Interest and/or Suggestions for a ValveReplacement.com Newsletter?

[Hank]

Greetings Members and Visitors....

I am tossing around the idea of a snail mail newsletter. A monthly publication that would be delivered to your abode. It would contain things like the following:

The month's highlights from the forum.
General site information.
Coumadin friendly recipe's.
Reunion information.
Articles about heart surgery.
Featured member stories.
Articles submitted by you, the members.
A monthly commentary from myself.

And other things that I am hoping you will suggest to me. Things that you would enjoy that you may not get at this time on VR.com.

This would be done on a subscription basis and mailed out once a month. It would be beautifully edited by the VR.com First Lady.

I thought this would be a good way to raise funds for site improvements, reunions, bulletin licensing fees and such.

I personally would pay a measeley $2.00 per month for such a publication. The question is, would you?

[Karlynn]

I most certainly would! Great idea!

[Rich]

Hank,
That sounds like a good idea to me.
I would rather be reading something like that than some of the news in the papers.

[fyrfytr]

Hey Hank,
I think that would be a Great Idea or even send it to our email address.
Take Care

[epstns]

Hank - Would $2 a month cover the costs and leave some to contribute to operating the site? If yes, then count me in. If no, raise the number a buck or two a month and then count me in.

[McCln]

It is a great idea. To share information, updated procedures and medications. Share dieting ideas, recipes. talk about family, etc. And update on each other. But most of all, sharing medical breakthroughes and having in black and white for the doctors. Work on it and let us know. It is a great idea. Hope you can get it started.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

[Glenda]

Count me in. I think it would be a great idea.

Both you and Ross do such a great job with this site.

Love and God Bless, Glenda

[Birky]

I think it is a good idea.

[Perrster]

Good thinkin' there, Hank.

SUGGESTION: Perhaps you may want to consider placing a .PDF file of it on the site so that people would download and print on their own printers?

You'll save a bundle on printing, folding, labeling, postage, etc.

A monthly edition is a lot of work! You may also want to consider knocking it down to a Quarterly edition?

Regardless, I'd pop for either your ink on paper or a digital version.

Cheers!

[Tony]

Hank.

I guess I was born to be contrarious.

I think you should let the idea of voluntary donations sink in for maybe six months before starting a newsletter.

It would seem to me that the newsletter would be a kind of competition to the website.

I intend to support financially either or both.

:) :)

[Shelba]

I would be more than willing to pay for a newsletter. And after thinking about how how much this site has helped me, I would be more than willing to pay a membership fee.

[LUVMyBirman]

Smashing plan. Perry and Dave made some excellent points too. An electronic newsletter may be the way to go! Looking forward to hearing more.

[sylviayasgur]

hi hank!
great idea! perry is right... i would do this in a heartbeat!
please count me in!!!
-sylvia

[Ross]

You Could Switch To Linux (http://www.ubergeek.tv/article.php?pid=54) and encrypt the newsletter. This way, everyone can go nuts trying to read it. :D

[knightfan2691]

Cool idea!

I'd be interested in it...

Heck, I could even write for it sometimes, too, if you want. I currently edit our church newsletter...and I write an article for the 1st Gen MC club newsletter :). Plus, I love to write ;).

Cort S, pig valve & pacemaker-enhanced 30/swm
AIM=fc72mc...YIM=knightfan2691 / "The Uniter"..."Mr Road Trip"
member & newsletter editor, Faith COB = http://www.faithcob.org
"Mr MC's" Family...UPD, Kudos Ray! = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
RIP = '76, Parents' [my] MC ... '88 MC LS ... '00 "mc" LS
Spotting MCs = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html
MC's Future = http://www.projectmonte.com/petition/

[DANIEL]

Count me in.

[Heather Fisher]

Sounds like a great idea, especially if it would help to support the site. Have you thought of how many hours of your time (Michelle's time) it might take to produce the newsletter? Are you willing to spend that much time? I'm all for it if you are....

Heather

[fisher6476]

Hank,
Count me in. Maybe those of us who like to fish could submit pictures and swap lies?
Steve

[Hank]

The problem with an electronic format is:

Then it would be free like the site. I would have to figure a way to charge.

It is nice to get mail that matters. Sometimes printed material is a welcomed change from todays norm of onlineness.

Thoughts?

[Creed3]

I think it's a great idea. I'm definately in.

Gail

[ShezaGirlie]

It's time some of these commercial ventures mentioned on VR.COM for the past few years were given the opportunity to contribute by way of advertising their wares. After all, a valve goes for around six thousand dollars these days and I'll bet some folks have made a decision as to which valve to receive based on info shared on this site.

Also, many hospitals have been mentioned and recommended. Hospitals and valve manufacturers are in business to make money -- even doctors advertise these days.

I would also wager that you've been offered 'big bucks' by some of these same commercial ventures for the purchase of ValveReplacement.Com.

The ideas of members have been tossed around long enough. I think we all realize that you must receive some tangible contribution to the running of this site whether coming from the members or by paid advertising. . . ain't nothin' in life free!

[Birky]

I agree that nothing is free these days. My mitral valve cost $14,000 last year. Look what other newsletters and magazines cost. $2.99 for the Enquirer and the Star with all the smut you would want to know about. I buy them for the crossword puzzles.

[Missy]

Count me in whatever it is!

[bethanne]

I currently create a newsletter for our local Aggie Moms Club. After creating a pdf file and sending to our webmaster she sends me the direct link she creates when publishing to our website. Then I email our aggie mom members with the direct link. It has worked well with keeping costs down, etc. For us, we can also access the newlsetter through the website, however our members like the notice when the new issue is up and running. I am not an expert but I would think that you could do the same without having direct access from this website. Creating a newsletters for paid membership. I think you will find by not payng postage, and paper/printing costs you will be able to keep the fee reasonable and still support this website.

This is an awesome site, so please do what you have to do to keep it up and going.
beth

[Mary]

I just found this thread about a possible newsletter. Hank, are you still considering it? It sounds great to me. You might feature some of the original members in an interview type format. That would be fun!
Anyway, you could collect the $25 up front and that would pay for a year's issue.
Mary

[Sherry]

Hank, what a wonderful idea. Count me in.

[tobagotwo]

Hank, I will buy a subscription to your newsletter.

- Perry made a good suggestion. You might want to start this as a quarterly thing, or bimonthly, at least to ramp up. I've edited newsletters, and it's very time-consuming.

- The worst part in my memory is the assembly, stapling, labeling, and bundling by partial zip code. To accomodate the rough treatment on international copies, I used a Daisey Seal-a-Meal to protect them. It is now quite common to see magazines arrive in plastic pouches. Twenty five plus years ago, I was the only one I knew of doing it.

- We already have a mention of the Coumadin folks on the site. Perhaps it's also time to find a (relatively) tasteful way to allow some advertising from Medtronics, Edwards, St. Judes, CCF, AstraZeneca, Shering, Bayer, etc.

- If you get a not-for-profit status, you can go for a second-class permit. It's not that difficult. I've done it. Mailing is more tedious, but less expensive that way. A statement of ownership is required outside, or in the first three pages. I always printed it on the back cover.

- If you've not done it already, you might consider making a corporation of the site and the newsletter to dissociate their liabilities from you. You should also consider running careful disclaimers, as the advice and discussion is of a quasimedical nature. Perhaps there is a valvularly-challenged attorney in the house?

- You can pluck fillers from the forums, and/or people can suggest them from old or new threads.

Best wishes,

[Mary]

Bill,
I don't want to slight any of our attorneys, but Bob is searching for a valvularly challenged lawyer (read his post)! You immediately jumped to mind! :D I think it is good that I instantly thought of you :confused: , but others might think it odd. :eek:
I don't know your thoughts, but in my mind, You're the #1 valvularly challenged lawyer on the site!
Mary

Hank, can we get a reply?

[Gemma]

Hank,
I think it's a great idea and would be happy to pay the annual fee upfront if that's easier - also agree with you about getting something interesting in the mail for a change!! However, wouldn't anyone outside the USA need to pay a little more for postage? I'm not sure what the difference would be in postage costs but may be worth considering. Alternatively, an email version would mean everyone could get the newsletter, again perhaps by setting up an email list only for those who paid in advance.
Gemma.

[Marguerite53]

Hank. I'm still in a long waiting game for AVR. I would love to have a newsletter delivered to my home and hope that it is, in fact, still in the works.

Most importantly, I think, is the number of new "subscribers" you would reach. Not everyone owns a computer! Imagine if there were flyers or sample copies in cardiologist offices all over the country. Patients would learn that they could go to local libraries or internet cafes and discover a place where they could go to learn, weep, vent -- belong.

For those who might not even be able to afford a mail delivery subscription, we could set up "scholarships". From the sounds of this community here, small donations to a special scholarship fund (after a need alert, perhaps) would surely be forthcoming.

Please update us about the newsletter! And Hank, thank you so very very much for this website. I found you in February about 6 months after I learned I'd be in a waiting game. I honestly think I would have started to go crazy if I hadn't found this lovely community. Some people head to Starbucks for their morning coffee. I bring my coffee into the study and wake up with a few VR updates. It's a very good way to start my day.

Marguerite

[Granbonny]

I like the idea of Marg's recycling the newsletters at your Cardio's office. :) Beats the old magazines. :D Also, another idea is to have a Bragging page. :D Where we could mail you pictures of our kids, Grands and pets..for a small fee....I would be willing to pay $5.00 for a picture of mine. :D .Bet other Mom's and Grandmom's would too......That why I think it should be called the Bragging Page. :D :D We could post pictures of them at Halloween, Xmas, Birthdays, ect... Bonnie

[Birky]

I think it would be great to do recycle them in the surgeons and cardiologist's office. My surgeon has a newsletter that he sends to all his patients. I would be willing to pay to have pictures put in the bragging page of my 6. Let me know if I can be of any help.

[Johnny Stephens]

Ooops somehow I thought I had already replied to this thread. Yes indeedy, Hank, I would be happy to pony up for such a newsletter.

[SHerrin Hutt]

Hi Hank,
I think the news letter is a great ideal. Count me in. :D

[Rain]

Hank,

I would be willing to pay $24.00 a year for a newsletter. And I'd appreciate getting it in the mail. :) It can be refreshing to get ‘good’ mail.

And besides the annual $24.00 a year dues, you could sell advertising to all the related people. I would think that all the valve makers, hospitals, protime machine makers, surgeons, meds, etc, etc would LOVE to have this audience and in a newsletter they all know we respect and love.

Go get 'em, Hankypoo!! :D

[terryj]

I would also gladly pay for a newsletter. I love this site.

[Jim]

Hank,

A newsletter would be great. There is so much valuable information in this site it would be a great place to summarize all of it in a monthly/bi-monthly newsletter.

[Susan BAV]

Hank - Sounds like a great idea!

[Debrinha GT]

error edit made by hank eyring

[Hank]

I could put it all online after I take a look at it and see if I approve of your work. I'm sure I will so send it my way and we'll see what you have together.

[Debrinha GT]

Hello Hank , I just need a couple of days to get Robert, my husband, to help me get them all sorted out for I'm still learning how to deal with the computer. I've also gathered the ones I've found in HEART STORIES so I'll send you the whole lot so that you can judge it for yourself. By the way, how do I send the album on to you? To your Email? Sorry if my question may sound daft! Thanks for showing interest in it.

Débora from Brazil

[Debrinha GT]

I'm sure I've posted something here yesterday! Wonder what happened to it.

Débora

[Ross]

I'm sure I've posted something here yesterday! Wonder what happened to it.

Débora
Looks like Hank made a boo boo and may have accidentally deleted it? At any rate, when you get it all together, send Hank a Private message and he'll get with you about how to send it and go over it with you. :)

[Debrinha GT]

Thank you again Ross! I don't know what I would do without you ! :) :) :)

Débora

[nefarious_muse]

Count me in :)

Nef