Fellow NA Enthusiasts:

Eaton has yet to formally announce his arrangements for making his presentation at the next ASSH convention in September. That's because I've learned that it's not a done deal as yet. Eaton is talking with the ASSH and is "getting close" but not confirmed, so I was told. As many of us know, his web site states:

"Dr. Eaton is working on an alternative approach to instruct his hand surgery colleagues at the annual scientific meeting of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand in the fall of 2006. Details will be posted as they are confirmed."

I have made numerous references to this event as if it were cast in *stone*. That was my impression. It probably will take place, but this post is for the purpose of clarification. Let's keep our fingers crossed and one eye on his web site for conformation. Perhaps someone who will see him soon can give us all an update. It's vital that he be allowed to present his clinical data and detailed description of the procedure.

Graeme, if you know something from Lermusiaux that I don't, tell us. Eaton's office is not currently confirming his acceptance to present NA.

Can someone tell me what the dates are for the convention? I would like to get them to my doctor here and see if he would be interested. Where is it being held ? Maybe I could drag him there and volunteer to let him perform it on me under the supervision of the BIG GUYS !!! Thanks, Jim

When I went to see Dr. Denkler on the first week of January this year, he mentioned that he was going to be on a panel/give a presentation with Dr. Eaton this year.

Alan,

The American Society of Hand Surgeons is still some distance form recognizing NA. If they already had, there would be no need for Eaton to do a presentation to persuade then to do so. We are still waiting for official word from Eaton's web site that he is good to go for later this year.

Other than the day Eaton first saw Walt's DVD of his French NA, the watershed moment in the North American NA movement will come tomorrow at exactly 4:30 PM Eastern time. As chair, Eaton will open the NA training session at the 2006 meeting of the ASSH. It will run until 6:00.

How many CHS will attend this voluntary breakout session? What will their reaction be when told that most of what they think they know about NA is *false*? How good will the Eaton/Press/Denkler/Zidel response be in overcoming the objections that are sure to follow? Or maybe 100 CHS will all just say in one voice: "Gee, looks like you guys really have something here. I'll have to give it a try back home" (Well, maybe not :-)

We may get some feedback from these MDs through their patients in the next few weeks. Maybe sooner. There is no question that they all know they have this platform only because of this patient-driven movement created here on this Forum. This is the Super Bowl for NA advocates who have followed this issue here for years. The only problem is we don't get to go :-(

But standby.