Jan, It sound as if you are going to create an MAI/MAC support group. I hope I am not speaking out of turn .. but I will tell you about my personal experience. When I was first diagnosed I was like a sponge .. I was SO eager to understand what was happening to my body and what MAI/MAC was all about .. and this was before I had found this forum. So I googled and found a MAI/MAC support group in my Metropolitan area. I attended two times.

After the second time I discussed it with my husband and decided I was NEVER going back! Why? Because I realized I came back each time very depressed. Why? Because for whatever reason I came home feeling that the attendees "had BECOME THEIR DISEASE"! And I was DETERMINDED that MAI/MAC was just going to be a PART of who I was .. and a VERY MINOR piece of who I was. That I absolutely was NOT going to focus on it .. that I would deal with it when I HAD to ..but otherwise I was going to continue to live my life to the fullest and be as happy and healthy as I possibly could.

That I would have an attitude of gratitude for all the good things I had in my life and not dwell on what I didn't have. So I would just say .. in your meeting .. keep it upbeat and positive .. there are people in the world who have it SO much worse than we do! There again .. hope I am not speaking out of line .. I want us all to stay positive .. healthy and happy!

UPDATE:
Thank you for your "like" on my thoughts on a MAI/MAC Support Group. Truthfully I was a bit afraid to weigh in on the subject .. but I was fearful of a potential fall out of a "pity party" like I found when I went to my local Support Group. Our forum really tries to be supportive .. upbeat and positive .. to help each other on our journey .. that is why I keep coming back! Thank you all for all your supportive notes to each other!