USA, Colorado, Grand Junction, CFS, FMS, IBS Education Group; Mondays 6 PM, Holiday Inn Express

UPDATE/Note from me/Mardy on September 2, 2014: 

I've removed all the information from this topic from ALMOST five years ago, because the group that had been 'gung ho' when I went to an early-on meeting fell apart and apparently never resurfaced. This is the ending line from what I'd written though: 

"Remember, telling others what you know is the best way for word to travel!  Be part of the solution!"

However, 600 people had clicked on this over time, and I wanted to keep seeing what gathers interest at Lumigrate and so I did not simply delete the whole thread.  

I, myself had co-created a group starting in 2007 in Grand Junction, Colorado, which was the brainchild of Dr Chris Young, one of the expert providers from our startup 'layer' at Lumigrate (both in forums and he had a video also). He and I met for the whole spring, once a week for an hour that we slices out of our patient care time, and then it happened that the very first meeting was on summer solstice. I thought that was interesting symmetry. We told our patients who had CFS/ FMS that were our 'regulars' and had done well in their process in life dealing with having the conditions they had. So then they got to help us establish what the group would be like, and it was truly an 'organic process'. By fall, there was a nice group of women who were coming on a regular basis, and it was a great 'mix'.

Some had SSDI or other forms of disability and Medicaid for insurance, and others had other insurance and then a mix of what they could afford to do outside of what insurance-based medicine payed for. So many of us who had successes with reversing symptoms had been to a lot of the same providers, and none of us had gone to exactly the same providers. So we made a list of who we'd like to have as guest presenters and then I invited them, set up a schedule of who could and would present at which meetings.

And it was in seeing how many people came and who did NOT come, and asking WHY (both of those who came and those who were interested and nearby but they didn't take the time) that I knew I had to create a website. Which became Lumigrate and launched in March of 2009. It also has been an organic process that I've ushered along based on what is utilized and what is not of the various things that I or we create to provide here.

The opportunity arose at the end of 2008 to help create a new clinic based on functional and integrative medicine, and the key players had met for longer back than I was included mid-year. They seemed to have a good overall vision of what they wanted to do but then reality did not match that, and the whole thing disbanded in terms of everyone besides the MD owner of the space going their separate ways within one to three years.

So that created a new opportunity / need for Lumigrate and I networked using Facebook, which at that time was booming with providers using it for marketing themselves and their message and wares, so to speak. That was layer #3, layer #2 was having people with CFS and FMS register and write in the forums, which were totally blank when we launched. And until late 2012 that was our format, I'd find new providers around the US (or beyond but all but one was from the US) and ask them to collaborate on various subjects and topics. That worked great but it was VERY slow going, and it was just me at this point with none of the helpers and teachers who got me from concept to launched and 'getting out there on the Internet'.  Layer 4 started in my mind with "Sandy Hook"/ or "Newtown", and there was such a reaction by the public asking WHY, and I saw that the alleged shooter was being reported to allegedly have autism spectrum issues. 

So I went right for diet and autism information and then diet and mental health overall and within a day or so had a topic thread on Lumigrate without having to impose upon one of the experts. I'd let them know, along with all my other FB followers of the information that was new on Lumigrate. And that is how I have gone about things since.  I have not, since 2010, gone to any kind of Grand Junction group for people with CFS, FMS. I did, however create a group for networking of providers called Grate Groove of the Grand Valley.

There could be Grate Grooves in other places is why I added the Grand Valley on. We were to learn from each other and study about CFS and FMS and then increase our abilities with helping those consumers, as well as be able to refer them to others who were equallty proficient in their various specialities. This was overall very successful for people who were so busy already, and they certainly know of Lumigrate as a resource for continuing their learning and referring their clients, patients, etc., to. I stopped facilitating that at the end of 2013. I would have liked to have seen it come together to once again offer an education group for the Valley's providers and patients with CFS/ME / FM, and the etceteras. I felt that my time needed to be spent more on what I was doing individually as a professional and an individual/ person. 

I hope that the numbers of reads of this topic will serve as a barometer for cities of 100,000 in the area to realize what interest level there might be in such educational groups, and as I said, it is something of value for me and anyone else who looks at what on Lumigrate gets the reads to keep the tally going. So, 600 and counting, over and out, on 2Sept2014.  Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! ~ Mardy