support groups

[Guest guest]

I want to be in your

group. Where are you, you wonderful person?

From: qscholar

Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2004

10:02 AM

To: LUPIES

Subject: Re: Have you

ever been to a support group???All Lupies

In LUPIES ,

" mariy220032001 " <mariy220032001@y...>

wrote:

Hello everyone, I would like to know if any of you

ever been to a

support group, and what was it like.

Hi Mariy,

the answer to your question is yes. I am a

co-facilitator at my local

support group. What we do is mail a meeting

reminder card to each

member in advance. The card announces the topic

for the next meeting.

We usually arrive 30 minutes early to set up the

literature and books

table. We offer names of Doctors, Attorneys and

free literature. We

also sell the newest books that the LFA and Lupus

Alliance recommend

at a discounted price. All proceeds go to them.

Many times a

representative from the Lupus Alliance will attend

the meeting. We

are currently selling butterfly pins that our

group will wear to each

outing that we attend.

The meeting usually last for an hour. We begin

with a word of prayer,

announcements, and welcomes. The facilitator will

then proceed with

the topic of the day. Our topic usually consists

of a video, guest

speaker, or literature. The final 30 minutes are

spent for group

discussion. If there is a new member, she is

usually given the first

15 minutes to speak, but there was one time where

someone has come

that is so devastated that they have spoke for

over an hour needing

to vent, cry, and ask questions. Fortunately our

location is run by

understanding individuals whom at times sit in on

our meetings and

can see why support is so very important.

We also schedule outings to workshops that are

offered. We are

scheduled to attend the 4th annual loops for lupus

bike ride on 4-18-

04, I am registered to attend the annual spring

meeting on 5-01-04,

and world lupus day festivities on 5-10-04. These

events will take

place in lower Michigan.

For me personally, the local support group has

been a way to

establish new friends that I know are totally

understanding to each

others limitations as fair weathered friends begin

to taper off. It

has also been a way to live and become active

again when I may not

have done so otherwise. Most importantly, I have

learned a great

deal. The online support groups also offer the

same great benefits.

respectfully, qscholar

[Guest guest]

In LUPIES , " lyle-cheryl "

Pouty I want to be in

your group. Where are you, you wonderful person?

I am in Michigan. I am not so much wonderful, just concerned enough

to extend myself so that if at all possible individuals would not

have to suffer the way that many others including myself did as a

result of our illness.

qscholar

[Guest guest]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATION. IAM TRYING TO GET TOGETHER A LOCAL SAN DIEGO CHAPTER. WITH SOME PRAYER AND ADVISE. I JUST MIGHT BEABLE TO GET IT TOGETHER. KEEP ME IN YOUR THOUHJT YOU ALL MOST WONDERFUL LUPIE FRIENDS. ... BUZZ...............BUZZ..................

support groups

I want to be in your group. Where are you, you wonderful person?

From: qscholar Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2004 10:02 AMTo: LUPIES Subject: Re: Have you ever been to a support group???All Lupies

In LUPIES , "mariy220032001" <mariy220032001@y...> wrote:Hello everyone, I would like to know if any of you ever been to a support group, and what was it like.Hi Mariy,the answer to your question is yes. I am a co-facilitator at my local support group. What we do is mail a meeting reminder card to each member in advance. The card announces the topic for the next meeting. We usually arrive 30 minutes early to set up the literature and books table. We offer names of Doctors, Attorneys and free literature. We also sell the newest books that the LFA and Lupus Alliance recommend at a discounted price. All proceeds go to them. Many times a representative from the Lupus Alliance will attend the meeting. We are currently selling butterfly pins that our group will wear to each outing that we attend.The meeting usually last for an hour. We begin with a word of prayer, announcements, and welcomes. The facilitator will then proceed with the topic of the day. Our topic usually consists of a video, guest speaker, or literature. The final 30 minutes are spent for group discussion. If there is a new member, she is usually given the first 15 minutes to speak, but there was one time where someone has come that is so devastated that they have spoke for over an hour needing to vent, cry, and ask questions. Fortunately our location is run by understanding individuals whom at times sit in on our meetings and can see why support is so very important. We also schedule outings to workshops that are offered. We are scheduled to attend the 4th annual loops for lupus bike ride on 4-18-04, I am registered to attend the annual spring meeting on 5-01-04, and world lupus day festivities on 5-10-04. These events will take place in lower Michigan.For me personally, the local support group has been a way to establish new friends that I know are totally understanding to each others limitations as fair weathered friends begin to taper off. It has also been a way to live and become active again when I may not have done so otherwise. Most importantly, I have learned a great deal. The online support groups also offer the same great benefits.respectfully, qscholar "The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=lupies