Have You Submitted Your Story Yet? Why not?

[Susan BAV]

It's been nearly three years ago, when I was Internet researching where I should go and/or what I should do because I was very ill from a failing bicuspid valve and getting bad advice from my former cardiologist, that I stumbled across this site. What a RELIEF it was to me to find this site!

Before I registered on VR.COM, I clicked on the Stories section. I quickly noticed tremendous similarities of symptoms between other women with failing aortic valves and my own experience. I was really flabbergasted. I printed a couple of them off and read them to my husband and he was shocked too. Some details nearly mirrored my own experiences.

This was of great relief to me because, before I found this site, I didn't know if I should pursue a second opinion or not, nor did I know where to look for a good one. And I didn't want to be perceived as a hypochondriac; I have a bit of a phobia of that. It quickly became clear to me that a second opinion was certainly in order. As it turns out, the second opinion may have saved my life.

Maybe your personal story will positively encourage someone in a way you can't imagine.

Does anyone else care to offer their experience of how this site helped them?

 

[sue943]

I submitted my story when I first found the site and it must be lost in the ether.

 

[Ross]

Mine would server for nothing more then to scare people to death!

 

[Nancy]

Haven't posted Joe's either for the same reason as Ross.

 

[Emma]

I'd do Chloes if i knew how - the link to what I have written about her for a British heart magazine is around here somwhere anyway though.

xxx

 

[RCB]

A story?

A story?

Mine would be a saga, of which I neither have talent nor time to write.
However, if you would care to ghost write it, SOME of the chapters are outline in my signature line.

 

[JimL]

I submitted my story long ago, it's probably out of date. When I first joined VRcom, I checked the story page often, and read every one. Since then, I rarely go there.
I've asked before, but I'll ask again: I think the page would be much more useful if there was some indication which stories were new. If I had some notice that a new story had been posted, or an old one updated, I think I would regularly read them. I don't know how this is possible. Perhaps each story could be dated on the index page? There could be a link from the members list to the story posted by that member.
The story page was definitely a big help for me when I first joined.

 

[geebee]

I don't really think my story is all that different from others already posted other than I have had 3 surgeries. For that reason, I just haven't submitted one.

 

[Andrew'sMom]

How does one get to the stories page? I must be overlooking something...I can't seem to find it. I don't have a story to post, just interested in reading ya'll's stories. Thanks!

 

[tobagotwo]

Mine might make it look too easy. I had a very easy time of it, all things considered.

It takes time to write a story well, and I've been working 10- to 11-hour days all year. I just don't have the time to go back to my notes and do it. I never really have spent any time reading the stories page.

Best wishes.

 

[Superbob]

Telling the Story

Telling the Story

It's nice to have the stories there, accessible from the vr.com home page, but I find the comments in the forums much more timely and compelling. As for posting my own story: The experience of receiving a valve/root replacement was amazing to me, but the stories of so many more people here are more remarkable than my journey. If they'd like to add their stories, that'd be great, but I think their experiences make even more impact when they are recounted in the forums.

 

[geebee]

It's nice to have the stories there, accessible from the vr.com home page, but I find the comments in the forums much more timely and compelling. As for posting my own story: The experience of receiving a valve/root replacement was amazing to me, but the stories of so many more people here are more remarkable than my journey. If they'd like to add their stories, that'd be great, but I think their experiences make even more impact when they are recounted in the forums.

I agree. I have tried to write my story for other situations and it often sounds quite boring to me and a little self-absorbed. I find using bits and pieces of my experiences, as they relate to someone else's needs, makes more sense to me. Not that there is anything wrong with submitting stories; it just doesn't work for me.

 

[JimL]

And wouldn't boring, repetitive success stories be encouraging for those contemplating a valve replacement? Things may go wrong during surgery, but for the majority things go right, even very right. I think it would have been encouraging to know that before surgery.

 

[hensylee]

to get to Personal Stories, click on the yellow logo above (ValveReplacement.com). That gets you to the home page where there are tabs, one of which is STORIES. Click on that and it gets you to the home page.

I think personal stories are very important. Yes, Ross, yours would scare everybody, but it's a worse case scenario and would serve a purpose. Many of us are reluctant to get into such an intimate story of ourselves and it's really hard and emotional to do. We have to give too much of ourselves in a personal story, I guess. I wrote one, but not for this site, because mine is bypass and not valve. I found it extremely hard to do. I edited, deleted, re-wrote, quit and began many times before I finally decided to actually do it. It is still on the other site. Sometimes visitors explore the personal stories before they decide to join the forums. Think about it and you might want to do it.

Just my HO

 

[Blanche]

I have not submitted Al's story because I truly don't want to relive all of the details.
Blanche

 

[LadyBlue]

Why don't the moderating team put a sticky up of a thread titled " Who are you"? or something, and we can go in and write a brief introduction of ourselves so people can go in and read the intros and it would always be in the same place. We do this on another site and it's really a fun and interesting thread.

 

[geebee]

Why don't the moderating team put a sticky up of a thread titled " Who are you"? or something, and we can go in and write a brief introduction of ourselves so people can go in and read the intros and it would always be in the same place. We do this on another site and it's really a fun and interesting thread.

That's a great idea. It could give more detail than our profiles but not require a "life story" if we don't want.

 

[Susan BAV]

I was really glad to read all of the response to this thread, and variety of opinion also!

Several of you have overcome incredible obstacles and I can see how difficult, and perhaps painful, it would be to chronicle some of your experiences, especially going decades back. And several, including me, have simpler stories.

But, some of you seem to be excellent and intelligent writers (in my humble opinion), and I think you could produce fine stories of your experiences that could encourage and enlighten many people, as your posts do also.

My story is fairly simple and probably lame but I tried to present it in human terms and with utmost accuracy and some detail. And it took me quite awhile to put it together and edit it and there are still a couple of things that I look at now that I probably could have presented in a clearer manner. But I decided that even if it wasn't a very lively or perfect story, it might help someone.

I don't think that perfection in delivery is necessary with these stories. And you can add some details and followups later, as you may desire.

Remember, it might help someone, if and when you have the time and/or desire and/or inclincation to write your story.

 

[denobobeno]

I find it sooo helpful to read others stories. I especially appreciate details that include symptoms.. events leading up to surgeries..recovery and even scars! I'm glad to know there is a 'story page', I'm going to look it up! Deana