[kaicee118]

#1019810

Hi – I was wondering if there will be a national conference in 2009. I’m also wondering if anyone has gone to previous conferences, and if they found them useful or worthwhile. Thanks!

[DianneW]

#1074226

The last I heard a Conference is being planned for 2009 somewhere towards the east coast, but haven’t heard anything definite yet. It’s in the early stages and many ideas were being discussed the last I knew. I’m sure in a few months there will be something more definite so that people can plan ahead.

I’ve been to many conferences, and I don’t miss them when I can help it! The support factor alone is worth more than you can possibly imagine!

I went to my first conference in 1997 and met a lot of the people I’d been corresponding with here on this bulletin board for the previous year or more. After talking to everyone every day on the board, actually meeting them felt very natural, and it felt so great to see other people with the funny eyes. (Actually, there’s nothing funny about it, but you know what I mean!) It gave me hope to see Nancy Patterson after her surgeries and give me hope that I wouldn’t always look the way I did then (and I don’t now)!

But even if you don’t have the eye disease, meeting others who are going through so many of the same emotional issues is priceless, and there are family groups too. Believe it or not, they benefit from talking with each other about what they go through in dealing with US, and sometimes too they come away from the conference with a better understanding of what we go through, especially after attending some of the physician sessions.

I hope you’ll join us this year, and bring your family.

Does anyone else who has been to conferences have something to say?

[kaicee118]

#1074227

Thanks – I look forward to hearing about it – if it’s on the East Coast, that’s closer to me (although I’ve never been to San Diego – that was the last one, right?) And hopefully I’ll be post-surgery by then and I’ll be feeling better! ” title=”Very Happy” />

I would like to hear from others who have been to conferences too.

I’m just really coming to terms with the notion that I have a "disease." This is real – not just something that will go away if I rest and lose some weight. And getting emotional support has become more important to me now that I’m going through this second round of Graves.

Thanks to all who offer support on this board. Peace!

Karen

[npatterson]

#1074228

The dates for the 2009 conference are October 16, 17 and 18th. We will know the city in about a month or six weeks, but is WILL be East Coast. I am hoping to be able to drive there!

[grneyeladydi]

#1074229

I’m going to try my bestest to attend the 2009 Conference. I would love to meet all the wonderful people that have helped me through all of this. I’ve talked with a couple on the phone, but meeting face to face is a whole different experience. I thank all you in person. Keep us posted on the city.

[cath2284]

#1074230

I would like to attend even though I am on the west coast; my husband is a PA and wondered if he could get CME credit for attending (he gets so many days off of work a year to do CME)? Does anyone know if anyone has ever looked into this? If not, who could we talk to about getting the conference sessions approved for CME? I don’t know if this would only apply to us but I would guess there might be others who would benefit and that it might attract some medical professionals to attend…

Thanks, Cath

[Ski]

#1074231

I know that in the past, nurses have been able to get continuing education credit for attending the conference.

[Kimberly]

#1074232

I would definitely recommend this conference…last year was my first year attending, and I found that the information presented and the opportunity for personal connections made it WELL worth the trip!

Nancy – Thanks for the dates! Let me know if there is anything I can do to assist. (I didn’t fill out the electronic survey form that asked about volunteers, because I had already submitted written comments at the conference…but I did let Peter know via e-mail that I would be happy to help).

[Author]

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