What is up, Cantina-goers?

Joined
Mar 4, 2011
Messages
515
Hello, good people of the Cantina. Tell me about what is going on in your lives, if you feel comfortable sharing. I don't know much, but I know how to listen. Oh, and for any pen connisseurs (however you spell that), I give you THIS!
061510_fjader_pen_3.jpg

Peace.
 
Not a whole lot going on here, Gorog.
Just sitting around, letting my eye heal, and selling some stuff on eBay.
 
Gorog,

Things here are hectic and complicated. School starts tomorrow, for our sons and my lady, Lil-Bit, whom works in an Autism classroom.
Of course, that means allot of shopping, and getting folks back on school year body clocks.
As for me, well things aren't going so super these days. I was having sciatica for the last couple years, and occasional bouts of lumbar pain, and not really improving with care. In January, I took 2 falls, one of about 5 ft while bouldering at a climbing gym lock-in, and another in-harness while climbing the same night. The back pain worsened, and I requested films from my Nurse Practitioner at the VA Clinic. The results were shocking, to say the least. The films showed 2 or 3 compressed lumbar vertebrae, arthritis, some mild dislocation of one vertebrae, Schmorl's nodes, and moderately severe Osteoporosis in my spine. Subsequent bone density testing also revealed Osteopenia in my femurs in addition to the Osteoporosis. In June, the pain continued to worsen to the point where I could no longer work at the job I had for the previous 2 years. Further studies and lab work show that my Pituitary gland may not be functioning properly, causing hormone imbalances, weight gain, and other issues besides the Osteoporosis. I filed for SSDI on Friday, but will have to wait and see. I am now severely limited in what I can do with my boys in our Scout Troop, where I am an Assistant Scoutmaster. I have had to stop riding Patriot Guard Missions on my Harley, due to discomfort, and for fear even a minor fall could cripple me for life. Things are very tight, and somewhat tense here due to the financial stress of my unemployment.
I am doing my best to soldier on, despite the pain, and continue the mission of parenthood, Scout Leader and spouse (we are engaged, not married). I have several appointments at the VA Hosp in Richmond, VA in the next few weeks, and sometimes, it seems like obtaining care has become my full-time job.
Sorry to be a "downer", but as Walter Kronkite used to say, "And that's the way it is", Sept 5, 2011.

Mark
 
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David and Eric, thanks for looking in on folks.

Cpl and DaddyDet, Best wishes and good energy coming your way.
 
Glad you're doing good Eric, you are right to let that eye heal, Punishment, before you go out chopping and zombie slayin', and make lots of money on eBay, I hope. DaddyDet...I'm sorry to hear about your suffering, I hope you go Eric's route of improvement/healing (and not get worse and suffer bouts of near-death-experience, mind blowing torture like Eric does, because, while I hate to say it, no one deserves such a fate, much as I would like to understand Eric's suffering, I would not want Eric's suffering for anyone, not even me, but especially not my boys of the Cantina). I hope you get better, I hope your wife continues to help people in the Spectrum for as long as she can, I hope your kids do well in school, and I hope, once again, that you do not have to suffer for long.... I wish there was more I could do than good wishes for you, but that is all I got...thanks for chiming in, good or bad you are always welcome in any of my threads, not that you would ever need my permission, but...oh well.... HOWARD! Howard, Howard, Howard...how are you, oh Master of Metaphors, O Wealth of Wisdom, O Master of Disaster? (I'm totally not serious when I said the last one.) I love to 'see' how my acquaintances, new friends, and good friends, are doing, so forgive me this one thread, please, O Master of Moderators? Okay, enough 'O's, David. I hope you did not find my joking around to be TOO annoying, Howard, because you are beastly awesome, and you ever so conveniently are my elder, and outrank me thoroughly in POWAH. I'm out of here, but I am looking forward to some entertaining responses due to my zaniness. Peace everyone.
 
Gorog,

Lil-Bit has been working in Autism and other special needs Ed and living skills training for a number of years. She recently completed her Bachelor's Degree in Psych, and is now doing her Master's Degree in Spec Ed with dual focuses in Autism and Special Education. She is eligible for employment as an Autism Teacher, although her applications haven't yielded any results as yet.
She will be working this year in an Elementary Autism class, as a behavior assistant, at a dedicated Day School.
 
I'm sorry Lil Bit has been having trouble with finding the job she wants...but at least she has a job, right? Hopefully, it is fun enough for her. I hope your sciatica and such gets at least more manageable, at most, totally better, but it does not sound like you can do a lot about either the osteoporosis or the arthritis, except stop its progression.... I'm sorry about that, dude. Peace.
 
Glad you're doing good Eric, .

all i said was "cool pen"

I understand Marks situation quite well except i have some other extra things wrong with my back and he has some other things wrong that i dont have

i have not written much here in some time -- i was in a real bad way for three week -- i have disabling chronic spine problems and have pain everyday all day for years now

but a few weeks ago it got real bad and i was yelling out loud and close to tears quite often through the day

I am had an epidural spine injection the Wednesday before last.

This will be my fourth epidural injection (first two had no effect). I have also had six facet injections that were no help .This time was a new doctor who is confident and I trust him, hopefully his new approach will have better results that the last two.
Some of you may know that I am disabled because of chronic lower back problems -3 weeks ago my back started getting worse. I have been getting scared sometimes it seems as though a sharp pencil or something is being pushed through my hips and lower back ( I have been living with pain like this for a several years but the way it is happening now takes all my breath out of me and my knees give out.


Any support, prayers, kind thoughts are welcomed

The injection has helped a lot and trying to get better. Unfortunately it will only last another week or so i can already feel it getting bad again

Hey Mark -- i hope it gets better for you -- I understand money and other problems that come from not being able to work or do the things a person used to do
 
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I have been in pain so bad and for so long - that sometimes i have to ask my friend to keep my firearms at his house (i am not saying i would remove myself - i am saying sometimes i remove the firearms so i dont have the keep thinking about it) that kind of pain, for a long time can put a person in a bad place mentally
 
when i said earlier "i have disabling chronic spine problems and have pain everyday all day for years now - but a few weeks ago it got real bad and i was yelling out loud and close to tears quite often through the day"

I mean i was at a place where even with 12 hours extended release morphine pills twice a day and 30 mg Oxycodone 4 times a day and was still yelling out loud and close to tears several times a day every day for three weeks -- but usually it is not like that i just have the regular pain and cant feel the outside half my right leg anymore

Anyway -- that's why i have not posted much / i dont want to be a drag and any way some days it is to much to sit at the desk for more than a min - i have been just trying to make it day by day - and praying for other people that are having problems -- blessings to you

Eric
 
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I hope you guys find a way through these hellish places.
When you do, please share what you've learned with the rest of us, wisdom to help us during our journeys.
 
Sorry, Eric, I didn't know you've been getting worse, I'm very scatterbrained...but who cares about that? You're getting worse! If you want, I'll call you, and you can tell me more about it. I'm sorry man, I don't know what else I can do except lend an ear and send you my sympathy. Well, peace. And hello, Steve Tall, I agree with that, pass on your wisdom, all who suffer, so we may learn and understand. Peace.
 
Eric,

Our hearts are with you. Don't hesitate to come here on the forum when things get tough.
 
Call anytime David -- i will be out from 7 to 10 pm tonight but i am usually available any other time.

Thanks guys - i dont talk or post much about it -- maybe i should - just sometimes when i try so hard to focus on making it through the pain - sometimes if i talk about it -- it seems to make it worse - so i try to focus my thoughts elsewhere - pain is like an old friend with bad intentions.

just getting up making coffee and feeding my dogs is a big deal but i tell myself - "well tough *&%@% - you have to get up and do this anyway so get going and quit moaning " and i kind of pray and meditate and try to walk all at the same time -- sometime you just have to pull up the boot's a and trudge though the poop

hey Mike -- good luck with the SSI people - it is a real pain in the arse sometimes but be persistent - and when you fill out the questions do not answer that you get along with others or your neighbors - if you do they will say "see you can work you can be a telemarketer"
 
I understand what you are saying, Eric, sometimes its better to not focus on the pain, and simply put it away for the day. How about I call in tomorrow at around 12 or so? I know you say you're okay with me calling whenever, but every time I call, I wake you up, which is not okay with me, and, not to be a worrywort, which I happen to be most of the time, but I don't want to disturb your sleep pattern...although, from what I understand, sleep comes very reluctantly to you, which I perfectly understand. Peace.
 
not every time - sometimes i lay down because i am hurting real bad but phone callas are fine - if you need to talk call anytime really its ok
 
Okay. You're cool as a glacier Eric, and I mean that in a good way. There is something profound about being able to call anytime, that I have never had in a friendship before. You're kind of like a personal SPH or Suicide Prevention Hotline (Sorry, its the only example I could think of!), but much more personable, not bored by your 'job', and much more genuinely interested in what I have to say than a world weary person asking why someone is trying to jump off the Empire State Building or something horrible like that.... But, enough horrific imagery. Oh, and, you are very much welcome, Mark, to vent any time you want, on any thread of mine or probably anyone else's, unless they say otherwise, like a picture thread or something like that. Well, peace everyone, forgive me my SPH metaphor, Eric, and...uh, yeah, peace.
David
 
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