› Forums › Caregiver Community › Dear MRF: A Chat Suggestion
- This topic has 10 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 5 months ago by
Jerry from Cape Cod.
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- April 10, 2011 at 12:56 am
The Chat Room, used to be a vibrant aspect of MPIP that afforded great comfort on an immediate basis for many melanoma patients,their caregivers, family and friends over the years (including myself). For whatever reason, this no longer seems to be the case. Usually when I go to chat the dangling posts are from people who had signed in and had nobody to chat with, so they waited and left.
The Chat Room, used to be a vibrant aspect of MPIP that afforded great comfort on an immediate basis for many melanoma patients,their caregivers, family and friends over the years (including myself). For whatever reason, this no longer seems to be the case. Usually when I go to chat the dangling posts are from people who had signed in and had nobody to chat with, so they waited and left.
In an effort to offer a constructive approach to return this now gone vibrancy, as opposed to just complaining, might I suggest that there be a trial run of Hosted Chat Sessions………….not moderated mind you, but hosted……and that it be done by volunteer hosts who are either patients or caregivers.
For instance, patient wise, there is a lot of medical appointment/procedure/report information streaming into their lives and often that occurs on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday that not only wraps up their week of medical interaction, but leads to laying the groundwork for the upcoming approaches and strategies in the coming week.
Long and short, for starters, how about getting some volunteers among the board to be online in the chat room, say, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from say 7-9 p.m. across the time zones of the US, Canada, Australia and the UK? Other than some e-mails, for scheduling purposes, this would cost the MRF zero monies and I feel certain their is an ample body of willing volunteers and really, it would not take that many people to pull it off.
An open call on the BB from the MRF should proffer a quick group of volunteers I suspect.
These hosted chat times would need to be prominently displayed so people would know they exist.
Since this is no cost , with the only risk of there being MORE people in Chat, seems worth a shot to me. It certainly would not reduce the chat room traffic.
Cheers,
Charlie S
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- April 10, 2011 at 2:41 am
Brilliant! I was just thinking the same thing myself the other day.
I've been trying to make it into chat more often, but a lot of the time I am just there alone. I usually leave a time signature., Often, when I go in there, there are signs on the wall (for those who don't know, the last few lines of text are left on the screen after people 'leave the room') signs that others have been there. Often they are new people who start to tell their story before realizing that no one is in there to see them. It is sad.
I remember when I first came to this place, one of the first places I went was to the chat room. When you logged in, there was a sign there that said something like: the chat room is always open. regular chats are scheduled at 2pm and 6 pm sundays and tuesdays, 3 and 7 on wednesday and fridays. Even if that is all we had, at least people who want to talk would come at those times.
And, I think if someone just posted on the two boards that there was going to be a 'chat' people would come in. I've not done it before because it's tough for me to post on the main board on any topic outside of melanoma, and there doesn't seem to be anyone reading on the off topic board. But maybe I'll try that right off, just posting on both boards that I'll be in there at a certain time.
I'll do it if you will charlie. Heck, even if you won't.
But soon summer will be upon me and I won't be able to hang out in the evenings, but maybe I can get it rolling…
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- April 10, 2011 at 2:41 am
Brilliant! I was just thinking the same thing myself the other day.
I've been trying to make it into chat more often, but a lot of the time I am just there alone. I usually leave a time signature., Often, when I go in there, there are signs on the wall (for those who don't know, the last few lines of text are left on the screen after people 'leave the room') signs that others have been there. Often they are new people who start to tell their story before realizing that no one is in there to see them. It is sad.
I remember when I first came to this place, one of the first places I went was to the chat room. When you logged in, there was a sign there that said something like: the chat room is always open. regular chats are scheduled at 2pm and 6 pm sundays and tuesdays, 3 and 7 on wednesday and fridays. Even if that is all we had, at least people who want to talk would come at those times.
And, I think if someone just posted on the two boards that there was going to be a 'chat' people would come in. I've not done it before because it's tough for me to post on the main board on any topic outside of melanoma, and there doesn't seem to be anyone reading on the off topic board. But maybe I'll try that right off, just posting on both boards that I'll be in there at a certain time.
I'll do it if you will charlie. Heck, even if you won't.
But soon summer will be upon me and I won't be able to hang out in the evenings, but maybe I can get it rolling…
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- April 10, 2011 at 1:44 pm
I think this is a very good idea. I've never gone to the chat room, and I'm sure this will sound weird to some people, because I've never gone to any chat room. Even though I've been involved in computer and software development since the first PCs in the early 80s, for some reason chat rooms have always intimidated me. I have multiple websites and blogs and participate in forums but not chats!
I think if I knew there was someone there watching for new people signing on and guiding them through the process, I would be a lot more inclined to give it a try. The other issue for me is I have assumed that most chat happens at night. Since last June when a met bled into my brain, I still am very mentally tired by evening and can barely even have a conversation with my husband let alone figure out how to 'chat'. I was surprised to see that at one time there were afternoon chats scheduled and I am sure there are others like me going through treatments that leave them too tired in the evenings to join in.
So all of that said, I'm looking forward to seeing where everyone goes with this and will definitely give it a try –
Carmon in NM: Stage IIIb 9/2008, Stage IV 6/2010 with brain and adrenal mets
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- April 10, 2011 at 1:44 pm
I think this is a very good idea. I've never gone to the chat room, and I'm sure this will sound weird to some people, because I've never gone to any chat room. Even though I've been involved in computer and software development since the first PCs in the early 80s, for some reason chat rooms have always intimidated me. I have multiple websites and blogs and participate in forums but not chats!
I think if I knew there was someone there watching for new people signing on and guiding them through the process, I would be a lot more inclined to give it a try. The other issue for me is I have assumed that most chat happens at night. Since last June when a met bled into my brain, I still am very mentally tired by evening and can barely even have a conversation with my husband let alone figure out how to 'chat'. I was surprised to see that at one time there were afternoon chats scheduled and I am sure there are others like me going through treatments that leave them too tired in the evenings to join in.
So all of that said, I'm looking forward to seeing where everyone goes with this and will definitely give it a try –
Carmon in NM: Stage IIIb 9/2008, Stage IV 6/2010 with brain and adrenal mets
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- April 10, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Is there a way to see who is in chat when we are just on either board? I know when I pop into Chat (always alone am I) I see my name but I never have seen any ones name there. Dian tries very hard, and I believe those that can stay up later than I used to enjoy the chats.
Mine seemed to be more for those on the west coast with insomnia. hahaha Don usually was on when I got on. Dian also, but those were few and infrequent. Not sure what a hosted chat is. But the vast time differences not just in North America but Australia, UK and stuff.
I wish things were back where they used to be, in some ways. The easier access to the boards, oh well.
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- April 10, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Is there a way to see who is in chat when we are just on either board? I know when I pop into Chat (always alone am I) I see my name but I never have seen any ones name there. Dian tries very hard, and I believe those that can stay up later than I used to enjoy the chats.
Mine seemed to be more for those on the west coast with insomnia. hahaha Don usually was on when I got on. Dian also, but those were few and infrequent. Not sure what a hosted chat is. But the vast time differences not just in North America but Australia, UK and stuff.
I wish things were back where they used to be, in some ways. The easier access to the boards, oh well.
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- April 12, 2011 at 1:00 am
Charlie,
Great idea, I posted just to keep it "on page one" so there is time for MRF response.
Jerry from Cape Cod
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- April 12, 2011 at 1:00 am
Charlie,
Great idea, I posted just to keep it "on page one" so there is time for MRF response.
Jerry from Cape Cod
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