, I suggest that you post the question in the Care Forum. If I don't see it, usually the SCI-Nurse or somebody will answer the question or bring it to my attention.

If you have a question concerning experimental therapies to cure or restore function in spinal cord injury, please post the question in the Cure Forum. When I come to CareCure, I look first in the Cure Forum for questions.

If the question is such that you don't want people to know about it, you can send me a private message but please be aware that I get many private messages every day and don't have the time to answer each of them properly.

There are of course the forums on new SCI and also non-traumatic SCI, if you have a question that is not about chronic spinal cord injury. When I post on the main forum, I can devote more time to answering questions properly and also can do research on the answers to make sure.

Thank you very much.

Wise.

[Le Todd]

Dr. Young,

In the options you can turn off Visitor Messages as well as not allowing others to read them.

Just suggesting this as a permanent solution to your dilemma.

[keeping on]

Guys, there are a number of conferences om stem cells coming up. Let's make sure we keep abreast on what is being presented and when new trials are goin to occur.

[GRAMMY]

I thought this thread was concerning visitor messages.....how did it suddenly go to new trials? Keeping on, it would be helpful if you read the title of the thread and commented on the appropriate subject matter being discussed.

[Wise Young]

Dr. Young,

In the options you can turn off Visitor Messages as well as not allowing others to read them.

Just suggesting this as a permanent solution to your dilemma.

Thanks. There are certain uses for VM's. For example, it is good for occasional greetings and introductions, or somebody just asking for directions. The problem occurs when people post intricate medical questions for me that are better for the main forum and then complain bitterly that I don't answer their questions on the VM bulletin board. The VM system is not good for tracking long strings of posts or dozens of conversations at a time The regular forums are much better for long or multiple discussions. This is also an educational forum. The reason for the forums is so that everybody can see and participate in the questions and answers. I sould like to encourage people to post their care and cure related questions to those respective forums. Wise.

[chris arnold]

Oops. Guilty as charged.

[SCI_OTR]

If the question is such that you don't want people to know about it, you can send me a private message but please be aware that I get many private messages every day and don't have the time to answer each of them properly...When I post on the main forum, I can devote more time to answering questions properly and also can do research on the answers to make sure.

I would like to say that the same applies to asking for advice from me through Visitor messages or PM's for wheelchair or mobility equipment related matters. I have only so much time that I can devote to CareCure and the reason I volunteer my time is to assist others out there with SCI who are in need of a new wheelchair or other equipment.

I know there is not a lot of product information out there, and CareCure has evolved into one of the main sources of this type of information on the Internet. I am exposed to many of the mobility products that our members use, and I try my best to share this knowledge with anyone who happens to discover this wonderful site. The time I have to do this is limited, however.

Whenever a member needing a new chair requests assistance from everyone by posting in the Equipment Forum, they benefit from everyone's perspective. I am by no means a definitive source of product information, and I am constantly learning from other member's posts. There are a growing number of members who regularly participate in the Equipment forum who have a wealth of expertise they are willing to share.

Most-importantly, each thread becomes a historical record of the trials and tribulations that anyone can experience when purchasing a new chair. Each individual experience becomes a potential source of valuable information for someone else in the future.