Off topic -- I have left the village

This will be meaningful only to those who came here from iVillage. After about 5 years as CL of the Breast Cancer Support Board, I have folded my tent and left. What happened is iVillage merged the Minnesota board (where I also was CL) with a larger regional board. No discussion, no warning. It just happened. Of course, that meant I was no longer the CL there or on the new board (it already had CLs). My MN ladies are very unhappy and refuse to move to the new board. One of the gals set up a board for us on Yahoo, so we will see how that works. Anyway, I took the opportunity to step down from the BC board, as well. I sent a message to the CM Friday evening, and today I see I have been removed from the BC board. No acknowledgement from IV, no thanks for many years of volunteer service -- nothing. Is anyone surprised? Didn't think so.

I don't know how often I will be here, but I just wanted to share the news with some of my old friends. Hugs to all, Lauri

Little dumb over there or what? They really have no idea how many people you have helped. I hope to see you here often. I know you keep me up to speed on so many things that have changed over the years. Maybe they did not thank you but I would like to say mine. I met you after I finished treatment, but this old dog has learned quite a bit from you over the years and I would like to say thank you so very much for helping us all stay updated. Love and Hugs. Joyce

Thanks for your kind words, MK. We have had no troubles on the BC Board for a long time now. I was just so mad that they merged our MN board out of existance without discussion, input or warning. I told them the gals on the MN board would be unhappy, and boy are they ever. Everyone of them has said, thanks but no thanks to the invitation to join a newly expanded Northern and Midwest Friends board  (it includes West Virginia. Now when did WV get to be midwest?). To make matters more insulting, iVillage just opened an Alabama board. One of our boardies has gone off and set up a new clubhouse for us at Yahoo, so there will be a place for the gals to go.

It is a private board, so we won't have people causing disruptions. As for your offer to moderate here, thanks, but I think I will pass. I am really cutting back on committments. Dumping the iVillage board was a sad decision, but I am OK with it. Maybe now I will get busy with my genealogy again. Happy birthday, MK. 70! That's great. I have another year and a half to go before Medicare and UCare for Seniors -- then we can get rid of this gosh awful expensive medical insurance we have right now. But, that's not our major problem right now. We are getting bids on a new furnace. Gas company red tagged ours as it has a cracked something or other. Not safe to repair. It is more than 30 years old, so I suppose it was due to fail. At least it is not January or February. We are doing OK with no heat, but do have some space heaters on loan from gas company if we need them. Guess I have rambled long enough. Again, thanks for being there, my friend. Hugs and love, Lauri

 Dear Lauri....I am so sorry that IV treated you and your MN board like that. I would think after 5 yrs of volunteer work, that a " Thank You " would have been in order ! When I left as CL from the Breast Cancer Board over there, I was treated as you were. What a shame...sigh...

I think you being a CL here would really be a good idea. It didnt work out for me because my Cancer has been

getting continuously worse. Way to much Chemo & Radiation and just feeling awful that I couldnt do the job as

necessary. I know you answered already, but please give it some thought.......You have such a wealth of

knowledge about this darn disease that these newly diagnosed " Sisters " could useyour help.....you and 

 " Tavish "  ( Lori G ) are so knowledgeable..I wish that 1 of you would consider doing it.....

Anyways, I have great memories from most of the time spent at IV.........we did have fun didnt we ?????

Please keep in touch........

We love you lots..!!

Cathi

Awww, you guys are so sweet!! A little update from the village:

This morning they posted a message on the MN board telling us that it will stay open (at least for now). I guess they read all the unhappy posts and our serious plans to rebuild our club house elsewhere. I told the CM that the board members would not stay in the village if the MN board was closed. My boardies are thrilled that they still have their "home." I am not going to pick up the BC Board again, though.

Thanks, everyone, for your support to be one of your mods, but I am going to decline right now. I will try to drop by here a little more often. Cathi, it touches my heart to see your post. Not a day goes by that I don't think about you. We did have a lot of fun together. I would not have missed those gatherings for anything. Do you know, it's been almost four years since we were in Louisville? Amazing how quickly the time has flown. Hugs and love to all, Lauri

Dear Lauri...I'm glad they are at least listening and keeping your board open. Private boards just don't offer the same opporunities for newcomers that the public boards offer. As you know, several private boards were started when the village people last revolted, and that is great for a group of friends, but what I like about the public boards is that ability to reach out to new people. I felt so alone when I was first diagnosed. I didn't know anyone my age who had breast cancer and lived long enough to tell about it, and I would have loved to have had the support of an internet group back then.

So I hope you will keep coming around, and more often! I agree with Cathi, you are so knowledgeable. I know things have changed alot since we were dxed and treated, but the feelings of being newly diagnosed, not so much.

Love and hugs...
BEV