When you are new and not sure how to navigate the forum, here are a few pointers. Its not always easy when you are new to understand where your post belongs. This will hopefully simplify it.

Being new, its always best to start out by making an introductory post and putting it under the "Introduce Yourself" tab. This will allow everyone to welcome you and get you know you. Its a great ice breaker and basically its what new members do around here. Members here get to know each other pretty well even though our site is completely anonymous. Only include personal info that you dont mind sharing with everyone. Please begin with introducing yourself instead of jumping in and giving out advice. It only takes a couple minutes to say hello and a little about why you joined OCF. Click on title "Introduce Yourself", then click on the New thread forum options, on the drop down menu, click on new thread. Type in the white box and hit submit.

To begin a new post on a new thread (which you always want to do if your topic is asking questions, venting about your situation or anything mainly about yourself or your patient) its easy. Scan the topics down the left side and decide which works best for your post. The "General" tab should be used very infrequently and 99% of most new posts will fit into one of the other categories. Click on the name of the tab you want to post under. On the next page on the upper left, click on "New Topic" and type in the white box, when done click "submit". Dont worry if you have sent your post and want to make a change, you can make edits for up to 3 hours after you posted your post. We do have great search function and chances are your question has already been asked and answered many times. Try doing a quick search of what you want to ask about and see what comes up, there might be many posts with the answers you are looking for. Remember, this site has been around for over 15 years and has 10,000+ members with thousands of posts, many topics have already been discussed in detail.

SIGNATURES....Another very helpful thing is a signature. This is one of the first things you should do when you join and make your first post. By making a signature it helps us to get to know you faster. There are thousands of members and to help someone we need to know what they have been thru, diagnosed with, their treatments, etc. It doesnt have to be anything fancy just a mini timeline of your history. With so many members its not always easy getting to know new people especially when there are a few new members at a time. Most members dont want to have to spend time going back and rereading all of someones posts to figure out whats going on and what advice they can give to help. Its not easy giving advice when you only know a small fraction of someones history. A signature will help us to help you, without it you will get far less replies.To make a signature, click on your name thats written in white over near the top right, directly above the search box. On the drop down menu, click on "Edit Profile". Scroll down almost to the bottom and type your info in the white box then click "submit". Remember its against the rules to have a link in your signature or anything that mentions other sites to name just a couple things to avoid. Any trouble?... feel free to ASK me!!!.. Im always checking the forum several times a day so I normally reply quickly.

To post or to reply??If your post is in response to a question someone asked then it belongs there on that persons thread. If your post is giving info, support or advice to the person who began the thread then yes, post on their thread. If your post is comparing your symptoms or condition to the original poster's symptoms or condition and you are mainly writing about yourself then you probably should begin your own thread. If you have questions about your condition, start your own thread. When making a post if its mainly about you then it should be on its own thread. By writing about yourself on someone's established thread it takes away from the original posters questions and will hurt you both by both of you receiving less replies. It makes it difficult for members to follow along 2 or 3 different people on the same thread. By posting your own things on another members threads causes the admin alot of work to clean up what was done especially when there are responses for a few different members. This can create quite a mess and take alot of time that could be better spent helping other members.

Still unsure of how things work?... ask!!!!. I dont mind helping anyone with any forum questions, send me a private message (PM) and I will help you. Its very easy to send a PM. Click on my name over on the left and a drop down menu appears, click on send a PM and write your question. I usually check the forum at least 5 times per day so I should respond quickly unless Im traveling.

More info on Private messages (PM).... This is to contact another member without putting it on the public forum. Its a personal note to another member that others cant see. This can be used if you want to ask a specific member a question or discuss something private without having it visible to the entire OCF community. To send a PM, click on the persons name, near the bottom of the profile click send private message. If the user you wish to contact has a post, click on their name and you should get a drop down menu, then click Send a PM. Just remember when sending a PM, you are limiting yourself to that one persons opinion instead of hearing multiple replies and ideas. Its a good habit to get into to check your PMs every time you come onto the OCF forum.

Blogs are just that....blogs. They are one persons thoughts and views. Its not necessary to make comments on those threads. The authors of blogs sometimes prefer to have their story remain free of others posts, they are not asking questions just getting their thoughts down. This is usually done so they have a diary type blog to go back and read years later or to help the thousands of readers who come here every day to gain knowledge about OC.

Hope these pointers will help make things easier for all our members. Thank you for helping us to help you!


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile