Pink Carnation Club/HRC2015

[BobD]

Thank you all for making it a bumper year. Eileen and I were saying that each year we get some old friends from previous years plus a few new faces and always good company. I thought Patients Day today was one of the best for years with some really interesting thoughts and little in the way of boring statistics. I hope you all made it home safely. My three hour journey took nearly five thanks to some idiot rolling a caravan at Bristol on M5. Wall to wall matchwood and crockery! You meet some interesting people standing on the motorway especially if you are the only person for miles with a plastic jug. Don't ask!

Here's to next year and if you didn't come this then put 9th October 2016 in your diary NOW.

Bob

[PeterWh]

Bob

It was great to meet new faces and chat for real rather then using online posts. I found the day really interesting (both the presentations and the discussion sessions). It would have been nice to meet additional people from the forum but obviously time did not permit. Thanks to you for coordinating and providing the pink carnations. Next years date is already in my diary.

Peter

[BobD Volunteer in reply to PeterWh]

Yes strange more people didn't say hello. I had probably ten people introduce themselves but some I expected to didn't.

[gemsmum in reply to BobD]

Sorry I couldn't make it, my second grandchild is due anytime soon and a journey from Birminghamm to Lancashire was a bit too far, as it was I could have come as baby didn't make an appearance yet. I have put next years date In my diary. Is there anywhere we can pick up any notes on the conference such as AF site?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to gemsmum]

In a a little while those presentations for which there were slides will most likely be available from the main AF Association website provided that the presenter gives approval. Unfortunately I know that at least one of the morning talks and most of the afternoon "discussion" sessions were off the cuff and not recorded.

[Hidden in reply to gemsmum]

Gemsmum, same for me. Second grandchild due anytime! Otherwise I would have come ( from South east coast ) . Hope to make it next year . Baby to be induced next Thursday now !

Sandra

[Rellim296]

Thanks, Bob. Yes, an excellent get together and enlightening speakers.

My pink carnation, for which many thanks, survived the journey home and is flourishing in a vase.

The date for next year is noted.

[Nannadee]

Hi Bob was great to meet you and some of the people who post on here.

I really enjoyed the day and have put next years in my diary.

[Rellim296 in reply to Nannadee]

Really good to meet you and others too. On the Sunday it wasn't that easy to know who was who. Perhaps forum names on badges would be helpful.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Rellim296]

I noticed quite a few who had added them but staring at people's navels is not very polite really.

[PeterWh in reply to BobD]

In my view accepted practices at conferences and the like. However this is one disadvantage of name badges on a cord rather than those that clip to your clothes.

One thought for next year is to wear the formal badges as issued but in addition type or write in thick felt pen on a reasonable size sticky label first and second names and also the user name on this site.

[Drounding]

This was my first Patients Day and what an excellent day it was. It was great to listen to the speakers and meet others with the condition. I understand so much more now than before. Roll on next year, I'll certainly be going again. Thank you so much for organising the event.

[cbsrbpm]

I so wanted to go this year and meeting others from this site is a big reason why. Of course it was too soon after ablation to take on this journey but am putting next years in my diary. Hope all had a very satisfying and informative day.

Brenda

[dedeottie]

It was a wonderful day and I had lots of questions answered. We are so lucky to have this opportunity to talk to eminent E.Ps . Thanks to You Bob for organising the meal. Great to see friends from last time and to meet others. I met a man in the morning who had come down from the Orkneys and was a farmer so I asked him if he was Farmer Walt. He looked at me as if I was off my trolley as he had never heard of the forum although he had been on the A.F.A. website.

Next year's date is in my diary.x

[MargotS]

Hi Bob, it was lovely to meet you yesterday and all the others I managed to talk to and thank you for making me feel so welcome. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and found it very informative and about the right level to understand the majority of it. Sorry to hear about the delay getting home but glad you got there safely.

MargotS

[EileenMary]

Hi Bob,

Pink Carnation day sounds really good. Somehow I didn't Know about it. I would like to attend next year and have made a note of the date. Could you give me more information about it please.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to EileenMary]

Just to correct something here. Pink Carnation Club is just something that we do for supper the night before Heart Rhythm Conference Patients day at the ICC in Birmingham, England organised by Arrhythmia Alliance/ Atrial Fibrillation Association to get people staying at the hotel together. If you are a friend of Atrial Fibrillation Association (go to AF Association website and join) you will get notification of this and other events as well as access to countless fact sheets and useful information. I just do the social club bit. ha ha.

[Jason1971]

Thoroughly enjoyed it Bob and took so much away from it. I was going to come and introduce myself at lunch, but you were deep in discussion, so didn't want to intrude.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Jason1971]

No please do or I will talk for England.

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Thanks Bob

It was excellent, certainly in the morning, I left just after the afternoon sessions started as I was so tired I thought I might be dangerous driving home any later, even as it was I ended up pulling over for a 90 min sleep on the way home.

Apologies if I was a bit distant to anyone yesterday, I was dead on my feet

Ian

[Tyson4ever]

Bob, where will it be next year ?

Jo

[BobD Volunteer]

ICC again in Birmingham.