The original "Welcome to new subscribers"
Since the newsgroup has gone essentially unused for too long, it seems a
"Welcome to new subscribers" is appropriate.
I enjoy reading over old posts and pondering what I would change about
what I wrote. I'm probably not the only one who thinks about that every
now and then.
We've seen the introduction of the term "TMD" and it is more popular in
sci.med.dentistry discussions of recent time. But, "TMJ" or "TMD" ...
it never mattered much what "it" was called and it still doesn't matter
all that much. The important point was to help people understand that
being uninformed about one's own "diagnosed condition" can be
problematic.
The Webby
Quote:
> Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 13:26:58 -0800
> Subject: Welcome to new subscribers
> Newsgroups: alt.support.jaw-disorders
> Organization: TMJ Foundation
> I appreciate the guidance from readers of alt.config regarding the
> naming of the group I've proposed. ?It will be:
> alt.support.jaw-disorders
> The TMJ Foundation has reviewed the needs of the online community for
> one year with regards to jaw disorders. ?The organization's role in
> helping people online has significant limitations. ?In the interest of
> the public, and on behalf of the TMJ Foundation, I support the above
> name for the following reasons:
> 1) Normal jaw function is ?essential to life. ?People who suffer the
> loss of normal jaw function are who the TMJ Foundation strives to
> help. ?Too many people only understand that the cause of such a loss
> is due to something called "TMJ". ?Such a belief couldn't be further
> from the truth.
> 2) Jaw disorders can result from disease, trauma, parafunctional
> habits, as well as other known and unknown causes. ?People come to us
> from many directions: some suffering from ?cancer and ?surgery which
> has left the person with a jaw disability, some have a family member
> who has suffered a stroke leaving the {*filter*} muscles functioning
> poorly, if at all; ?others are parents of children who live with birth
> defects affecting jaw function. ?All have lost normal jaw function for
> some reason. ?The reason should not matter. ?And of course, there are
> those who have ?any number of conditions which are now called TM
> Disorders.
> 3) ?When used as a diagnosis rather than an anatomical description,
> the term, "TMJ", serves to potentiate the dilemmas rather than to
> reduce. ?However, the term is so heavily relied upon that it will not
> go away for a very long time. ?For those who "have TMJ", they will
> surely recognize that alt.support.jaw-disorders is a newsgroup which
> would include their condition.
> The name, alt.support.jaw-disorders, ?is more inclusive of the greater
> society who may find the group to be helpful. ?Responsible use of
> Usenet News encourages that a new group name appeals to the broadest
> readership for any given topic. ?My goal is to create a place where
> people can gather in order to explore all issues related to jaw
> disorders. ?
> This organization has no vested interest in the new group except to
> have determined its need and to promote its creation. ?The public
> deserves a forum for unrestricted discourse on the related subject
> matter. ?Nonprofit organizations, such as the TMJ Foundation, contain
> many restrictions due to various laws.
> TMJ Foundation
