Mentor Teleconference - October 2017

Teresa, I'm so glad that you set the ball in motion here to get the teleconference discussions started before Wednesday. I invite others to share their thoughts on my questions above, especially those of you who cannot make the call: @johnbishop, @vdouglas and @llwortman.

Kitchen Table Talk
I like Teresa's example of kitchen table talk (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/things-to-monitor-what-to-tell-your-doctor/).
@mentioning everyone in your group works well for small burgeoning groups. However as groups get larger, this may no longer tenable. But you can @mention a subset of members. Inviting multiple people to discussions gives everyone the confidence (even lurkers) to contribute. It recognizes that everyone has something valuable to add. This also eliminates any one person being the sole person responding to every post.

I call this kitchen table talk. I often use analogies of in-person situations when referring to online communities. A large group sitting around the dining room table or kitchen table offers a great visual. Around a table everyone jumps into the fray. You might start a one-on-one conversation with the person next to you. Then someone across the table joins in, making it a 3-way conversation. Naturally as more people join in, you also listen and jump in only where and when you have something to contribute. The onus is not on you to respond to each person after they have spoken. That would be weird at a kitchen table wouldn't it? I look forward to discussion the inherent risks in that behavior and how to encourage healthy kitchen table talk.

What is working well in your groups?

Good morning!
I apologize for my participation absence yesterday. It was great to hear everyone's voices! I was listening to all of you while driving to a class for EPIC training. Here is my post conference contribution.

My primary groups are eye/ ENT and visiting mayo clinic

What aspect or skill set do you I feel ads the most value to mayo clinic connect?

I feel that my skill set that benefits me most is empathy and compassion. I feel able to really connect with members and or mentors.

The aspect that I feel adds the most value to my work on mayo clinic connect is my view from being a clinical assistant for 17 years and seeing what patients experience firsthand while living with a medical history. I feel I add most value to conversation on connect when I can suggest to a member to advocate for themselves. Being a clinical assistant for so long I have seen alot of patients that don't know how to advocate or don't ask enough questions from their providers. Or don’t follow up with appointments or are embarrassed to not understand what their provider has consulted about in the office and in turn come to mayo Clinic Connect and ask what their doctor meant by….. I believe that being a patient there's a lot of vulnerability and a large amount of responsibility in seeking answers for your health care and asking questions when you don’t understand- and this should be a priority for everyone. I really enjoy encouraging members to do this and makes me feel helpful.

In my free time I enjoy creating pottery. Working dual positions as a clinical assistant and in social media, my positions keep me very busy. It's a loud and very active work environment and while I am working with Clay on a pottery wheel it helps me to be creative, quiet my mind and not to think about anything.

Again, great hearing from all of you yesterday. 🙂

Jamie

Hi All: As I will not be able to join in the conference call on Wednesday, I asked Colleen if I could contribute some of my thoughts through a post, so here goes:

Hi, my name is Teresa, @hopeful33250, and my primary groups are Parkinson’s and Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs).

What aspect of your personality or skill set do you feel adds the most value to Mayo Clinic Connect?
I feel that my curiosity, search for knowledge and persistence to find answers are strengths that I bring into my mentor position. I’m not afraid to talk to doctors when they are not clear or when I question their ideas. As a result, I have caught diagnoses when doctors did not think there was anything wrong. As a result, I seek out doctors who are willing to listen and work with me (I’ve dropped a few doctors along the way and developed some new medical relationships). I always encourage my group to seek 2nd opinions when they are in doubt. Encouraging others to be proactive is important to me.

My favorite pastimes are spending time with friends, family, music, movies and books. I’m also part of a Parkinson’s Dance Class – great fun! As far as music, I am a volunteer with Therapy Choirs of Michigan, http://www.therapychoirs.org, which helps people heal from traumatic brain injuries and neurological problems through music. Maybe at our next May meet-up meeting in Rochester a few of us can get together and sing at a Karaoke place! Wouldn’t that be fun?

As far as “creating the kitchen table talk” I try to maintain a list of the folks in my 2 groups (keep them in a word document) and when we have a new member, I post all of their user names (with the @ sign) and invite them to welcome the new member or perhaps share some of their experiences. Some members will do it, and some won’t, but I keep trying (persistence is the name of the game). I also look for articles from websites that I feel might be educational and helpful and I’ll post it as a “new discussion” and invite everyone to read and comment. That has worked beautifully in many cases.

I hope

Hi All: As I will not be able to join in the conference call on Wednesday, I asked Colleen if I could contribute some of my thoughts through a post, so here goes:

Hi, my name is Teresa, @hopeful33250, and my primary groups are Parkinson’s and Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs).

What aspect of your personality or skill set do you feel adds the most value to Mayo Clinic Connect?
I feel that my curiosity, search for knowledge and persistence to find answers are strengths that I bring into my mentor position. I’m not afraid to talk to doctors when they are not clear or when I question their ideas. As a result, I have caught diagnoses when doctors did not think there was anything wrong. As a result, I seek out doctors who are willing to listen and work with me (I’ve dropped a few doctors along the way and developed some new medical relationships). I always encourage my group to seek 2nd opinions when they are in doubt. Encouraging others to be proactive is important to me.

My favorite pastimes are spending time with friends, family, music, movies and books. I’m also part of a Parkinson’s Dance Class – great fun! As far as music, I am a volunteer with Therapy Choirs of Michigan, http://www.therapychoirs.org, which helps people heal from traumatic brain injuries and neurological problems through music. Maybe at our next May meet-up meeting in Rochester a few of us can get together and sing at a Karaoke place! Wouldn’t that be fun?

As far as “creating the kitchen table talk” I try to maintain a list of the folks in my 2 groups (keep them in a word document) and when we have a new member, I post all of their user names (with the @ sign) and invite them to welcome the new member or perhaps share some of their experiences. Some members will do it, and some won’t, but I keep trying (persistence is the name of the game). I also look for articles from websites that I feel might be educational and helpful and I’ll post it as a “new discussion” and invite everyone to read and comment. That has worked beautifully in many cases.

I hope

Teresa, I'm so glad that you set the ball in motion here to get the teleconference discussions started before Wednesday. I invite others to share their thoughts on my questions above, especially those of you who cannot make the call: @johnbishop, @vdouglas and @llwortman.

Kitchen Table Talk
I like Teresa's example of kitchen table talk (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/things-to-monitor-what-to-tell-your-doctor/).
@mentioning everyone in your group works well for small burgeoning groups. However as groups get larger, this may no longer tenable. But you can @mention a subset of members. Inviting multiple people to discussions gives everyone the confidence (even lurkers) to contribute. It recognizes that everyone has something valuable to add. This also eliminates any one person being the sole person responding to every post.

I call this kitchen table talk. I often use analogies of in-person situations when referring to online communities. A large group sitting around the dining room table or kitchen table offers a great visual. Around a table everyone jumps into the fray. You might start a one-on-one conversation with the person next to you. Then someone across the table joins in, making it a 3-way conversation. Naturally as more people join in, you also listen and jump in only where and when you have something to contribute. The onus is not on you to respond to each person after they have spoken. That would be weird at a kitchen table wouldn't it? I look forward to discussion the inherent risks in that behavior and how to encourage healthy kitchen table talk.

What is working well in your groups?

I think this is where I post my profile. My primary group is head and neck cancer but I'm also interested in all things cancer and in coping with serious disease.

My skill set? Hmmm. I like to write. Used to be an English teacher ... all those years of writing school reports have given me heaps of practice. I try my best to empathize with people because I don't want others to experience the confusion, isolation and distress I've been through at different stages of my cancer journey. With my group in NZ I'm learning new skills in advocacy and new concepts like participatory medicine where the patient's voice is heard. I understand how bewildering it is to be up against a medical hierarchy when you are feeling scared and vulnerable.

In my free time I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction and belong to a book club. I love physical exercise, especially long distance walking and hiking in the outdoors. I'm a bird-lover, enjoy photography and - probably shouldn't admit this - I am fascinated by politics and current affairs.

My head and neck cancer has affected my appearance, speech (minimal) and eating/drinking but fortunately I have been able to continue with my interests. I count myself as lucky.

Look forward to meeting you in future teleconferences.

I think this is where I post my profile. My primary group is head and neck cancer but I'm also interested in all things cancer and in coping with serious disease.

My skill set? Hmmm. I like to write. Used to be an English teacher ... all those years of writing school reports have given me heaps of practice. I try my best to empathize with people because I don't want others to experience the confusion, isolation and distress I've been through at different stages of my cancer journey. With my group in NZ I'm learning new skills in advocacy and new concepts like participatory medicine where the patient's voice is heard. I understand how bewildering it is to be up against a medical hierarchy when you are feeling scared and vulnerable.

In my free time I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction and belong to a book club. I love physical exercise, especially long distance walking and hiking in the outdoors. I'm a bird-lover, enjoy photography and - probably shouldn't admit this - I am fascinated by politics and current affairs.

My head and neck cancer has affected my appearance, speech (minimal) and eating/drinking but fortunately I have been able to continue with my interests. I count myself as lucky.

Look forward to meeting you in future teleconferences.

I think this is where I post my profile. My primary group is head and neck cancer but I'm also interested in all things cancer and in coping with serious disease.

My skill set? Hmmm. I like to write. Used to be an English teacher ... all those years of writing school reports have given me heaps of practice. I try my best to empathize with people because I don't want others to experience the confusion, isolation and distress I've been through at different stages of my cancer journey. With my group in NZ I'm learning new skills in advocacy and new concepts like participatory medicine where the patient's voice is heard. I understand how bewildering it is to be up against a medical hierarchy when you are feeling scared and vulnerable.

In my free time I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction and belong to a book club. I love physical exercise, especially long distance walking and hiking in the outdoors. I'm a bird-lover, enjoy photography and - probably shouldn't admit this - I am fascinated by politics and current affairs.

My head and neck cancer has affected my appearance, speech (minimal) and eating/drinking but fortunately I have been able to continue with my interests. I count myself as lucky.

Look forward to meeting you in future teleconferences.

I think this is where I post my profile. My primary group is head and neck cancer but I'm also interested in all things cancer and in coping with serious disease.

My skill set? Hmmm. I like to write. Used to be an English teacher ... all those years of writing school reports have given me heaps of practice. I try my best to empathize with people because I don't want others to experience the confusion, isolation and distress I've been through at different stages of my cancer journey. With my group in NZ I'm learning new skills in advocacy and new concepts like participatory medicine where the patient's voice is heard. I understand how bewildering it is to be up against a medical hierarchy when you are feeling scared and vulnerable.

In my free time I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction and belong to a book club. I love physical exercise, especially long distance walking and hiking in the outdoors. I'm a bird-lover, enjoy photography and - probably shouldn't admit this - I am fascinated by politics and current affairs.

My head and neck cancer has affected my appearance, speech (minimal) and eating/drinking but fortunately I have been able to continue with my interests. I count myself as lucky.

Look forward to meeting you in future teleconferences.