Our much-loved Heidi has gone on to other things. I first wrote “better things”, then changed it, because I don’t think there is anything better than the blood type diet. However, it is time for Heidi to make a change of direction, though, I am very sure, never a change of heart or love for the diet and for all of us on and off this board.

After I read the Eat Right book, seven years ago, I thought, “maybe there’s a web site”. So I searched, and found a fledgling site that had a section where we could post ideas or questions about the BTD, hoping for more clarification. This was the birth of what, a very long time later, became this bloggers’ board. I so well remember that particular time. Many people wrote in, grumbling about why Dr. D. had not done this or that in connection with their questions or concerns. Each time this happened, there would be a message from a sweet soul named Heidi, saying, in essence, “be patient, we’re just getting this show on the road”.

I stopped looking at that board after just a short while, feeling that the large amount of negativity expressed on it was not helpful for me while I found my way around and through the food choices and my physical reactions. However, some months later, I revisited to see how it was going, and was amazed by what I found. Somehow in the interval, Heidi’s patience and optimism had managed to change the tone of the contributions to the board, and there followed several years of lively interchange, interspersed by the occasional rude, trouble-making intruder who upset our happy “family” of blood type dieters trying to live by new rules and support each other in our efforts (and occasional failures). Heidi’s contributions greatly enlightened this effort, lending sobriety and information, along with her enormous wisdom, tact, support and wit. She and her counterpart in some ways, Steve Shapiro, a man who had been healed to a great extent from his rare life-threatening disease by following the BTD, gently helped us to understand a lot of our choices and why doing something was a good or bad idea.

Ultimately, there was one too many trouble-maker coming in to stir things up amongst us, and a decision was made to terminate the message board in the form it then enjoyed. I stopped visiting the D’Adamo site for quite some time as there was little happening in those early days following the demise of our little support group that stretched around the world and gathered in my bedroom, where my computer is installed.

One day I decided to look at the site again, still feeling the gap in my life that had been created when the message board was terminated, and was delighted to find that Heidi was once again back in action, this time with her question-and-answer column. It was this column that drew me back for almost daily visits to the web site, and eventually to applying for blogger status. I was always interested in reading everything Heidi had to say, and sorry when the daily collection of contributions ended. As I am today. Sorry that the collection of contributions has ended, but grateful for the experience of being tucked under Heidi’s tender and loving wing as part of the blood type diet family for as long as I have.

I’m glad Dr. D. has decided not to try to replace you, Heidi, for you are indeed irreplaceable. No-one can nudge you out of that special place in my heart that is filled with love, appreciation, gratitude and admiration for your enormous contribution to my own life in your special way.

With love and many blessings as you go forward, know that your path is supported by your many friends who have benefited from your wisdom and compassion.