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Title: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by mynm156 on May 21st, 2006, 12:48am I like to wear it to work (Hospital) just to see the reactions. I had it on today at the drug store and this little ole lady says " Oh I get those too all the time. They are almost as bad as my MIGRAINES." I usually kinda let people have it at that point but she seemed so innocent. I hate it when we get compared to or belittled by MIGRAINERS. I dont wish pain on anybody but I come close to those people. Got any great OUCH stories? |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Jasmyn on May 21st, 2006, 4:19am I would like to have a T-shirt giving a short but powerful description. You guys know that I battled to get my USA visa to enter your country for the convention... well, this male chauvinistic, bombastic and arrogant SOB at the US Embassy, when looking at my forms, asked not so politely what is a cluster headache(face pulled in disgust by the word "headache"). Just as I started to explain he said: "O, like Migraine" then he shrugged it off and didn't want to hear anything further. He then interrogated me on a very personal and insulting level, took my fingerprints and could for the life of him not understand why a woman would go alone to the USA for a headache convention. According to him I am nuts(well, I'm not very much offended by that - it is not as if it is something I don't know about myself ;)) and have an ulterior motive. So I did something totally against my nature and begged and pleaded, like a whimpering girl and was granted only a one time visa for the price of a 10 year visa. I was disgusted and would love to strangle that man when I see him ever in a dark alley - of which there are a lot in Africa and it is quite a custom ;;D - but for now I am just content with the fact that he is a major A$$hole and that I at least can enter America. So, before I strangle some innocent, uninformed bystander asking me again what CH is, please let me wear a T that will make it clear that I need to be left alone because the combination of CH and stupid questions might kill! ;) |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by The mad viking on May 21st, 2006, 4:43am Why am i not suprised here Jaz ? Svenn |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Jonny on May 21st, 2006, 4:59am All the time I hear "Does that OUCH tattoo mean tattoos hurt?" I just blow it off cause folks dont know, hell, even most docs dont know.....LOL |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Melissa on May 21st, 2006, 8:07am Jaz, if you would have gone through the Albanian embassy, I coulda gotten you some special treatment, as my brother-in-law Mike is an embassy guard there. Remember the pic I had posted?? ;) LOL! sorry hon! :-/ |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by chewy on May 21st, 2006, 8:13am Then you could have gone to the OUCH-Albania convention. |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by DonnaHar on May 21st, 2006, 9:28am Jasmyn... I hope you got this man's name (or perhaps can get it} so that we can make a public specticle of him! The thing petty little government officials fear most is the loss of their annoniminity. He feels, because he doesn't answer to you, that he can treat you with such disrespect. At the very least I would like to post on this website that I have written my congressman about him. I'm sorry that you had to go thru this. What's with paying for a 10 year visa and only being entitled to a one time trip? I don't understand this as I've never traveled abroad. Is this legal? |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Tom K on May 21st, 2006, 10:18am While I don't condone people acting like jags and do condone violence against such asshats, you have to look at it from his point of view. What percent of the world's population suffers from CH? How many people have heard about it? If telling someone who you are never going to see again, that yes, it is like a migraine makes your life easier for the moment, then what the hell is the problem? Do we have to go around and enlighten each and every person that we meet? I agree that more information needs to get out there. Hell, on the show Grey's Anatomy they did a show with some woman having a condition that only 50 people in the world have been found to have. Since we have more people that suffer, does that give us carte blanche to stomp our feet like little kids when someone who we have never met, has never heard of CH? I think not. With what goes on in the world today, put yourself in this guys shoes. Would you question someone wanting to come into your country for a meeting of people for a condition you had never heard of? You may think that you would have more compasion, but in reality, after hearing every cooked up excuse under the sun for entry, you would probly act the same way. As for strangling him in a dark alley...well...putting that on a web site that can be accessed from anywhere in the world is pretty darn stupid. If this guy turns up dead, guess who is the first person they would come looking for... The people who know me, know what I suffer from. If I don't know someone and are never going to see them again, then I don't bother to correct them because it is usually more trouble than it is worth. Ignorance, like CH is probably never going to be cured, and I'm sure not the person to cure it. If I think that someone would like to know more, than I tell them, but that is on a person by person basis. I don't feel like wasting my energy going through all the explaintion of the differences between CH and migraine. Chances are, that if it hasn't been on 20/20, ER, Grey's Anatomy, Dateline, etc, than most of the population has not heard of it and could care less. Sad fact but true just the same. |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by catlind on May 21st, 2006, 10:25am Everyone who asks me gets a very in depth and detailed explanation of exactly what OUCH is and what it does along with several doctor name drops. I've recruited a few folks along the way and am working on a local (Omaha) support group here at Creighton University to get those sufferers who aren't at ch.com or on OUCH. Here's hoping this grows to other cities. Cat |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Jasmyn on May 21st, 2006, 11:39am Mell, I would have loved to get special treatment by that hunk of a brother-in-law of yours. ;;D I actually got treated very nicely by the African guards at the US Embassy in Johannesburg. DonnaH it is quite in their legal rights to deny me a visa, totally, even if I paid the ridiculous 14 dollars(85 SA Rands) upfront for just 9 minutes to be able to talk to them on the phone and to be able to make an appointment. It is totally within their rights to deny me a visa after I paid the 100 Dollar (about 620 SA Rands) for my application and travelled the 8 hour trip through borders as I had to apply in my home country. I can also understand that after 9/11 security to your country will be more tight. But... Tom, if you think this was meant as a serious threat against this mans life, you do not really know me or you must think that all people out of Africa are savages. That might be the perception of a lot of uninformed people not living in Africa and I cannot blame you as the media and the situation here sometimes do account for this perception. I did not say, after my encounter with this one unmannered and impolite American, that all Americans must be and are like this SOB. I do not expect him to give a hoot about CH as he cannot understand it, unless he has it or know someone who has it. He asked and then he didn't want to hear the explanation, (I didn't get the chance to even "waste my energy" on this man to explain to him - the word headache was enough)then he suspected me of being a criminal and treated me like one, in my own country of which he is a guest. He lives here on American Dollars that pays 6 x more than the Rand, in luxury. He did not speak to me as if I am a human being but as a third world barbarian and as someone with any education but only criminal intent. I am 40 and a mother of 3, who wants to go to America after being 7 years on this board, just to meet the people on this board. The problem is that I am going without my husband and apparently that looks suspicious since I also live in Mozambique. It was not enough that I am married and had children to come back to. I had to produce 3 months of my husband’s bank statements, a letter from his employer that I am his wife, letters from OUCH to invite me and a copy of an American's drivers licence to verify this. After proof of all this, this man hardly looked at it while the guy just before me in line, could get his 10 year visa because he has a Safari lodge and gave this guy a good deal. The Safari lodge guy is going on holiday in America, no invitation letters and he is a man. You bet ya, it pisses me off to be treated like this although I do understand the security reasons but this was uncalled for and corrupt. Tom would you like me to treat you in your own country like this because you are a man and because I am working for my Embassy there? I still would love a T-shirt explaining CH in a short but powerful description and I do believe more people should be educated about it, via 20/20, ER, Grey's Anatomy, Dateline, etc, (I only recognise 2 of these) but through me as well. This may just assist the next woman that might want to attend the OUCH conference from Africa. ;) |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by LeLimey on May 21st, 2006, 12:17pm Bloody well said Jas and more power to your elbow! |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by BobG on May 21st, 2006, 12:21pm Hey Jasmyn, When you get here take a trip to Mexico. Tell them you have a pocket full of money to spend. They'll let you in for free. Then go to a desert area and sneak back into the U.S. That makes you an illegal alien and you can stay forever and get lots of free benefits that Americans have to pay for. ::) |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Tom K on May 21st, 2006, 1:27pm Jaz, if the preception was that I said you would do something, then that was not what was intended. What I was trying to say, putting something like that in writing, while you may never act upon it, wasn't smart. You may be the nicest person on the planet, but if that guy finds himself dead one day, you would be suspect because of what was written, nothing more. As for the "most people in Africa are savages" comment, I think that this was totally uncalled for and since I am in a rare good mood, I'll let it drop. Was what happened to you right, probably not. Is the system corrupt, probably. Are you still alive and breathing, yes or else we wouldn't be having this conversation. You don't have to like what happened but you came out of it with what you needed. It sucked, but you got what you wanted. Life sucks but you move on and try to put the bullsh*t behind you. It may be harsh, but it's the truth. You may not like what I say, you may not like the way I say it, but like you said yourself, "...you do not really know me..." I have learned over the years, what battles to pick and choose. Keeping info to a minimum, presenting paperwork when asked for and answering questions with the correct responses, sometimes it takes every ounce of energy to do it, but you hold your nose and give in. |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Jimi on May 21st, 2006, 4:28pm Jas..........For someone to go to all that trouble just to attend a convention, makes me realize how fortunate I am and just how bad you want to attend. I admire your tenacity and I look forward to finally meeting you. And you can go savage on me anytime! ;) |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Charlie on May 21st, 2006, 4:30pm Jaz: Fuck this guy. http://www.netsync.net/users/charlies/gifs/steamed.gif One can treat applicants like human beings. It's the ones that don't bother going through channels that are the scary types. We have nice places along the Arizona border for him to run his fiefdom. Tell him we need him here to practice his xenophobia along that border. He'll be tickled pink. Charlie http://www.netsync.net/users/charlies/gifs/small shotgun.gif |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Richr8 on May 21st, 2006, 4:57pm on 05/21/06 at 13:27:14, Tom K wrote:
Yeah! For about two seconds. Nice follow-up Jas |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by mynm156 on May 21st, 2006, 5:24pm Look I DONT mind explaining CH to anybody. What MY point was when someone who doesnt have them says they do out of some sort of STUPIDITY or that they belittle them in comparing CH to some other sort of headache. How many times have you heard this ( Yeah I get really bad tension headaches too) ( I take a couple excedrine and I am as good as new) THATS what I am talking about! |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Tom K on May 21st, 2006, 6:12pm Are you going to change the preception of someone who is already belittling CH? 99% of the time, no. If you can read the person and they are interested, then by all means, tell them. My favorite come back for the "I take a couple of asprin and it is gone" crowd is, "If only it were that simple". If they are interested, follow up. If they are the type of person who is going to blow off your explaination, then why waste your time? Explaining CH to someone who could care less is almost as painful as CH itself. IIRC, there was a contact list of televison, news and documentry outlets where we could contact people to try and get the word out there. I even remember a email campaign to get CH on an episode of ER. With ER too busy commenting on the war in Iraq and other non-medical crap, maybe getting an email campaign going for Grey's isn't a bad idea. Was I wrong for my position on the guy at the Embassy? Maybe, maybe not. Isn't it great that I live in a country that I can have an opposing opinion? Hey Rich, if the country is as corrupt as Jaz says, who's to say they wouldn't track something that stupid back to her? They took the computer of the guy suspected in the bombing at the Atlanta Olympics, even though he didn't do anything, and that was in America. Why put yourself in a position where they could look into you. I'm not blaming her for her outrage, quite the contrary. I'd probably have punched the guy in the mouth, which would mean not only not going to Milwaukee, but spending time in the Crossbar Motel. Personally, I hope he has a stroke at Christmas and falls into the tree in front of his family... :o ;;D A lot harder to pin that one on a person, than just damn bad luck! I hope that I have made my point, just because my points don't agree with your's doesn't make them wrong, just mine. :-/ YMMV |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Richr8 on May 21st, 2006, 6:18pm on 05/21/06 at 18:12:00, Tom K wrote:
You are correct. However, I didn't say you were wrong, I just don't agree. So take your own advice. Peace. |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by alienspacebabe on May 21st, 2006, 8:14pm on 05/21/06 at 16:30:52, Charlie wrote:
OMG, Snickerdoodle! I can't believe you said fuck.... :P |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by cootie on May 21st, 2006, 11:28pm I think it's possible for a person to just get tired of explaining things........anything.......and everything. All I succed in doin anymore is upsettin myself cuz of wantin to get the last word in or get my point across. I am lesser for the wear Pam Cool ya get to go to the convention jas......... |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by FramCire on May 22nd, 2006, 7:42am People deserve to be treated like human beings no matter what affliction they have, gender they are, race, greed, etc. That is plain and simple. This isn't about anything else but a man treating another human being poorly. The fact that he represents the United States is deplorable. I would recommend you complain but I fear it would do no good. I am psyched for you that you get to go (as I can't make it) but I am sorry that your experience was so poor. Have a great time. P.S. Technically when you enterred the embassy you were on US soil. So you were treated poorly as a guest of the United States. Not really any better, though. |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by clarence on May 22nd, 2006, 8:00am Quote:
It doesn't make America more secure when our representatives abroad treat people like $hit. I'm sorry Jas. Not that I can apologize for someone else, but, I am just sorry that you had to deal with this guy. I appreciate the humanity you show in your posts. Casey |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by tanner on May 22nd, 2006, 4:34pm Jaz, I will apologize for a totally uncalled for abuse by one of our many low level bureaucratic not a very nice persons! And if I ever have the pleasure of meeting the gent I will happily remove the stick that is obviously up his ass and shove it down his throat. There now we have both potentially pissed off BIG BROTHER .......fuck em.................tim |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Sandy_C on May 22nd, 2006, 6:17pm Tom K asked if he was wrong in his position about the guy at the embassy. No, he was not wrong. The guy was an a$$, and treated a guest in our US embassy like dirt, but he was putting in his mandatory 8 hours, he didn't know anything about CH or give a shit about learning about it, he was punching his time clock. He's just a US embassy "gofer" who is bored to death, and give a shit about anything except his own comforts. He doesn't know any better. He's an idiot. Now, that said, if this is the way guests from other countries are treated in OUR embassies, by the staff of those embassies, shame on the US for allowing this to happen. I do believe letters and phone calls of complaint need to be made about this US embassy "employee", however, I also believe that those complaints should wait until AFTER Jas gets back home safely. And, I believe that these words of complain need to come from more of us than Jas. How many other CH sufferers in other countries cannot get visas to our conventions, or any other conventions because of boorish, bored, uneducated, uncaring US employees at the embassies in their countries? Jas, I'm proud of you for biting your tongue and not giving in to the temptation to give the A$$hole what he deserved. You know, and we all know, that if you had, you wouldn't be coming to Milwaukee. You took the high road, as rough as it was, and you did what you needed to do. It wasn't fair to you, it wasn't pleasant for you, but you did it. I applaud you AND I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE GOING TO BE MY ROOMIE! Sandy |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by tanner on May 22nd, 2006, 6:26pm OOPS, I accidentally found one of those words that the filters change :-[ sorry bout that ! But he also is a not very nice person ;;D I agree 100% with what SandyC just posted so when Jaz gets safely back home I will happily write a complaint to the appropriate Ambassador ! ..................tim |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Jasmyn on May 22nd, 2006, 7:14pm Let's get violent!... No, just joking and pulling Tom K's chain. ;;D Thanks to all you guys for the support but it is not your fault one guy was and probably still is ::) a chauvinistic and arrogant SOB! We've got plenty of our own here. I actually just wanted to explain why and what I would like it to say on my OUCH T-shirt (the actual topic) and then I got totally angry again and carried away. :-[Sorry to mynm156 for hijacking this thread of yours [smiley=bow.gif] but I'm in Africa and the saying goes: "When in Rome..." Please let there be peace on earth and goodwill to all people, although, sometimes... we have a bloody good reason to shoot them. Now back to the topic... what would you want your OUCH T-shirt to say and what is your OUCH story? PS: Sandy I'm also very GLAD that you are gonna be my roomie, I promise you there is no need to be afraid :D |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Jonny on May 22nd, 2006, 7:22pm on 05/22/06 at 19:14:28, Jasmyn wrote:
You ladies are welcome to stay in my room, theres no need to waste electricty by staying in two rooms and you could save the money on the extra room. come to think of it, we could conserve water by showering together. Its just a thought, let me know ;;D |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Linda_Howell on May 22nd, 2006, 7:27pm If Jonny is anything..... He's magnanimous. ;;D Linda |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Tom K on May 22nd, 2006, 7:40pm on 05/22/06 at 19:14:28, Jasmyn wrote:
Hey now, I'm all about the voilence, just don't leave a traceable trail! CSI is a bitch! [smiley=laugh.gif] As for the sharing of showers, just shower with beer. It gives your hair that shiny glow! No? [insert cricket noises here] |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Jasmyn on May 22nd, 2006, 7:51pm on 05/22/06 at 19:22:36, Jonny wrote:
Jonny, I'll just let you know that I'm not coming to conserve any water, I'm generally water deprived and I'm bigger than you so you'll not fit in a shower with me. ::) You are scary and hairy but I'm much more hairier and scarier and I hear it is summer in your part of the world. Remember bush (not your President but me), Africa is still quite wild and I'm by no means house trained. ;) Now, that sexy girl Sandy... well, she will have to speak for herself. ;;D |
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Title: Re: My O.U.C.H. T-Shirt Post by Jonny on May 22nd, 2006, 8:08pm on 05/22/06 at 19:51:09, Jasmyn wrote:
LMAO..... ;;D |
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