Michelle Sawicki

We're still looking for access to at-cost or discounted printing. Anyone able to help? Please let me know. Thank you, Michelle

Yep, Be Still is right...we never prune our forum, so you should be able to find everything from the day we started....right back to when "Timbo" and me were the only moderators...gosh, that seems so long ago. Anyhow, if you need help PM me and I'll walk you through it. Take care, Michelle

We're all rooting for you, Melissa. My thoughts and prayers are with you. -Michelle

Hi Ash! Here are a couple topics that should help you: http://dinet.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=4907&hl=surgery http://dinet.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=3315&hl=surgery -Michelle

Yes, it is the same brochure as last time. Michelle

Hi everyone! We've raised almost enough to cover the cost of printing more brochures (provided we can print them at cost) and pay for postage (we still need more money for postage, but hopefully we will get a couple more donations toward this project). In the past, Gena Stokes and Brenda Richardson were both able to arrange for us to get brochures printed at cost. (Thank you, ladies!) We are once again hoping that one of our members can arrange for us to get brochures printed at cost or donate a large enough amount that we can pay the full cost of having them printed if we can't get them printed at cost. So I am asking for your help again...is there anyone who can arrange for us to get 2,500 brochures printed at cost or with a discount? Thanks to anyone who might be able to help! Michelle

Hi Ellen, Sorry if that sounded like I was saying your advice was "dubious." I wasn't. I just worry when people ask for medical advice here...they really need to ask a medical professional. I don't want any of our members taking advice that may end up being detrimental to them, you know? Michelle

One of our medical advisors sent me an article on syncope and driving just the other day. It is free on Medscape, but you do have to be a registered user to view it: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/525110 Michelle

Please check with your doctor for medical advice. Treatments that help one person could be detrimental to another, and I would hate to see anyone be harmed by dubious advice. Michelle

If it helps any, I am very hyperreflexic and don't have MS. Michelle

Hi everyone, Nina is off on a wonderful vaca, so please direct any questions, comments or concerns my way for the next week. Thanks! Michelle

Hey Nina, you want to come by my place and clean while you're at it? Hey...I figured it was worth a try... Yeah, how did you spell my name last night...? Michelle SoWacky or something like that? LOL! Rest up, girl. I hope you are feeling better soon. Michelle

Pacemakers are not generally used to treat POTS. Michelle

Thanks for the update Melissa. You've been in my thoughts and prayers. Rest up and take good care of yourself. Nina, your post gave me such a laugh. Michelle

As the person who created this forum, I can assure you it is meant for everyone...older members and newer members alike. Please feel free to jump right in and join the crowd. Michelle

Sophia, I don't think that quote is referring to the majority of us here. That page is grouping together all types of dysautonomia...even the fatal ones, which most of us don't have. I think this is a great topic, Lulu, and you can tell a lot about how illness has affected a person's life from the replies here. I'll be the first to say being sick stinks, but I do see some roses among the thorns in my own life. Getting sick definitely made me want to live life to the fullest when I started to improve. I have grown from this illness, and I think I'm a better person now than I was before. I no longer sweat the small stuff. I appreciate life so much more. I am more compassionate and feel comfortable talking to people who have disabilities. I stick up for myself and confront people when need be. Perhaps the greatest benefit is that I am no longer afraid to chase my dreams. I don't think I would have ever had the courage to start a nonprofit organization before I got sick. In short, this illness has taught me a lot about appreciating others, myself, and feeling blessed for every moment I am alive and feeling relatively well. Michelle

Hi everyone, We've had 2 more people donate and we're up to a total of $400. Thank you. Rachelle, I really appreciate your offer to hand deliver the brochures. As Brenda explained, she wants to do this as a gift to DINET. I would appreciate your cheking to see if it is possible to make this a Mayo brochure. Please let me know what you find out. Ellen and everyone else who said thank you for the brochures, thanks for expressing your appreciation. Take care, Michelle

Hi everyone! I just spoke to Melissa on the phone and she said it was okay for me to post about why she is in the hospital. She was first put in because she had an allergic reaction to the iron infusion she was given. She is over the allergic reaction, but they have kept her in because she cannot keep food or fluids down. The problem with keeping food/fluids down has been going on for some time, and she would probably have been hospitalized for it even if the allergic reaction hadn't occurred. She is on IV's and is hoping to start feeling better soon, but as of today she hasn't seen any improvement. I let her know that many of you were wishing her well on the forum, and that I'll be mailing the cards you send her way. Thanks for all your good thoughts and wishes. She needs our encouragement and good will. Take care, Michelle

I'd be careful. In fact, I'd personally try something else before I tried melatonin. I only say that because of this study: http://jp.physoc.org/cgi/content/full/551/3/1043 The last line says, "The attenuation of MSNA during LBNP supports the concept that melatonin might have a negative impact on orthostatic tolerance in the general population and may be deleterious to astronauts who are susceptible to post-spaceflight orthostatic intolerance." Michelle

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know that our little Sunfish is in the hospital. She's not sure how long she'll be in, but if any of you want to contact her you can call her room at: 216-844-9781 If you want to send her a card you can send it to: Melissa Mambort c/o DINET PO Box 55 Brooklyn, MI 49230 Take care, Michelle

Congrats, Morgan! Michelle

You're a good writer. Thanks for sharing. Michelle

Hi everyone, Lulu, we've decided to have the brochures professionally printed to retain their quality. I've printed them out from home and they don't look anywhere near as professional as they do from a print shop. The more professional they look, the more serious people take the information inside of them, and it is important to us that people learning about dysautonomia take it seriously. We are in the process of trying to coordinate efforts to get these brochures printed. Amber is checking with her friend to see how many brochures she might be able to print. Brenda is checking with her friend to get printing prices. We have a few people who have volunteered to mail brochures out once we get them printed. (Thank you to those who offered to help. I will be in touch once we get this coordinated). We've had a total of 5 donations toward this project, and we now have $325. At this point nothing definitive has been arranged, and as of now we still need to raise 350 more dollars. A neurologist from Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL is now working with us, and she wants to give our brochures to doctors in training as they come through Mayo. We've also received a large request for brochures from Mayo in Rochester, MN. If you guys want to help educate doctors so that others with dysautonomia don't have to go through being undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, now is your chance. Please help if you can. Michelle

Thanks Brenda! I sent you an email. Please let me know that you got it. Take care, Michelle

You're welcome, Maggs! Michelle