Well I made it out to the garage for a little while today. Not much but more than I've done in months. Cleaned up the hubcaps and started painting them in. Will post pics in a minute.
Been reading this thread ,for a minute just signed up last week because im off 6 wks with a blowed out knee.My wife just had breast cancer surgery last week .My sister just p***ed away from cancer 2 wks ago so i know how it gets sometimes. All my projects are on hold also but i try to focus on my 4 great kids 1 grandson and all the great friends ive met in this hobby in the last 35 years .
youd be surprised how good youll feel if you go workout some. no ******** running ****s for the first couple days but after that youll start to look foward to it. its getting colder here and i was inside alot more than usual and starting to feel tired and pissy all the time. just started running about a month ago and that run is like a big kick in the *** every mourning. Like a gallon of red bull to start you day. i aint no health freak at all, but trust me give it a shot.
This has to be one of the best HAMB threads in a long time. I wish everyone well, and speedy recoveries, sure is a lot more than car rebuilds going on here.
This is a moving thread for me, all I ever done was car related, the only interest I ever had. Ive built, customized, shown, and raced my entire life. I operated my own paint and body shop for 25 years and never relied on anyone for help any help. I did my own bodies, paint, and engines. About 3 years I was diagnosed with emphysema and COPD.I had to close my shop and get a regular job to get out of the paint fumes and dust. I did pretty well until about a year ago when my thyroid quit working completely and will never work again. Now after a day at work I'm totaled drained, on the weekends I dont feel like doing anything at all. During the summer months I have to make myself help my 2 sons who both race, one a dirt modified, the other an off-road truck. Right now I really dont feel like going to the shop to work on my project, BUT I try to make myself work on it at least a few hours a week. On top of this I'm also a manic depressive with a family that dont understand.
Well it's not much but here are the pics of today. Used stripper to remove old paint, taping killed me, poor vision and detail taping gave me a horrible headache but now I can go back tomorrow and add the orange and check one thing off the list.
I don't think you understand COPD and conjestive heart failure. Walking from the living room out to the garage is a pretty big deal in and of itself. Running is really not an option. Bought some leashes and thought maybe I could walk the dogs for health. Could'nt make it over a couple hundred feet. I hope you never understand what I'm talking about. It ****s.
Man there are a lot of 'basket cases' here on the H.A.M.B! Now while I am nowhere near as bad as some others I have a few issues of my own. It all started while I was in the Army, I pushed myself as far as I could. PT three times a day, I made it into the SASR (Our version of Delta). 6 years, but the last few were not a joy. I injured my right knee, this has resulted in 8 surgery's on it, ACL Recon, Bilateral Menisectomy, Chondroplasty, femoral head etching, removal of loose bodies, the list goes on. I was injured in a Parachute accident, broke my back in L4-5 & T10-11-12, broken both ankles, dislocated L arm. It ended my career, first from the Regiment I was returned to my old Unit, then medically discharged from the Army. The mental anguish from this is quite severe, the Army and the Regiment were the most important things in my life. I lived to be a soldier. Then, it was all taken away from me. I also have a dose of PTSD, from combat and also from responding to a jet fighter crash. I had to mark out all the little 'bits' of the pilot. I later found out that he was a close friend of mine. It was hard to take, what I had to do and then finding out who it was. My L shoulder has also been a problem, it has dislocated more than 20 times. The Humerus head (Upper arm bone) is more than 60% worn away. It pops out if I so much as reach out too far. Having surgery on it on the 24th, yup the day before Christmas!! Not being able to work and living on a Veterans Affairs pension has forced me to sell my project 28 A RPU, I have lost almost everything I owned that was in storage. VAs payments are 'patchy' at times and I couldn't pay my bill. They even sold off my medals and 'present-o's' (Like plaques presented with personalised messages when posting out of a unit), all my photoes.............everything. Sometimes I could just cry when I think about it!! But I am still on the right side of the dirt and I know I am by far not the worst case. Some of you guys have my up most respect, such persistence and high spirits in the face of adversity. Well thats about it for me, what a whiner huh? Doc.
Hey Doc, I thought I was being a whiney *** when I started this but now I see a few people needed this just so they can let it out. I believe it has helped me a little and I truly hope it helps some others. Now's the time of the year when people's problems really start getting them down. Who knows, this thread may help somebody have a little bit merrier Christmas. I believe I will now. Hope you and the rest of the H.A.M.B.ers do also.
Sam, Concentrate on the things you can do and don't worry about the things you cannot. Sounds to me like you have built some good will towards others and friends have a way of finding out and stepping up. Have faith in the human condition there are still great people out there .Have a great Christmas ,Rob
While there might be some basket cases here on the H.A.M.B. most of us, when we see what other's problems are, we are glad we are not as badly off as some other poor souls. We don't talk about our problems very much as we tend to think of ourselves becoming whingers and we don't want that. I had a triple byp*** 3 months ago but that seems to have created spinal problems for me with almost constant pain. But even worse than the pain is not being able to do simple light duty things like change sparkplugs etc. But I follow the old principle of use it or lose it so I push myself to do things no matter how small or minor. Hopefully I'll recover enough to finish building the 2 hotrods I'd just started on and another I've planned. Good luck to all and have a Merry Christmas
To Sam and all you other posters who are not feeling so sprightly at the moment. You are all inspirational to me, and you should be proud of yourselves. It ain't easy for guys to talk about personal stuff....the women... well they do it all day long ......but we tend to bottle it up, and that is really unhealthy. There are plenty of dead tough guys. Venting is the****utic and a good start. The melancholy will get you if you let it. It is your enemy Look to the many things you have done that you are proud of, to remind yourself of your worth in the world. Not having so much support at home is a hard one, but you are the only one who can truly motivate yourself, this your mission...(should you choose to accept it ) Keep your mind active and find new interests (or rekindle old ones). Youv'e paid your dues in life, and feeling 'in the way', and 'useless' in your present cir***stance is natural. Don't wallow in it.........beat it to death!. There are people here (and in your personal life) who care about you so .....show us all what you got!
I can relate to some of the challenges on this thread, but after reading Some of the stories, I feel like a puss for complaining about mine. But after the last week, I can totally understand how physical problems can impact your mental well-being 2 years ago I had a laminectomy to remove a bulging disc in my lower back. I hated to have surgery, but I had a constant charlie horse in my in my left leg and had lost all feeling in my foot. Walking was becoming difficult. After my first surgery, I was recovering nicely. It was unbeliveable how much better I felt. First time in about 2 years I was pain free. THEN IT HAPPENED... I slipped in the ice and reinjured by back. I didn't even fall - just twistewd wrong when I slipped. Three months after the second surgey I was under the knife again. This one did not go nearly as well. I now live with pain daily. Standing too long or bending about kills me. I managed to tough it out and still function pretty normally. Only my family, closest friends and employees knew the extent of my pain. That being said, If I were not self employeed, I would likely be on disability. Fast forward to to last week. I'm at work and I notice the pain in my back is different. I hadn't done anything to strain it, but it just felt odd. That was on a Friday. By Sunday I was having shooting pains and cramping in my left leg. I had not had any leg pain since my last surgery. This is a pain I know well and it means only one thing - another bulging disc. ****!!! So here I am trying to wrap my head around facing this again. I'm only 40 and have two daughters (8 and 11). I realized my life would never be the same after the second surgery, but now I'm having a hard time with the thought of a third. I am fearfull of the impact it will have on my kids and family, as well as my ability to do the car "thing" which I am so p***ionate about. I'm trying hard to not let this impact the holidays, but it is weighing heavily on my mind. Right after the Holidays, it all starts again, the MRI's, the epidural treatments and likely another surgery... AAAARRRRGGGG!!!!!
Thanks for this thread and those who have shared their challenges. I too have had chronic problems that limited my ability to move projects forward. Unfortunately we do not have replaceable parts and may have to suffer with whatever the medical treatment limitations are. Certainly the mental stress of inactivity or inability to get out there and thrash on the project can be overwhelming. But I learned long ago that if you aim at nothing you get nothing. As it has been pointed out the best way to complete a project is to do something every day however small. There were many times the last two years I had to just observe and give advice as my son and I built his first hot rod. An experience we would not have had if I had not found ways to work around my problems. Sam, if you can walk your dogs just down the street and back it is a start for you and a joy for them. After all, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Can't help you with your card I'm afraid but I was just served notice today by the Social Security Administration who declared me permanently disabled in 2003 that I am no longer disabled. So my income went from low to zero. I guess permanent is 7 years? Anyway I am no longer able to do what I was once able to do. I tough it out and pace myself. I am good for an hour or two a day generally, I don't own a lift and I am currently working out in the cold which makes me a little achy. Never the less I will not let it get me down. I may pitch a ***** but I will get over it. A long time ago a very wise person told me something that I will never ever forget (I hope) happiness is a choice. I choose to be happy for the most part. It sounds dumb I know but that works for me.
Know what you mean with the disability there porkn******. They set me up for a review at 12 months. Said with meds I should improve enough to go back to work. I wonder why the meds have not already improved me over the last couple of years. What are the meds going to do this year that they didn't do last year. All I know is if they take it away from me my ship is sunk.
Special Sam thanks for starting this thread, I do feel a little better now also. It helps to talk to someone that's not tired of hearing it, and share with folks with similar problems and understands how disheartening it is not to be able to work on our cars.
This just kept weighing on my mind. I would look at the build threads on this board and be so happy for them to get to have their cars. It just bothers me to not be able to finish mine. I'm not even looking for anything near what others are building. Just something I can go ride in for 20 or 30 minutes a couple time a week. Shoot, my family disheartens me on mine by saying "thats the ugliest thing I've ever seen. Why couldn't you have got something with some looks to it?" To me, knowing what I can afford, what I have is as good as a chopped merc. That's because I live in a little land known as reality, a place my family has never visited.
What have you been working on Sam? Got any pic's? Please read post#72 again, it comes from the heart. It seems from the vibe of your posts that you are deep in the hole, I wish I wasn't half a world away, and that I could drive over to where your'e at and kick your ***...and I mean that in the nicest way. Are there some HAMB brothers in Sam's area that can rock up and give the man a spiritual lift? That's what the doctor orders right about now! I've been where you're at Sam, but the curiosity of 'whats around the corner' kept me going, and boy am I glad it did.
Yeah its tough, im building my coupe from a wheelchair, lost my left foot in an accident and its hard anytime i need something heavy moved i have to call buddies to come help thank god they have been really helpfull, it sure is frustrating cus im used to doing everything myself. I get kinda discouraged but then i think, **** i could be dead, at least im out in my shop workin on my car! I took the body off the frame by myself by using ratcheting tie down from the rafters, my wife came home from work to find me hangin from the top of the coupe and freaked out! I also move the frame outside by myself, it took awhile but i did it! Dont get too bummed out, it sure beats the alternative! Kepp your chin up and get to work!
Sam, My sense is that we all owe you one. For***ude can be evidenced by what one says, or in this case writes! PM's and encouragement have happened all because of your words here.
Is there anybody on the H.A.M.B. who is within a very few miles of me. Maybe I could just come by and shoot the breeze with someone while they work on there car. Something to kickstart my mind and get it off other things. Who knows, they might be stuck and I might have an idea to help them out. Like i always tell my son, I can't be wrong every time I open my mouth.
The Jalopy Journal
