Posted by David McDonald (195.99.57.231) on July 30, 1999 at 06:18:33:
Okay, I'm new to www.clusterheadaches.com, and after paying my pain dues for twenty plus years I find this site a wonderful oasis. But my beef is this: language has always been used to include and to exclude, to form exclusive clubs and cliques that can only be fully entered once one is initiated into the exclusive language of that set. For example the legal profession wields its 'legalese' to demarcate the professional from the lay person, as does the medical world; hey we've all experienced that feeling, haven't we?. So, to get to the point, I arrive at this oasis only to find that I'm excluded by an 'in' language that I have to somehow decode all on my own before I can really feel at home.
For example, what is meant by the following: 'shadows', 'dancing' and 'pacer'? All these terms are found in the Kip scale, which, I presume, is meant to be a common reference for us all! I even read one message from another new comer asking what 'shadows' meant only to be curtly referred to the archives. Good grief! What a welcome! Or maybe a cool welcome was intended by those who fear intrusion into 'their' world. Fear not, new blood can only enrich, inform and strengthen this special place.
I would like to see a FAQ link on the home page, a FAQ that is written and kept up to date in a manner designed to decode and make friendly the exclusive language used on this site. Maybe one of you old hands could do this as a chore of love for us new comers to the community?
David McDonald