Presentation Question

[Psyborg]

So they have me taking a communication class at work, and the first segment is a presentation. I'm thinking of something Wegs related...though I'm nervous at opening up about it. I figure I'm going to be uncomfortable anyway...might as well try to do some good. Anyway my question for the crew here is what would you present (mind you 5-8 minutes timeframe)?

I had thought of:
What is Wegeners? My worry here is it's awfully specific to my own situation.
What is Vasculitis? Actually I'm thinking maybe the Vasculitis Foundation in hopes of encouraging more support.

Or is there something completely different that I'm not even thinking of? :)

[Dirty Don]

Having been an English teacher, I know a little about speeches and debates...as far as WG goes, how much does your audience know already...that will determine how much and what you decide to talk about. I would assume your audience knows very little, so I would remain somewhat generalized as any info to the audience will be new and interesting. Use the 'shock' approach to introduce your bit about WG...people love to be shocked and will listen/read further! LOL...soooo easy to manipulate!! Ye blocks, ye stones, ye worse than senseless things...by you know who!! Also, remember your time also is determined by any amount of pics, graphics, handouts, etc. that you may use...one minute of speaking is usually about one full page of written material...sometimes a bit less. Anyway, have fun with it...could be somewhat inspiring to yourself if you let it!! Always good to talk out this disease...and think about what you would have liked to know about WG going into this speech...that helps sometimes too!

[Dryhill]

If you are not happy about talking about WG, and that is totally understandable, are you into any sport or hobby? It is much easier to do a presentation on a subject that interests you. One major piece of advice if you use an overhead projector make sure you DO NOT put your notes near the fan outlet. I did once then switched on the projector only to see my notes float off the table and stage. Good thing it was only the Managing Director in the audiance, I would not want it to have been someone important! :crying:

[Dirty Don]

What's a projector? Mimeo machine? Eraser? Pencil? New century, new devices! Oh, and new people too! LOL

[Al]

So they have me taking a communication class at work, and the first segment is a presentation. I'm thinking of something Wegs related...though I'm nervous at opening up about it. I figure I'm going to be uncomfortable anyway...might as well try to do some good. Anyway my question for the crew here is what would you present (mind you 5-8 minutes timeframe)?

I had thought of:
What is Wegeners? My worry here is it's awfully specific to my own situation.
What is Vasculitis? Actually I'm thinking maybe the Vasculitis Foundation in hopes of encouraging more support.

Or is there something completely different that I'm not even thinking of? :)

You know, Bob, I agree with Don: keep it simple. Yet there may be some occasions that too much detail may help the presentation. You don't want to leave them with the impression that this is a simple disease--or no disease at all. I have found that, after the preliminaries (chronic, non-communicative, etc.) it (sometimes) works to go into great detail, how the immune system works at the level of cells and cytokines...and then, just as the eyes start to glaze over, say, "but you don't need to know any of that. The bottom line is...." So now they know that this is a complex disease that can be fatal and is always a life changer, but is usually manage-able. This way you don't have to delve too far into painful self-narratives. Just a suggestion....

[maria garcia]

LOL! at Don( laughing out loud!)

[delorisdoe]

I cant help but go to the funny side of it all. Its how I roll you know. I have participated in both webinars on vasculitis and they are informative in a very dull way. The best I could do for a presentation on wegeners would probably be only about the ever fun side effects of prednisone. I worked as a boss in a stressfull job and my 100mg of prednisone a day while working stories really are quite funny to any of my staff who are still here-aka did not quit due to prednisone. Also the face my diagnosis doctor made to show me how mine was going to look makes me laugh to this day. If you are suposed to be serious, well, everything about wegeners is serious so at least you have a lot to chose from. good luck. you are a brave man. The only way I can talk about wegeners is if the entire listening audience is drunk and for sure wont remember in the morning.

[Dirty Don]

The funny side is far better than being maudlin about all this...WG is what it is...and, like you Leigh, I tend to see the humor in it now...although it's a daily worry. If I don't laugh, I won't function to the best of my current abilities...that's how I see it...so I laugh about things insane and inane...but I do laugh...hell, I was laughing at the nurses while on Propofol...and saying some things I shouldn't have, the nurse's assistant, whom I ran into going back to the hospital for 'old times' sake' said I was a riot...great...a humorous Weggie let loose in ICU!! LOL...they said I was a handful, I didn't know, I was unconscious! LOL

[Dirty Don]

Are there any Weggie stand up comedians??? Hmmmm, a new career...didja hear about the Weggie who............................................... ....

[delorisdoe]

Actually yes there are weggie comedians...wendy shanker to be exact.

[freakyschizogirl]

What's a projector? Mimeo machine? Eraser? Pencil? New century, new devices! Oh, and new people too! LOL

Oh no - dont tell me overhead projectors didnt make it across the pond? This is the zucchini debacle again (shudders). lol.

There is another good comedian called Adam Hills - lovely Aussie bloke whose DVD i've just bought and he does a wonderful segment on deaf people and has someone there signing as he talks. The reason, i suspect, is that Adam only has one leg and has a false one which he once showed to the whole audience on a taping of Mock the Week (UK only). Genuinely lovely boke and you should look him up.

[pberggren1]

Just curious Leigh, what type of carpet do you have?

And time, for example, is just created for man's convenience. So when the end of time comes it will cease to exist.

[delorisdoe]

It came with the house, its tan in colour and needs to be replaced. The carpet in the basement is bright pink. I dont like it one bit.

freaky???? boke? what is a boke? I have heard of a bloke but not a boke? did you forget the l or am i just that uneducted in your funny version of the english language. I think it is the former not the latter eh? :rolleyes1:

[freakyschizogirl]

I forgot me L. lol - sorry if this confuses you Leigh. I will be blaming the pred and not my typing skills for that one.

[delorisdoe]

Pay more attention!!!

[gurinbasra]

You should start with "ever heard of someone having to take chemo but doesn't have cancer?" Bet you that gets everyone's attention right off the batt - you did take chemo right? It's always good to hit on all the misinterpretations people have of GPA. Also, how about explaining the difference between steroids - you know the one the athletes take and then the Pred!

Good luck

[Al]

Personally, I would go for self-mockery. Self-mockery is the greatest thing: It allows me to indulge my inner misanthropist without offending innocent parties, and the object of my scorn has to just sit there and take it with a stupid grin on his puss, like the risible boob he is.

Al

[NicShaf]

What a neat idea! You could open with a shocking statistic or something too....I forget the exact number, but I think it’s something like "1 in 30,000 people will be diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease called Wegener's Granulomatosis (Or GPA, whichever you prefer). I think the Vasculitis foundation has the correct facts.

[Psyborg]

Wow...lots of feedback. Thanks guys...I'll see what I can come up with :)

[delorisdoe]

I can send you a picture of my imitation of the pulmanologists example of how i would look on the prednisone...

[pberggren1]

I can send you a picture of my imitation of the pulmanologists example of how i would look on the prednisone...

Just post it here.

[vdub]

Bob, you might want to watch Marta's brush with fame on GlobalEdmonton. It might give you some ideas.
Global Edmonton (http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/video/video.html#health+matters)
Go to the 3rd page (1 of 17) and it's the health matters clip called Weggies.

I talk about my disease with anyone who will listen. I actually find it to be an interesting disease and have studied it quite a bit.

[Sangye]

If I had to do a presentation, it would start with "I always worried that someday I'd have a patient with a condition I couldn't diagnose. I never knew that patient would be me."

[Psyborg]

So I gave the presentation. I prepped a rough outline and winged it...and it went just fine. Honestly, it helps if you actually care/believe what you are talking about. I've never had such high praise for any presentation I've done.

My attention grabber was, "So, has anyone here ever felt like they were in an episode of House?" LOL we have talked about that here many a time :)

[Dirty Don]

So I gave the presentation. "So, has anyone here ever felt like they were in an episode of House?" :)

Nice attention getter...LOL...IF people have seen House! LOL...just an old debater here...nice open though! Always hard to talk about one's self in the 'open' like that!! Do you have a text to share?

[Sangye]

Oh, great line Bob!! :thumbsup:

[Al]

Good Job, Bob! Maybe you'd like to preside over a Weggie Speakers' Bureau. I'm sure they will line up to pay our outrageous fees....

Al

[Psyborg]

I actually literally did it with no script. I just had the outline in my power point and went from there. Now I don't know if I convinced anyone to actually look at the Vasculitis foundation or not...oh that was my final decistion, a plea to support the VF.