[madubois63]

I have been one of those lurking more than posting lately. My reasons vary. One day, it's because my hands hurt and I just can't type. The next day, I might be too depressed over having to deal with this stupid disease again (and again and again), and the next day, I'm in Manhattan at the making of a Panic at the Disco commercial for Walmart with my daughter...The one thing that keeps me going is my sense of humor. I remember way back (8 years ago), doing my brand of stand-up comedy for the nurses, doctors, family and friends. It may have been a little off color (offensive to some), but it was never meant that way. My humor was a way for me to deal with MY disease. I was the one hurting, and I just didn't have time/energy to think about every word that came out of my mouth and how it might offend someone else. I didn't know about the boards at the time, so all of my sick humor was delivered person to person with a smile or a wink. It was never taken the wrong way because the way it was delivered. Four years later after relapse, I discovered the boards (not this one). I sat back and watched many people get offended by other's words and realized it wasn't really the words that offended, but the lack of delivery. Words are just words without the smile, giggle or scowl behind them. It's very hard to differentiate the meaning of those words when they are just black, 12 pt, new times roman letters on a message board. The smile and twinkle in the eye just isn't there for someone to know the words were meant as a joke, a phrase or a simile. I have seen so many nasty fights happen (the other board) because someone jumps ugly on a misunderstood statement, and there is no one to monitor posts there. I LOVE this site because Joe and Christine DO monitor the site, people are respectful, smart and thoughtful. Believe me, the 2 or 3 threads that turned ugly that have happened this past year are NOTHING compared to what happens on other boards. I hope people remember why we are here. We ALL have bigger problems then this. Please move on, don't scare the newbies off and try to laugh things off....