Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
All odds were against us... and they were terrible odds. I actually figured we had a MINUS 10 percent chance of this working in our favor when we started out.
BUT... with the help of a few friends... and ALL of us working as a team... we somehow managed, from a grassroots effort...
TO KILL THE BILL!!!!!
THANKS to each and everyone of you for coming together to keep the IDSA guidelines from becoming mandatory in our state... and eventually yours!!!
WONDERFUL JOB!!!! EVERY call was vital to the effort. Every letter to the Senators strengthened our position. Every fax and letter to the editor worked in our favor.
And the help behind the scenes.. from many patients, doctors, organizations and support groups made this work!!!
Please share this good news with your groups and those individuals who assisted in this effort.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
And do know...
This wasn't a simple battle. NOT AT ALL!!!
We were fighting not only the sponsor of the bill who kept insisting it should go through even with ALL of the objections nation wide...
But we were also fighting the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene who has testified in opposition to Lyme disease patients several times now... with all their power and 7 1/2 BILLION dollar yearly budget behind them...
AND...
ALL of the Maryland Delegates (almost 140 of them) of whom many agreed to support us but then voted against us...
AND... the entire 8,000 person membership of the IDSA...
AND... Hopkins, home of the IDSA editor and one author!
So feel good and feel proud. Sometimes you're the bug.. and sometimes you're the windshield.
And YOUR effforts made us the windshield this time.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96227 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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shazdancer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1436
posted
Great news, Tinny. I think that can help us as we make an appeal in Maine to craft legislation that will speak to both sides of the Lyme debate.
Congratulations!
Posts: 1558 | From the Berkshires | Registered: Jul 2001
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Good job all! Never doubt a small group of people can change things! Its the only thing that ever has!
NP40
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6711
posted
I'm not so sure the lyme groups are so small anymore. I've sent e-mails to members in my e-mail group and get them back from CA. in a couple of hours. It's an unbelieveable network. There's a pretty sizable force of people actively engaged. I connect with hundreds just in my state of WI.
I know many in my e-mail group sent e-mails, faxes, etc. to Maryland legislators. The politicos must have thought, "what the he** is going on ?" They were probably shocked by the response just like the picketing outside Wormser's office.
Keep inviting people into your groups, there's strength in numbers. One day, in the not too distant future, lyme patients will be heard loud and clear.
Posts: 1632 | From Northern Wisconsin | Registered: Jan 2005
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5dana8
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7935
posted
Oh Thank God some good news
Great job!!! Thanks tincup for being in there!
Lots of respect & admiration to all who helped
-------------------- 5dana8 Posts: 4432 | From some where over the rainbow | Registered: Sep 2005
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lou4656
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10300
posted
Tincup -- There were many people invoted in killing the bill, but I really doubt that it would have been killed if not for you.
I live in Maryland, and did not know about the bill until I read about it in your posts.
Thank you so much for all you have done!! You're the best!
-------------------- LouLou Posts: 1276 | From maryland | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
THANK YOU TINCUP!!!! Posts: 621 | From US | Registered: Jun 2006
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sizzled
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1357
posted
We killed bill?
Posts: 4258 | From over there | Registered: Jul 2001
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Vanilla
Unregistered
posted
Very good and I actually had a good time calling some of those Senators and leaving messages late at night when my cell minutes were free. It just shows you what people can do when they band together.
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
What great news! Remeber, stage legislators don't normally get called like that. I've heard 20 calls to a state legislator makes them take a second look.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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Areneli
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6740
posted
I am so happy about it.
Good job everybody!
Posts: 1538 | From Planet Earth | Registered: Jan 2005
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sometimesdilly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9982
posted
up
Posts: 2507 | From lost in the maze | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
Bravo, and thanks for all your work on this, Tincup!!!
I hope this victory will send a message to every state legislature that we, the patients and Lyme-literate community, are organized to advocate for our collective needs concerning this spreading plague situation...
Posts: 13117 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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