Announcing the First Adult Club Feet Forum!

OK, the news you've been waiting for:

On Friday, September 30, 2011, starting at 10 AM Pacific time, I will be hosting the first on-line Adult Club Feet Forum, in conjunction with the events being sponsored by the Ponsetti Institute as a part of the first International Club Foot Week. We will be using a Web meeting tool called ElluminateLive. As we get closer to the date, I will be posting the password and URL information on to everyone who wishes to participate. For that, I may need all who wish to participate to send me their email addresses so that you can be added to the attendee list for easier access to the forum. I should have that information soon.


Also, I will have the topic list finalized by then. Unfortunately, I have not received any response on that list since it was posted, so I am posting it here again. If there are topics on this list you most want to discuss, please let me know. You can either leave a comment on this post, or send an email to me at pisnoopy2003@yahoo.com and I will be glad to add your vote. My current top five are the purple ones.

Proposed Discussion Topics for Club Foot Week Conference

OK, since time's a'wastin', here are some proposals for topics to be used for the on-line conference for adult clubbies in conjunction with the Ponsetti Institute's Club Foot Week. Critique welcome and encouraged, but I've got to meet a deadline, so here goes:

. What kinds of things have you done to deal with your chronic pain? Medications, therapies, mechanical solutions (shoe modifications, orthotics, etc.), massage, etc.

. What have doctors done for you that worked, and what has not worked? How have you come to define "worked" as it regards your feet? Immediate relief, temporary relief, long-term relief?

. How have you managed the emotional aspects of your CF?

. Share resources in your area (country, state, province, etc.) – for orthotics; for footwear; for footwear modifications.

. Who have you gotten the best results with – chiropractor, podiatrist/chiropodist, orthopedist, physical therapist, massage therapist, alternative medicines/therapies? Why do you feel that has given you the best results?

.If you have had a fusion, how long have you had it/them, and at what age were they done? What has been your experience? Are you experiencing good/neutral/poor results? Are any of your other joints causing you issues?

.What activities have you been able to continue in as you’ve gotten older with PCF? What have you had to give up? Have you learned to continue those activities in a modified manner?

. How does/has your partner, children, relatives, friends, co-workers, employers respond to your limitations? Have those limitations ever interfered with your ability to find a job? What have you done to respond to those issues?

. What is your self-image?

. How have you tried to deny/ignore/avoid your handicap? How have you been able to embrace it? Who has encouraged you in dealing with your limitations? How have/do they show that?

. What was your worst childhood experience connected to your CF? What was the best? How has that experience shaped you?

. Multiple surgeries as an adult - what was done, and how was it explained that you needed a particular procedure?


OK. So all you have to do is a) convince me that you have another topic, and it will be added to the list; b)mark your calendar for September 30, 2011 - that's a Friday, at 10 AM Pacific time; and c) vote for your top five. I will be harping on this until then. I plan on taking that day off work in order to give this my complete attention - I think its that important to me as a clubby. I hope you find it important enough to join us, spend some time meeting and sharing around the topics with other clubbies from around the world.

The only thing you have to lose is the idea that you are alone. Not anymore!

Notumbo