I would love to meet up with you too. Never hung out with fellow AUs before. Do I get a coming out party? Just kiddin.

Hey Dotty, I am upset with you...Just kidding.. You did not tell me you were going into Boston Sat for a fundrasier. I may have tried to come, but Jeff is leaving me to fend for myself in the snow and heading south...:) Please let me know what else you have going on when it comes up so we can support cause. I have a meeting in Jan. If you have your spring fling info by then please let me know so I can pass it out!!! Enjoy the snow!! Cindy

Hey Dotty, I was not serious, but thank you...I look forward to hearing about the fall ball!!
Cindy

Hi - Are we talking about this Saturday? When is a good time to call you?

HIIII dotty it took me long enough to get back to you, sorry about that. btw your picture and tattoo is priceless i told my bf if i go bald im getting one of those : ) hehe ill get i big smileyyy face, and i told my mom about the bald ball : ) itt seems like a nice way to celebrate with others : )

Merry Christmas Dotty!!!
I miss you so much!!!

Wow...didn't realize we almost the same age, too! I love your poem. Did you write it? I would love to share it with others if you don't mind. Please let me know if that would be OK!

Thanks. I was reading some of the newspaper articles and you say the exact same thing I do. It's almost word for word. I was reading it and my son said Mom that's what you always say. lol
I used to travel to Charlestown & Peabody all the time for work wish I would have known you earlier so we could have met!

Merry Christmas Dotty!

Love you!

Jeff and Leo

merry christmass...im a little late on this sorry!

Happy New Year!!!

Love You!

Jeff & Leo

Hi Dotty,

How are you?
I sure miss chatting with you!
Are you booked for NAAF this year?
Leo and I are all set to go.

Hugz,
Jeffrey

Hi Dotty! Haven't been on here in a while and just wanted to say hi...HI!

That sounds great! Let me know the details. I may be in Texas around that time not sure yet, If I am here I am def in.

Hi Dotty thanks for the welcome, Sandra

Hello, Dotty :)
Thank you for welcoming me and making me your friend :)

I hope you are fine,
Josef

Hi Dotty - tanks so much for the welcome :-) Appreciated!

Happy Mothers Day Dotty!

Jeff

Hi Dotty,
How are you? Please let me know what you have planned for July. Our group is growing and I would love to get some families to go. BTW, I deactivated my FB account.

Cindy

Dotty, I love that idea...I have bubbles and outdoor games I can bring. We can also ask people to bring some dessert to share, like cookies, fruit if you/they want. The kids can feed the ducks and there are concessions around for ice-cream etc and families can park under the commons or take the T right there. If I am not in Fl we will be there. The only problem I see is people finding the group and you would need balloons or something to so people can find the area. Let me know what you decide and the details and I will send it out. I am having a Family Day at the Southwick Zoo on June 26th. The group rate is $8.50. If you would like to come and bring the little ones feel free to join us.

I am always happy to help Dotty!! As soon as you have the details I will send it out to the families. I think even though there will be lots of bald heads a marker in the park will help everyone easily find the direction of the group once you pick the target area.

Dotty, your poem "THIS "THING" CALLED ALOPECIA" is amazing! It brought me to tears!
I am looking into joining you in July. We usually are at the Cape at that time, hopefully it will work out.
We are doing a fundraiser (day still in the air, Sunday, Sept. 19th...maybe) for CAP in Sturbridge. I will get you the details once it is finalized. There was an article about Owen and the fundraiser in the Southbridge Evening News. Are you on Facebook? If you are, look up "Nancy Grimes O'Brien" I have a link to it on there.
Hope to meet you soon! Nancy

OMG 27 days!!!

Hugz!!!

Jeff

Dotty, I just saw your post about Hopkinton State Park. It is near me and a very nice park with an upper and lower beach. Not sure how clean the water is too swim, but many people I know love it there. We walk the dog there when the park is closed for summer. I think you can call the park and reserve a spot. There are these disposable grill tins you can buy. We have 2 left from last summer that I am sure we can donate if we come. I don't think we'd need much more then that. We see them at Shaw's. Let me know if I can do anything to help. I also suggest that people come by 9:30-10am b/c when parking fills up the park closes.

Red Ribbon

Thanks Dotty, your page is very inspirational. You are a light in the darkness.

Thank you so much! We kind of think he's cute too ;)

The grills, picnic tables, etc. are on a first come, first serve basis. People need to bring their own charchoal/utensils/etc. OR their own hibachi-style grills.

The upper beach has the grills/tables within 50 feet of the beach, plus the water is warmer than the lower beach, so that is my recommendation. If you can arrange for a few people to be at the park right at 8am on the 17th, we can attempt to secure a few grills and tables for the others, but I can't guarantee we can hold them. If it's a hot day, the people flood in early.

Directions are simple once entering the park - after paying the $5 entrance fee - bear to the right at the split and follow the road down the hill. Park at the far end of the lot which will be on the right. The grilling area is in the woods which abut the life-guarded beach.

FYI - for those parents bringing little ones - the life guards are sticklers for safety - no water wings, or other unapproved flotation devices are allowed in the water, even if the parents are right next to the kids.

From this 'central' location, people can wander all over, rent boats, walk over the dam to the lower back and swim there, etc.

This probably more info than you wanted :)

Let me know if you need anything else.

Clarification - when people are at the bottom of the hill after bearing right - drive PAST the boat launch area to the large parking lot and park at the far end, close to woods / bathroom building.

You can put up signs or string banners between trees if you have them so everyone knows where home base is

I'd also recommend people review info about the park -

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/hpsp.htm

Thanks for the welcome. My husband loves your head ,wants me to cover my like yours. I almost did it three years ago. LOVE WENDY

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Hope it was a wonderful day! :)

Heather

Hey Dotty!

WOW - next weekend sounds great! I really wish I could go - if you were just a bit closer I'd drive up for the day! Sounds like there will be a great turnout - can't wait to hear about it. Girl.... we DID meet. hahah.... I was in Medford last Oct. with the group of Alopecia peeps! We didn't get much chance to talk personally.. .but I was there. And I remember your two beautiful daughters- how are they doing?

hope you are having a good evening!
Heather

Hello Dotty,

Thank you very much!! And I am super excited about Saturday as well!!!

Hey Dotty--great pic of you and your man. Just starting to get the hang of AW. Miss everyone from the Indy Conf. Hope you're having a great summer. I'm starting a local support group through NAAF. Is Joyce B. on here? Emailed her but havent heard back..ttyl

Robyn from Albany NY

Thanx Dotty and yes it would be awesome to meet up sometime soon while the weather is still good. My kids are coming around..little by little...and they are more supportive. I guess we are trying to find ways to tell the people in our community. AW, friends from Indy like Marg Staib, and yourself are helping me deal w myself. lol.

Have a good Sunday. Going to New Bedford area next weekend w extended fam.

Let me know about meeting up w Joyce. 518-859-4477 Peace out.

Hey Dotty,

Is Joyce Brier on AW? Not sure if you've talked to her lately...kind of miss her. MAybe I'll just call her.

Let me know.
Thx, R.

Hello Dotty. I just wanted you to know I still enjoy your inspirational posts. Since 2007 on the "other" discussion posting site. I admire the strength and zest you seem to have in life. My AA is back, and I am trying to meet it with less tears and panic this time. So far, no tears and the panic has remained managable. I do sort of miss the old message board. I just haven't gotten the hang of this site yet. I don't comment much, but I read a lot! I'm always drawing upon other AW members for inspiration as well as ideas for treatments. Thank you for being so open and allowing others to "see" into living with alopecia better. --Denise

Dotty--sorry for the rough times in your life. I pray that you meet all of life's challenges head on just as you have your alopecia. So many alopecians talk of acceptance that sometimes I feel as though I am the only one who has not accepted it. I mean, I know if there is not a solution, it must be accepted enough to live happily with it. But, I don't want acceptance to cause myself or others to be lax in searching for solutions! I want to put up a fight with this thing that is taking my hair. I want others to put up that fight too. Hopefully, somebody so much smarter than myself that they are able to find a solution. Somehow, sometime, somewhere, somebody has to figure this out!

HI there, Thanks so much for the encouraging words, I will try to keep my spirits up.

thankx for adding me.....take care

Hello Dotty,

Beautiful wedding pictures!! And Congratulations to the Happy Couple!! :) I'm sure you were a proud mama... such an emotionally wonderful time! Happy for you all.

Heather

Thanks for the comment. :) My tattoo says a few things. On the top it says "In my anguish I cried out to the Lord and he answered me by setting me free." Psalms 118:5, It also says "New Creation in Christ" 2 Corinthians 5:17. Then by the Oak leaf it has Psalms 1, Isaiah 61:3, and Jeremiah 17: 7-8. All those are very meaningful to me and tie in to the butterfly and oakleaf. It basically means that God has helped me to overcome despite the difficult process, and it is those very things I overcame that make me beautiful. The very same way that when a butterfly first emerges from its crysallis it struggles and the struggle pushes all the nutriets from its fat caterpiller body into its new wings, making it into what it is. The oak is a reminder to stay strong in my reltaionship with God and know that my strength comes from him. Long explanation I know. Glad you like it though. Thanks for asking. Keep in touch. :)

Hello Dotty! Nice to meet you! :)

Red Ribbon

Hey Dotty! Thanks and we miss you too! Love ya, Cheryl

Red Ribbon

Thank you Dotty for the gift, I'm so blessed to be apart of it all.