Please take time to make this follow up call to Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College and urge others to do the same. It was very successful in getting our message across on the day of the Protest.. and we need to let them know we are NOT going away and we mean business! THANKS!
Call In to Westchester/NY Medical College-
The Lyme Rights Group would like you to make calls again on Wednesday, December 6 to Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College. This is a follow up to calls made on rally day.
Instructions:
We are asking that Lyme patients across the country make some very important phone calls of support. PLEASE CALL the following administrators who are in positions of authority over Drs. Raymond Dattwyler, Robert Nadelman, and Gary Wormser, the three Guidelines authors whom we are protesting.
PEOPLE TO CALL:
1) Ralph A. O'Connell, M.D. Acting President and Provost & Dean of NY Medical College (914) 594-4600
2) Susan A. Kline, M.D. Vice Provost, University Student Affairs & Executive Vice Dean, Academic Affairs (914) 594-4500
3) Michael Israel President and CEO Westchester Medical Center (914)-493-7017
WHAT TO SAY POLITELY:
1) Say that you suffer from Lyme disease and that there are 3 doctors employed at the Westchester Medical Center & NY Medical College who have published guidelines that will cut off thousands of patients from necessary medical treatment. (Again, the names of those employees are Dr. Raymond Dattwyler, Dr. Robert Nadelman and Dr. Gary Wormser.)
2) Ask that they, as administrators in positions of power, intervene with these doctors on behalf of people who are desperately ill.
3) Please be polite. This is critically important, because we are asking for their help.
WHEN TO CALL- BY THE TIME ZONE IN WHICH YOU LIVE
Eastern time zone (call 11AM Eastern Time)
Central Time Zone (call 11AM Central Time)
Mountain Time Zone (call 11AM Mountain Time)
Pacific Time Zone (call 11AM Pacific Time)
In order to make sure the calls are spread out, we are asking people to call according to the above schedule.
If you can't call in your time slot for some reason, go ahead and call anyway.
lymie tony z
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5130
posted
up up and away!
-------------------- I am not a doctor...opinions expressed are from personal experiences only and should never be viewed as coming from a healthcare provider. zman Posts: 2527 | From safety harbor florida(origin Cleve., Ohio | Registered: Jan 2004
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
quote:Tell them to sign NOW the Member Letter about the Lyme disease guidelines by Congressman Christopher Smith (NJ). Tell them the guidelines hurt you!
I'm not sure what this is - where can I find out more about this letter? I'm not sure they will know what I'm talking about when I call.
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
EVERYBODY READY?
Let's GO!
Truthfinder..
The letter was submitted to the House members about Lyme. I don't have a copy here.. but if I did I would share more details.
What I can tell you..
I just got this note from my Congressmans's office... cause I wrote to them late last night.
"... Just wanted to let you know that not only is Congressman Gilchrest signing the Chris Smith letter, but we are also soliciting signatures for the letter among other members of the House. Thanks for your work on this, and feel free to spread the word."
Congressman Gilchrest has been WONDERFUL helping us. And they are supporting it and helping us.
posted
When I called Mr. Israel's office, as soon as I identified myself as a Lyme patient, I was interrupted by his receptionist and told that he had "no influence over the clinical guidelines" just because they were authored by people on staff. I had first asked for him, then his voice mail and told he did not have one - sure. Hope others have better luck.
Posts: 260 | From Virginia | Registered: Jul 2004
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Keep calling!!! DON'T be discouraged if you get the standard lines. I was lucky and got through to humans. Had good talks with them and told them we won't quit.. and to expect more calls. I think I managed to share our entire history with them! If we all call we are making them know it isn't just one or two people affected.
Bet they are going to start the recorded messages soon.. if not already. I spoke 20 minutes to one person. They shared the standard stuff about how GOOD Wormser is.. etc.. but I said a few things for all of us.
They may not officially sound like it.. but they ARE listening. ALL calls will be sent to big bosses for review.. so keep calling.
We ARE being heard.. and if I didn't honestly believe it.. I wouldn't urge anyone to call.
Good job!
And do remember.. be polite. THAT was hard for me.. but I did do it.
But.. I asked if folks who called had been polite. They stopped.. almost as if shocked I asked.. and said "yes.. they have all been very polite."
I said imagine how hard it is for them to do that when their lives are at risk.. and they are sick and need help.
dontlikeliver
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4749
posted
I was also put straight through to voice mail on first two, and on the third was interrupted by receptionist, just like Suz-Q and told they have nothing to do with it at the Hospital and 'here's the number to the IDSA'....
Posts: 2824 | From The Back of Beyond | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
Really dumb question, but I want to make the calls and forward to friends/family, but I don't know who to call. I clicked on the link and it lists all of our reps. Could someone please tell me which Congressman to call for Illinois so I can spread the word? Thanks!
Posts: 117 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: Jan 2006
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
Scroll down to where the US map is and enter your address. It will give you your Congressperson. There is more than one Congressman in Illinois based on where you live.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I just called Sen Durbin's office, and spoke with someone saying I would like him to support and sign the Member Letter about the Lyme disease guidelines by Congressman Christopher Smith. He was not aware of this letter, and asked for a letter or bill number. Is there one? He said he would try to look it up.
Apparently not many people from Illinois are calling.
Is there anything else I should say?
Posts: 117 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
I just called Senator O'Bama's office and they just listened and said "thank you so much". It makes me wonder if the message gets passed on. Is there anything more to be doing? More information to give them?
Posts: 117 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
I haven't seen text of letter but there is this:
An electronic Member Letter has been sent to all Members of the US House of Representatives by Congressman Christopher Smith. The letter ultimately will be sent to Dr Julie Gerberding, CDC Director, on behalf of all of the Congressmen who have signed onto it.
It addresses the IDSA guidelines, their impact, their development process, and concerns about why the CDC has these guidelines on its website, and why other guidelines are not recognized.
We need high numbers of congressmen signed on─not a bill, so easy to sign on.
Enter your zip code in the box on left and you'll get a listing of all your government representatives.
Look for your US Congressperson on the bottom of the left side (at least this is where mine was).
Posts: 621 | From US | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
Just a note...if this letter went to everyone in the House of Representatives, then Senators will not have received it.
Also, staffers keep running tallies of issues that people call about, so they do get an overall update of what issues are on their constitents' minds. (They won't get a message that Mr. X called and is angry about Y.)
Posts: 393 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Jun 2005
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-------------------- ~Things may happen in my life time to change who I am but I refuse to let them reduce me...~ Posts: 968 | From private | Registered: Jan 2005
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Thanks to all for making calls today. There were way to many things to do on this last action alert release- in MY opinion- especially to do all at once! I've been at it all day... was doing it till the wee hours of the morning... and still am not done!
I appreciate your responses and emails to me and I am sorry I don't have time to respond individually to everyone. I am on deadline for several news articles.. which I am not able to do right now for this other stuff... so please note I am seeing your notes.. just no time to deal with all of them one on one. I'm plum ate up with busy.
I hope you understand!!!
I would like to report to all-
Calls to Westchester Medical Center/NY Medical College.. even if you left a recorded message.. they ARE being heard. After they are all taken.. they are given to BIG bosses to listen to.. and they ARE listening.
This action, by the way, is being done to keep the pressure on Wormser, Dattwyler, and Nadelman... and to let them know we are NOT going away. I heard through the grapevine that Wormser is NOT happy with our actions. (NOT the word I heard.. I am cleaning up the language.)
As for our representatives in Congress.. instead of calling and telling them I want them to sign on the Lyme letter.. I flipped it a bit.. and asked them, HAD they signed on? This made ALL of the offices scramble to find out.. and kinda drew more attention to it perhaps?
I made good contacts this way too. In addition... they are all are now under an obligation sort of to call me back. We might remember that idea for future use??
Calls to the Congress can be made tomorrow... MAYBE Friday.. but most officials I spoke with thought Congress would be closing tomorrow night.. and then stayed closed for the holidays.
So if you haven't called.. please do!!!
Again.. thanks for making these calls and putting up with these last minute requests.
Your help is VITAL if we are to keep the ball rolling and make progress!!!
timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
posted
Thanks for the update Tincup. Would it help to write letters to Westchester Medical Center in addition to phone calls?
If so, do you have an address?
Timaca
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Good question! I actually don't have an answer. My first impression is it sounds good. But then my second thought is.. and I am guilty of this myself...
Best wait until those in the know ask us to do something. Could be we don't want a paper trail .. or there may be some good reason we don't know not to do it??
But I will send the idea on to others to see what they think... ok?
sizzled
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1357
posted
Up!
Posts: 4258 | From over there | Registered: Jul 2001
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Beverly
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 1271
posted
I made all my calls ,and I was very polite. I explained how I have documented proof, my SPECT scan, which clearly shows how long term abx have helped me.
Thank you for giving us an update Tin.
Posts: 6638 | From Michigan | Registered: Jun 2001
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Today is ok to call Congress!
Let them see your smiling faces!
Beverly... the email I have for you isn't working. Might you email me at ..
posted
tincup, I loved the email you got back from YOUR congressman's office; how he signed on and encouraging OTHER HOUSE/REPS too as well!!
I called Iowa's Tom Latham/rep; I must have been the 1st call since she said she answers all phone calls, and Jacob Parker, is Latham's HEALTH REP but in a meeting at White House as we spoke.
She listened attentively for 5 minutes while I talked. I gave her Smith's rep no. for any questions Latham's health rep has.
When I said my last name was Gordon; she told me later her name was Gordan and her late mother-in-law was Betty Gordan; so I really got her attention!
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