Looking forward to it!

[DrG]

I'm just finally able to think about the workshop, and I must admit that I am looking forward to being able to attend, as well as being able to meet the people who post here. I think we all owe Rebecca and the DEZ our gratitude for putting this ambitious event together. I'm also looking forward to learning a few things from the participants.

[Lucy]

If we are not all snowed in...........

[Gaye]

Wellness Workshop

Would anyone or everyone who attended, fill those of us in who couldn't, how it was? I am curious to know how it was to meet some of the people who post here and what new and interesting info you all got. Bet it was great!

[kitty]

I just have to know one thing. Is Dr. G as warm and fuzzy in person as he is online?

[DrG]

I just have to know one thing. Is Dr. G as warm and fuzzy in person as he is online?

You bet he is!

[kitty]

Ha Ha Ha Ha. I couldn't resist!

[sazy123]

Hiya, yea can anyone fill us in on what was said etc? im sorry i couldnt make it!

Is there a video we can buy?

thanks

[Cindy]

What a weekend!

No question about it...the first ever DEZ Wellness Weekend Workshop was just awesome!

I can't wait until next year to do it again...the panel of doctors and speakers were simply magnificent. I don't know where to start to describe it all (I seriously, honestly don't) but rather than stay quiet until I gather, arrange and prioritize my thoughts..I thought I'd write at least SOMETHING about the weekend before I BURST!!!

The Almighty was there doing techno-geeky-recording stuff to preserve the event. The Almighty is a really nice (handsome) guy. It was my pleasure to finally meet him.

Rebecca had laryngitis for the first couple of days. But that didn't stop her for a moment (kinda shut her up for awhile but didn't slow her down ) from orchestrating the weekend start to finish from the smashing cocktail/dinner party Friday night to the outdoor luncheon on a beautiful Tampa Sunday afternoon.

DrG...he was there, he's wonderful...I don't know how one man fills so many roles for so many people all at once. As a panelist during the workshops, he was great. He knows our dry eye issues inside out, he knows us by our topos, our posts on the bb, our e-mails... and we love him for all he does.

Dr. Sandra Brown was amazing. Confident, smart, funny as a stitch...I learned more from her about routine and dry eye tests than I've ever known before. Insights into how to effectively communicate with your doc, what the crud looks like that comes out of your clogged meibomian glands when the doc squeezes the crap out of them...when to have (or not) your glaucoma test done. Dr. Brown is a dynamo.

Dr. Hector...all-around nice guy. I wish he was my doc. He opened Workshop #1 with: 'When Good Tears Go Wrong'...a tour of the 'tear factory'. He was thorough, interesting, thoughtful, fantastic. And now I know where my lacrimal gland is. (I was so WRONG for so long about where it is).

Our other speakers were: Mark Cohen from Boston Foundation for Sight, Mary Kenny Badami (Communications professor extraordinaire), a dear friend Cathy Bishop-Clark (who brought us all to tears)...

The meals were wonderful. Organic, beautifully presented and served. Delicious. The staff at the Safety Harbor Resort was beyond compare.

Lucy and I shared a room...my friend Margaret was a hit, Dianat brought her husband and the adorable new baby Matthew, Dr. Holly and his lovely wife Kati were a delight.

That's all for now. I'm tired...but really happy.

[Lucy]

What she said. I posted more, but lost it. I'm too tired to say a lot. It was awesome and I'm so glad I was there.

The docs were easily worth a million each. Cindy described Dr. Hector and Dr. Sandra Brown very well.

Our own Dr. Gemoules takes the star for being there for us. He IS the greatest. He is also very soft spoken and humble. About fuzzy, I doubt you would meet him in wearing fuzzy slippers. He would likely be wearing running shoes or wing-tips. He was able to offer information to some people who had not had the advantage of knowing him prior to our meeting. We do appreciate him so much.

I am personally thankful to all the docs, presenters, people in attendance and feel very lucky to have been able to take part in this fabulous event. Many thanks to Rebecca, the Almighty (who is visually scrumptious), their sister Debbie, just everyone who was there!

Phyllis

PS. Special personal kudos to Cindy/Ethel, Mary/Glooms and Lady Di for being my friends and equally crazy.

[dianat]

Well, the Telles family is still pooped out from the journey. Baby was more than a little "off" today. Since Cindy covered the weekend so well in her post, I won't add too much.

I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed being with the dry eyed folks. I needed that comraderie...the personal sense that I'm not alone in all the things I do all day to manage my eyes. It did pain me, however, to see the continued suffering of everyone there. I'm convinced there were people present who had not yet found the manageability that I currently have.

Still, everyone's need for information was different...there were DEZ and Surgical Eye veterans present and there were people who had never been on the sites. But the need for moral support was all the same.

A lot of excellent information was shared this weekend. It was well-organized and the food was spectacular! And Dr. Gemoules was warmer and fuzzier than I ever could have imagined!

Hats off to all the docs who gave an entire weekend to us. God bless 'em. They seem rather committed to us in the future as well. Along with Rebecca and Co., we couldn't ask for a better team!

Diana

[southhavenjen]

Sounds like the conference was a success! I just discovered the DEZ early last week so I had to miss this one. Can anyone tell me if this is going to be an annual thing? I would LOVE to attend a conference on dry eye in the future.

[Rebecca Petris]

WOW, what a weekend. Still trying to collect my thoughts and get a few free minutes! For the moment I just want to say I think we had a truly exceptional group of people there and each and every one of you contributed to make it a one-of-a-kind meeting. And our doctor team was every bit as wonderful as I knew they'd be. My bout with flu was not a lot of fun but the upside of laryngitis is that everybody got a lot more time with the doctors instead of listening to me!!!

To answer a couple of questions...

1) There will be a CD or DVD of the meeting. We'll have to wait and see about the video quality (we had some venue-related audio issues) but as a minimum there will be a CD with all the presentations. This will go out by mail to all attendees within a few weeks and will be available in The Dry Eye Shop for a nominal fee to cover our costs.

2) YES we are planning on making this an annual event!! And would be happy to have everyone's suggestions for next time around. - Regional meetings are also a possibility though we would probably need some volunteers to help coordinate those.

[Amy09]

would the cd/dvd have the speakers on it? i don't remember where, but i remember reading something on this website about the lecture topics for the workshop a while back, and several of them actually really interested me.

[Amy09]

oops nevermind, i just read your email Rebecca, and it seems that y'all will have the topics on it, so i just answered my own question. thanks anyways though!

[Erik]

I am very jealous.

Seriously, I am so glad to hear that the first (annual?) DEZ W.W.W. was a resounding success, only wish I could have been there to see all of your smiling, squinting faces.

--Erik