As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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thanks everyone.
I only get on the message boards while at work, and I missed all last week due to not only my kidneys, but on Thursday I came down with strep throat.
I finally got back to feeling well enough to work this morning.
Surgery is at 10:45 tomorrow. I will be so glad to get it over with.
I really appreciate all your pixie dust.
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FINALLY back at work! I had my first surgery on 9-29 and after a total of THREE I am finally back at work!
Hoping I am fixed.
Thank you to everyone who wished me well, I think I am finally on the road to being healthy! Yay!
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Glad to hear your procedure went well and you are feeling better. My DD has chronic renal stones so I know much of what you are dealing with. In fact, we go later this week for an appointment and I expect to hear she needs yet another surgery.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PghPiratesGirl
... My stones are all calcium based and my urologist says she thinks they are from dehydration. ... I drink water pretty much all day long, or lemonade. ...
Pure "calcium" stones are uncommon, they are much more likely to be "calcium oxalate" stones. A low-oxalate diet could be quite helpful; it's hard because oxalate is not on labels but it can make a big difference. I suggest you check this out. Your urologist is amiss if not recommending at least trying dietary modifications. Water is the "gold standard" for stone prevention. We do a lot of lemonade as well, I believe it's something about the citric acid that helps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoanneS
... Have you tried eliminating sources of calcium, like dairy? Staying hydrated is also a good thing, and drinking and eating lots of citrus is good because it contains a chemical that stops calcium from hardening into stones. ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pax
You're a woman, yes? Are you taking calcium supplements (with an eye to fending off the ill effects of osteoporosis) ...? Or just a multivitamin with calcium in it?
Eliminating natural sources of calcium is actually a well-intentioned but inappropriate suggestion I hear frequently. Unfortunately, a low calcium diet can actually increase likelihood of stone development in some people; so it has the opposite effect. Consumption of regular dietary calcium has not been proven to cause renal stone development in the majority of individuals who get stones. Calcium supplements should be avoided unless approved by your healthcare provider as they have been shown as a contributing factor.
Again, glad you are feeling better. I'd seriously talk to your urologist about dietary recommendations for prevention. Stones are likely to recur unless you determine a prevention strategy that is effective for you. Good luck!
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.