Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Not Drowning, Waving


I haven't posted anything for a long time, so please bear with me.

I'm not even going to pretend any pertinence to clinical medicine, nor any forays into Dorksome jocularity. I shall refrain from the third person self-referencing for a change, as well.

Firstly, an apology to all my intertubes comrades, friends and acquaintances, who felt excluded by this blog 'going all private'. With my rudimentary understanding of Blogger, my decision to close the blog in May seemed to present only two options - make it "private", or delete it completely, which I wasn't quite prepared to do.

I have eschewed my dorkdr@gmail address until now, and regret any hurt feelings, as I wade through a great backlog of email tonight, to those who might take umbrage at any perceived exclusion from a "private blog". It was simply easier for me, at the time, to close the blog and avoid the brief flurry of kind email inquiries. The blog was not so much private, as in a state of pre-deletion.

I have started lurking about again of late, and note that many other health blogs, some of my favourites included, have shuffled off as well, pro tempore or otherwise. As others have discussed with far more perspicacity, perhaps this is simply the nature of the beast.

Why did I vanish ? Let me count the ways...

1. Ill health. Improving now.

2. Copyright concerns. I have developed further some of the nascent scribblings I occasionally posted, and as posting on Blogger legally counts as "publishing" in most regards. I have had to remove most of my creative work that I am compiling or submitting elsewhere, unfortunately.

3. Privacy. I don't write about my patients in any way that could be potentially identifiable. This is a Hippocratic fundamental, in my opinion. However, I have chosen to bare my personal foibles and failings in this blog. Others have suffered for similar disclosure, possessed of far greater altruism than I. Whilst hosting Grand Rounds was a privilege and a pleasure, the consequent huge surge in site visits was worrisome for me. I much prefer peeping out (and piping up occasionally), snug beneath my warm little rock, to the glare of the hot sun.

I am of the opinion that, particularly with my personal spectrum of illness, this fractured window may have been, and still could be, of use to someone, somewhere, sometime. When traversing one's own dark night of the soul, a single kindred spirit is of much value, wherever and however found.

So the blog archive is back, in part. Not that there is much of it, in retrospect. At least for now.

It is a pleasure to read the words of others, especially those who have lingered long. It is a pleasure to be read.

Yours occasionally,

Dork

34 comments:

jmb said...

Dr Dork,
May I be the first to welcome you back. I was delighted to see a little star against your name in my blogroll.
I hope you are fighting fit soon and look forward to more from your neck f the woods on whatever topic.
regards
jmb

Mother Jones RN said...

Love ya Dork. Welcome back.

Moof said...

Dr. Dork ... I'm so so relieved to see you back again. I can't tell you how much I've missed you and your blog!

I hope that spring is warming you up, and lightening your heart.

Welcome back, and be well!

Dr. A said...

Welcome back!

Mama Mia said...

I am very glad to see that you are safe and doing ok. welcome back!!

Sid Schwab said...

Good to hear your voice again.

Vijay said...

Hello Dr.Dork, Welcome back :o)

angry doc said...

Welcome back; all is forgiven. :)

Surgeon in my dreams said...

Welcome Friend. We missed you!

Margaret Polaneczky, MD (aka TBTAM) said...

It's so good to see you!

Dr. Deb said...

Missed you *so* much!

DrWes said...

Welcome back, Dr. D. You've been sorely missed.

Godwhacker said...

Hi DD,

please never feel that you have anything to apologize for. Your blog is a unique as you are. I've struggled with some of the same issues that you mention here.

I'm just glad to hear that you are doing better and I look forward to more wonderful writing from you :)

Bardiac said...

Happy spring and welcome back

Walter said...

Welcome back Dr. Dork!

SeaSpray said...

Yes Dr Dork-WELCOME BACK! It is so nice to read something of yours again.

You are so very right about a kindred soul connecting. We never know where or when, but when it happens it is a beautiful and often times healing moment(s).

scalpel said...

Howdy, it's great to hear from you again.

Medblog Addict said...

I heard rumors that you were back! So glad to see you again. You were missed.

Dr Dork said...

Thanks for the kind words, now and over the intervening months. They have not gone unnoticed.

Donna said...

Great to see you back :)

The MSILF said...

I missed your writing and character so much! Glad you're back!

The MSILF said...

And thank you for writing about a subject all too common in medicine that no one ever wants to admit (including, shamefully, myself).

SreeRam said...

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Calavera said...

You're BACK!!!

Woohooooo!!!

I can hardly believe it! It was one uneventful day, i was simply trying to read your blog, as i normally do, and lo and behold, I could not access it!

A mistake, surely? I thought, as I desperately clicked on your name again and again.

But no. I was pushed out! I needed to contact the blog administrator if I thought this was in error. And I had no email address for you.

But who cares - you're back now!

Welcome back!

ditzydoctor said...

YOU"RE BACK!!!! i'd given up all chance of ever reading your lovely kind words again, when i suddenly decided to click on your site - and i see this!

Dr Dork, you MADE MY DAY :) thank you!

and may all good things go your way from now on! pls remain in good health :)

Dr. Deb said...

Popping by to wish you and Happy Holiday and New Year.


Peace,
Deb

Donna said...

Hope you have a nice holiday and things are going well.

Medblog Addict said...

Happy Holidays! Dr.Dork. I hope you are doing well and having a wonderful holiday season.

Kim said...

I'm just glad you are still here, peeking out occasionally and hope you know we have not forgotten you nor felt insulted at the blog going private!

Hope your holiday season was happy!
: )

sara said...

Dr. Dork, when are you coming back?

jmb said...

Hey Dr Dork,
I hope you are doing well. Bloggers come and go as life intervenes but I'm sure you would be welcome back any time, even if just occasionally.
Take care
jmb

Dr Dork said...

Anonymous sara said...

Dr. Dork, when are you coming back?

Never!






Oops.

Rossweisse said...

Oops? No, not really - one word does not constitute 'coming back'. Still, in for a penny ... perhaps you should. Even if you don't post anything, I do appreciate your list of honorary dorks - it makes my procrastination easier!

Ross

pkayski said...

Such a great blog! Shame I didn't stumble on this sooner! Lucky for me that you did not decide to delete the blog (& hopefully there wasn't too much removed from what it originally contained, though I suppose I will never know) but let it be for randoms like me to come and have a read at it!

Hope all is going well in your life!
Kind regards.:)
pKay!

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