Picnic Evaluations

[njbirk]

Claudia, Jennifer, Tina, Karen, Francine and all the other Picnic coordinators,

I am not sure that everyone realizes how much work (and worry) goes into coordinating a picnic. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your blood, sweat and tears for bringing us all together. I try to get to as many picnics as possible because I love to meet with the families and see the kids and there is such incredible benefit to be able to see others with this injury. I don't know what it would have been like for me as a kid to meet someone else, but I know it would have meant a lot for my own self image. It is wonderful now as an adult to bond with others.

Thank you.

Nancy

[Rachel]

Claudia,
I just wanted to thank you for all of your hard work. I know how much you put into planning this day and we all appreciate what you're doing. We are going to have a wonderful day! Can't wait to see everyone next week.
Rachel

[admin]

I want to also thank everyone who takes the time to plan/organize the picnics. The NY picnic will be our first picnic and we are still looking forward to it. I want to meet other families so that I can finally see that we are not alone in what we have had to deal with in the past 19 months. When my daughter gets older I think it will be even more important to attend the picnic(s) so that she knows that she is not alone. I can't say that I am not disappointed in the evaluation format, but I know that it is not the coordinators fault, TCH's fault, etc. Hopefully, in the future things will be different, but I plan to ask Dr. Nath a lot of questions. Hopefully he will have time to answer all of them!!! I am still wondering how many people are going to the NY picnic. From my separate post it looks like only 10 families. Does anyone know for sure how many?

[TNT1999]

I too would like to thank you all for the hard work you've all put into planning the picnics. I'm sure there is a tremendous effort put forth. I hope it didn't sound like I was "blaming" the picnic coordinators or TCH for the change in procedure. Those responsible know who they are and will have to deal with their own consciences. I don't think anyone is blaming the coordinators or TCH (at least I hope not), but I think they're just venting. I'm sure it's also been very stressful on the coordinators having things change back and forth. I know that would stress me out anyway.

Francine, thanks for all the info.

Claudia, I hope it didn't sound like I was being pushy for the info. It's just that I thought you'd already sent out the packages and wanted to make sure you knew that I didn't get mine. As long as it comes before we leave, that's fine with me.

I also have a suggestion for parents attending the picnic. Why not invite someone to go along with you to the picnic who can watch your child during the eval and video? This, of course, depends upon which picnic it is and what the registration deadline is. If you really don't have anyone you'd be comfortable with watching your child, perhaps the picnic coord. would understand the need to have someone else come along. We had already invited the "grandmas" to come anyway and now they'll have a job to do while they're there.

Thanks again to all who have made these gatherings possible. We're really looking forward to it.

-Tina

[christy]

Well I only get to attend the Ohio pinics and the coordinator(s) of that have always done an exceptional job, just as I am sure you ladies have on this and the others as well. You are to be commended and thanked properly and I do so, even if I am not attending your particular picnic. Nancy is so right about the kids and seeing that they are not the only ones. And for the little ones that aren't "big" enough yet to get the picture, well it helped us an awful lot to see the other kids, get a general idea of what may or may not be ours to come. And that not only were the kids not alone, neither are their families. We all have most of the same concerns and issues and it helps so much to have someone in your corner. Thanks again everyone!!!Have fun...75 sounds so nice.

[Joann in PA]

Perhaps so of the helpers at the picnics could plan to have their own video cameras available and if someone attends the picnic unprepared for a video evaluation a quick video could be made of the childs function before it is time to see Dr. Nath. It would be better than nothing even if its on a small screen. That combined with the parents information of the child could help.

It's a shame it has come to this. In the beginning when the TCH team first started attending picnics it was more of them coming as friends. Its a shame that if a parent asks a friend to have a look at their childs arm function...even though that friend is a top notch plastic surgeon that that is a problem. And who of course were the ones who were complaining??? I can only assume it's the same drs. who for years have been telling us nothing could be done for our childrens arms presumably! grrrrrr

[Tami]

Yes, I think in a way the team from Texas have become friends and it is sad that a friend, who happens to be a doctor cannot evaluate our children...gee someone we trust to evaluate our children too. We don't want anyone to get in trouble, so we have to deal with what is given to us and those responsible will have to live with their conscience. We do have to keep in mind that the idea with the picnics is to be able to meet other families and share ideas. We have just gotten used to the dedication and time given by Dr. Nath and Dr. Shenaq and at least for right now, not able to do the regular evals. They both have enough experience, I think, to be able to look at videos or children playing and make some conclusions. No different than if you were just sending a video to TCH to evaluate...and what if they had not been attending picnics and that to do the evals in the first place?

I wish I was going to one of those picnics-I am out in Phoenix and it is a long way to go...and school starts on Aug 19th for my 6 year old.

Have a great time
Tami

[francine]

JOANN - THAT IS A GREAT IDEA!!! I will bring my video camera to the PA picnic. Excellent! Thanks!! Actually - Claudia - I'll bring mine to NY as well. Excellent Excellent idea.

I sent my tape to TCH two days ago. I figured he will have so many to look at that I'd take some pressure off. So for those of you going to PA picnic, how about it? Send them to TCH, take some pressure off the time restraints of the picnic. At the PA picnic Dr. Nath is going to be lecturing, too, so we can't double up on private Q&A times because of tapes and STILL have him do his 'show'. I dunno - what do you think? Just as thought,
-francine