RE: Posting on other forums

To my knowledge there are no moderators that have had the DS.  Although both Tooter and Amy have posted in the past that what they REALLY wanted was the DS, but couldn't get their insurance to cover it or whatever their reason was -- they both ended up with the RNY as a second choice.  Notice how often that tidbit of info comes up?

We do have staff who have had the DS.

Sherri Carver

I was fortunate enough to have joined the OH crew very early in its existence. I have enjoyed watching OH grow from a small website, to a large online community and multifaceted organization. Since I was here from early on, I've been privileged to have worked in or closely with almost every department we have. This, coupled with the fact that I too am a bariatric patient, (I had a Duodenal Switch in 2001), I believe, hopefully has helped me grow into a more compassionate, better informed person, so I can do more for the WLS community and OH. It is my passion to end discrimination and to help ease the lives of our bariatric brothers and sisters, to help educate the professionals that treat them, and the public that interacts with them. I began my personal journey at 500 pounds and now weigh around 170. If there is one thing this journey has taught me, it is to never take no for an answer, and never give up. There is always a way. Long life, and good health to you all.

   I understand that she is "staff", but is she a Mod? Is she in on the whole "Report Button" issue going on right now. Is she offering any kind of input on the issue that Kryst has brought forth above? I think what we would really like to know is that when someone pushes the Report Button or complains in general, are we being fairly represented by a DS Mod ? Thanks, Lisa

Although not all of our staff have had the DS, the rules are applied as fairly as possible.  We have certain warnings that are given to each individual.  Some members will allow things to die down while others continue the same patterns.  When this happens further action is taken not based on the surgery they had, but on the terms of service violations.   We have been very open in explaining that there is nothing wrong with explaining how your surgery has worked for you, how you feel about your surgery vs. other surgeries.  What is not right is anyone that is going to any of the other surgery forums to say you made a bad choice or mocking the surgery they chose.  This did happen.  The choice has been made.  It is not being supportive to that member.  Often times during the beginning there is many emotional aspects of most all of these surgeries.  When members are coming to get support they don't need to hear they have made a bad choice.  This is all we have asked.  Misinformation can be corrected effectively without any personal attacks on the person or surgery option.  We do all have a common thread.  We have come here to get support to fight our battle with obesity. 

  I'm afraid I quite disagree with your statement.  I understand that no one wants to be told that their surgery was a bad choice, however it seems to me that these people are completely over-sensitive and will jump at the mere thought that an alternative to their surgery even exists. When they post rumors and misinformation and one of us corrects them, they become angry and accusatory. When we suggest that it is sad when someone says "i didn't know there were other types of surgeries", they feel we are putting them down. What your staff sees as "inciting anger", I see as overly sensitive people jumping all over well intentioned people trying to educate them about the misinformation they are handing out to newbies. My DH and I together have been running a successful message board since 2000 and have had to deal with user issues, arguments, etc...many times over. I'm not giving you my opinions and thoughts on this as a regular ol' end-user, but as a fellow sysop. Anyway, that's just how I see it.

We appreciate your opinion.  If you have further feedback or suggestions contact us anytime.  [email protected] 

I can appreciate your concerns with wanting the forums to be a supportive place for ALL who choose to post. I also appreciate the need to have guidelines  that govern how information gets posted. I think the issues with which we have concern include the inequities with how the guidelines are applied, and the favoring of one perspective over another. There have been frequent inflammatory comments made on the DS site, taunting DSers to respond, and misrepresenting postings made by DSers with little if any consequence for these postings. If you see some of the signatures for RNYers, this taunting becomes apparent. It is obvious that posters from the RNY site are not being censored because they continue the same actions.  As a point of interest, it is obvious that this site is being monitored, as evidenced by the timeiness of your response. Are other sites being monitored with the same scruitiny? I was on another forum, where very derrogatory comments about the DS were made, with no interceding from the OH staff.  I am hoping you can see our concerns.

Unless something is reported we don't usually know something is being said.   This post was replied to quickly because we got an email reply back.  We can assure you that all involved on both forums have been given ample warnings.

Which is kind of the reason for the problem . . . because the 'offenders' on the DS board prefer to take care of themselves, they don't hit the report button.  So when their 'inappropriate' responses get reported (and monitored), the OH staff has not been privy to the underlying instigating and repeated inappropriate implications and insinuations that causes the perhaps over-zealous defense.  It DOES happen on the DS board, and the posters here generally either ignore the taunting, or are corrected with civil and diplomatic responses.  And it is taunting, no matter how suttle it is, because of the history.

Glad to hear there is one.