I'm recovering from my THIRD hernia surgery in five years and now have six weeks to only look at my '34 5W Ford in the garage as doc gave me serious restrictions. Bascially, he wants me doing nothing as I've got quite an infection history. I'm just venting. I'm seriously bummed as there is so much that I want to do and can do that requires no money for a while. I can't lift the grinder, he said he doesn't even want me welding or anything else in the garage. He knows me too well. AAAAARRRRGGGGG! Whacked out on pain meds and loving it... Vance
i say don't screw around and start doing stuff just because you're bored. you don't wanna go tearing yourself open. start searching random old stuff on the HAMB,that ought to keep you busy for a week or two. maybe get yourself a drawing pad and a pencil and sketch out your car and all the little pieces that need to be made. or just hang out here and be a cranky *******,it's all good.
I have a lot of things to look for, like a new trunk floor. I think I've have nailed down everything else though. I'm trying to be smart and make and KEEP all decisions on what to buy and from where early on. Apparently you've been talking to my wife. She already accused me of being a cranky *******... Vance
sounds like you haven't been taking the time to heal. a friend of mine just had brain surgery to remove a tumor.he's also had prostate cancer for the last 10 years,and should have been dead 9 years ago,but i think being a cranky ******* helps keep him going.
No, I take the time to heal, I just end up doing stupid **** that causes me to rip open an already weak area, time and time again. I think I learned my lesson this time. Three's a charm, you know? Vance
I know what you mean, I had a knee reconsturcted and then got a post surgical infection that landed me in the hospital for two weeks and then chained to my couch on an IV for the next three months. that was rough, it was in the middle of building my '50 sedan. I couldn't have done an awful lot though seeing as Ca. workers dissability barely covered my rent!!!.
Two words......Model Cars. Give'em a try. You'll find it's easy and challenging. Especially when you start buildin' hot rods like the way their meant to be built.
That's funny you mention that. I just told my wife last night that we need to hit a hobby shop. I have a couple kits laying around, but nothing that really sparks my interest too much. I'd love to find a RPU kit. Anyone know who might have one or made them? Here's one that I never finished from my last hernia 2 1/2 years ago. The '48 is painted BC/CC Viper blue with traditional colored 'Ohio' flames. I actually have one of the real things in the garage with the afore mentioned '34 Ford.
Find a Revell Model A Woody kit and make a RPU.....it'll be great! I started one a while back but never finished it.
Any interest in pinstriping? That's something you could teach yourself while recuperating. Then you could get paid for doing it and get someone else to do the manwell labor on your coupe.
You guys are killin me. I've been striping for about 8 years. Got out of it for a couple years while I was driving a semi, but have been back in it for a little over year. All my gear is out in the garage, and it's cold outside. My brother is also a striper and told me to get some panels lined up just yesterday. That's what he did while he was laid up with his hernia a short time ago. I actually called a local hobby shop and found a Revell kit of a 1/25 scale 1929 Ford Pickup. Now I gotta talk someone into driving me down there. My hernia was on my clutch side and my daily is a clutch. Oh well, that's what wives and kids are for, right. Vance
just had hernia surgery about three months ago. Mine was congenital. How did you rip yours open again? Did they use the mesh or just sew up the tissue? I got the mesh and my doc said its foolproof, was he full of ****? Just curious because Ive been lifting a storm lately. Just like you I was deep into an engine swap when it happened. Gotta finish it up but lots of lifting involved.
Time to design up your Super Duper English Wheel. Hit the engineering sites to study stiffness calcs etc. I've got a few ideas.
Vance, I ain't gonna feel sorry for you at all. Can't/don't have to work, pain meds on hand, 34 in your garage and your wife makes good cookies---what are you *****in about? Take it easy, man--hope ya mend quick....otherwise the coupe's NEVER gonna get done
At the risk of volunteering too much info... GomezGarage, I originally had a groin hernia, (Yes OUCH!) show it's ugly head after gastric byp***, yep, the fat boy surgery. I had all kinds of complications, (infection and hematomas with unknown origin to start with) during the month after that one. Six months later I reopened that one trying to lift the entire front fender ***embly off my '48 Chevy. Boy, that's some heavy metal! I swear I heard it tear. Not sure how this one happened, but I'm sure it was something I shouldn't have done, but it was the same place as the two previous. Doc put in mesh and said that there is an inherent, how big he didn't say, with using the mesh. After all, it is a foreign object. But to make matters worse, I am the infection king. So with those two things combined, we're both pretty concerned. Ian, I just loaded AutoCAD LT on my new laptop, so the English wheel is a great idea. E-mail me those ideas Earl, I suppose you have some valid points. When is the next time youre headed up this way? Jen said shed get some cookies in the oven if she knows youre coming thru.
Well Unkl, what you really need now is a hernia! Pete P.S. I was going to suggest pinstriping. I'd like 6 weeks where I could do nothing but read Rod mags and pinstripe (and not need to feel guilty) Get well
Vance - i have been try'n to recover from wreckin my back and i know what cha mean about the pain meds wahooo !! Its been 5 weeks now , and i was not going to miss the scottsdale goodguys event nor was i going to miss the drag or helpin out elpolako just from some pain so i bucked up and did it .YES i had a total blast , but now have gotten back on the road to recovery and back to layin around heeling myself . YES i am going totally stir crazy and i have seen every DVD that i own plus bought some new ones .But trust me when i say this DO NOT CHEAT , eat right and get better . Thats what i am doing . The last doctor visit i got really scared cuz he said he is sending me to a back and pain specilsit and thought i was going to have to go into the hospital that day for surgery . After further testing i narrowly escaped surgery wich would have layed me up 8-12 week w/ tons more phsy therapy . Watch movies , build models , draw , read , listen to music , anything but no lifting like me . I even had to put off my phsy therapy partly due to the bills and i can not make money right now and the other part is i cheated .So plain n simple cheating is not worth it get better ! Heres ta hopin ya get well soon !
been there and done that this year man,,, two operations, one for an umbilical hernia and another for a spinal fusion... hang in there, its gets better fast
I had double hernia surgery in mid June and they used the mesh on me. I asked my sister, the MD, what she thought of the mesh system and she said it's the only way to go and don't let them do it laproscopically. Have 'em cut you open 'cuz most Docs don't have the experience with the endoscope to lay the mesh out right and get it secured properly. Other than the long recovery time, I had no real complaints. Oh yeah, there was one problem - I found the right woman two weeks before surgery and after a 3 & 1/2 year divorce related dry spell. Doc musta did a good job 'cuz I ignored advice and did things I wasn't supposed to... and it was worth it!! I've just gotten back to doing any serious physical work and I feel good. Some days the incisions are sore but I take it easy for a few days after and I'm good to go again. Hang in there. It ****s but it'll p***. Vicadin is my hero too..
Hernias must be going around , I have one in the same place bud , thankgod for ice bags and pain meds.I had only been laid up for a week and was going stir crazy. Just got back to work this morning 6 weeks light duty though. Hope ya get better I feel some of your pain.
Well, I just got back from the doc after getting my staples removed. That'll wake ya up! I'm still not allowed to do anything. My doc is a real gearhear too. I took in pix of my coupe, at his request and he likes what been done so far, but reminded me he didn't want me anywhere near the garage. He's a flyer at heart, he's got two planes, two helicopters (one built from a Rotorway kit that he taught me to fly after my second hernia) and what's left of an ultralight. That lasted for one flight. I told hime to stick to the copters. I did find my 30 RPU. I got the Revell kit. They give you two bodies, one standard cab and one roadster cab with a convert top. A real creative guy could see this as two kits in one. Unk, check your e-mail, I'll be sending something soon. Vance
I took the roadster body and narrowed it to fit a narrowed frame w/a Banger. Just started it this weekend. Post pics as you build yours pleas. I'll do the same.
Ahh staples feel good don't they? Yeah I got mine out yesterday, did't realize they bent them into a "M" to get them out .Stung a little, no step for a stepper. I know I want to get to work on the patch panels on my 51 Chevy truck's door bottoms, no such luck for awhile. Oh well , research time!
Been there twice along with torn tendons on my right knee and also screwed up lft knee. All i can say is learn to slow down a bit, I know that sometimes ego is involved, BUT I finally realised that I'm not 30 anymore and when it comes to lifting etc. thats why I have 2 big sons, I swalloed my pride and they help when I ask them ,Take care of yourself... unless you want to do a fourpete.
The Jalopy Journal
