No, strictly a four barrel for me.  Procedure was today and it hurts like the Dickens.  We shall see what tomorrow brings.  The procedure itself was check in at eleven, get the happy drugs by noon, kicked out the door by 2.   Talk about tight turnaround 

Goodness, who would have thunk a punch through the solar plexus would be this painful.  I hope this heals fast with increased ability to take in nutrients.  Please pardon my brief foray into self pity. 

And thank you all for the prayers and positive vibes.  I am so very grateful.  May the light of the Lord shine on you all!

20 hours ago, Paul TIKI said:

Talk about tight turnaround 

It was about like that when I had my cataracts removed and new lenses inserted. About an hour prep with anesthesia, a short wait for the operating room, 15 min later in recovery and as soon as I could stand and walk with a little help out to the car and my wife drove me home.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

Modern medicine can be wonderful, can't it.  In the scope of history, what I'm going through might likely kill me just a blip of time ago.  Your cataract might have left you blind.  But now, you can see, probably better than you have in years, and I get to gripe about treatment types 

I came to my senses after the great white attack and it was a while before I had a feeding tube installed.

Wait till they take it out, that's an interesting experience. "Don't move now, this is going to hurt." The doc gives it a hard jerk and out it comes, It didn't really hurt that much, more of a surprise but it's really weird feeling it come out of the stomach lining and other things. 

Before it was removed, they left it in in case I needed more hospital and skull surgery time. Anyway, once disconnected I had about 2" of surgical tubing sticking out of my abdomen, a bit weird but no biggy. Untill the cat discovered it that is, every time I sat on the pot she'd rush in to swat at my stomach tube.

Weird but good memories.

All my best Paul on this Holiday of Holidays.

Frosty The Lucky.

Well there is still a bit of bruising, and I lost a day or two, but I want to say thanks to everyone for the prayers and healing light.  I'm taking in more calories now, but that's the purpose of the darn tube to begin with.  I had an acceptable Christmas, minus the traditional insane amount of food.  Didn't think I would miss that, but I did.  Mom was a great cook, and food meant family in a real way.  This year instead it was helping assemble toys for the grandkids.  Same quality of memories, but less potential need for TUMS.  I seem to have lost a day this weekend.  I guess my meds are better than I thought.  I would have liked to enjoy more food to balance the mandatory battery slinging and screwdriver weilding.  Oh well.  I got to see the grandkids and that was the important thing.  Inlaws a stuff too, but grandkids.... priceless 

kind of back at a low point again.  issues with work and hr and paperwork and time off.  And still feeling like dookie.  I feel like I have lost most of January.  

It's not all negative.  Last CT scan doesn't show anything so cancer appears to be gone

Catbert, the evil HR director is real!

Good news on your CT scan! You know why HR never gets CT scans don't you? All they'd show is a GI terminus.

Keep at it, I'm with you!

Frosty The Lucky.

That is the best way I have ever heard that put and I will be stealing it!

Glad to hear the good news!

cautiously optimistic.  there are a few more scans at various time intervals, but this is good

  Happy news.  I believe a persons outlook impacts outcomes and happy people recover faster.  Easy to say, I know.  But it's true.  

So HR issues were solved, finally. Still dont remember about half of December and most of January.  Feeling a bit better, memory is improving, I hope.  Back to work close to full 40 hours a week.  I've lost a great deal of weight.  Swinging a hammer is diffucult right now so nothing happening at the froge for the moment.  Needs to warm up a touch first.

Glad to hear things are getting better. 

Take your time, don't rush into getting back into it. Ease into it. You'll get there. 

You've made my day Paul! Then before I could reply I got a PM from . . . wait for it. . . . SLAG! I can't wait to see what today brings!

Frosty The Lucky.

I do have a project in mind.    I'm going to make a bunch of simple leaf handled hoof picks for the guys out where my autisitic son goes for horse rides every week.  I need to do some more checking but it's a simple tool that most everyone who lives around horses keeps with them (according to the ultimate trustworthy source, the internet).  I'm not super familiar with that side of things.  I have debated on whether I should talk to them about getting some old spent horseshoes to use as stock.  Or who knows? Anyone here lives around a lot of horses know of a simple tool a novice could make that would be useful to someone who spends a lot of time in the saddle and also runs a horse boarding outfit?

Horse shoe hoof picks are a natural. You get two per shoe, the curve of the shoe fits in the hand nicely. Taper the cut end a couple inches to a point then bend it 90*, same direction as the curve.

Best bet would be to hit a "Tack store" and measure hoof picks. 2" is probably too long, it's been a couple three decades since I messed with a horse hoof. I showed a new owner how to clean a hoof, she just rubbed the point on it instead of getting in and digging. Oh, the point is NOT SHARP! Think of digging dirt from under your fingernail, pointy but not sharp. Yes?

There should be plenty of pics online too but a tack store will give you measurements and feel.

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks Frosty!  I hadn't thought of that but theres a couple of those stores I visit from time to time

Paul, good to hear you are recovering and doing better. If you go to the sub forum  https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/186-farriers-and-horse-stuff/

There some posts about hoof picks. If I recall Jennifer (jlpservicesinc) has posted some she has made.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

Outstanding!  thank you!

Thank you again everyone!  I had a CT scan last week and the appointment yesterday.  No signs of the nasty little bugger Cancer found!  I'm regaining some weight and some strength.  I still want this dang feeding tube out, but I need to gain a bit more weight first.  Taste buds are still jacked up, but improving very slowly.  It's getting warmer out so I'll be firing up the forge soon, I hope!

You just put a big happy smile on my face Paul, that is excellent news!

One follow up doc visit I remember clearly was getting my feeding tube removed. The doc and I chatted briefly while he got the bladder on the tube deflated and started trying to tug it out. He says in a calm relaxed voice, "You heal fast, it's healed in place, this is going to hurt . . . A LOT" and gives a hard jerk. I swear I could feel my stomach trying to follow the catheter out too!

For a second I thought he'd lifted me off the exam table but of course I just jumped . . . about completely out the door! He put a band aid on the hole once he made sure it wasn't bleeding and said I was good to go, call if there are problems or questions, etc. etc. 

I complimented him for being the first medical professional who told me the truth. Boy that put a stop to his activities. "How so?" I asked. "you said it'd hurt a LOT and it did." . . . "WHAT?" he responded with a confused expression. "Nurses, doctors, etc. all tell you things like you might feel a pinch. A little discomfort, etc." Then inflict serious pain. You can't imagine how refreshing it is to have a doctor be honest about what to expect and you over stated the pain so it wasn't as bad as I expected."

He laughed and said, "You must have a high pain threshold, most people yell at least."

Ah, I'm off rambling again. 

"Expect some slight discomfort Paul." 

Frosty The Lucky.