-=> CHARLES ANGELICH wrote to WAYNE CHIRNSIDE <=-


 CA> One day I should tell you about trying to wash the cat here
 CA> recently. Funny story.

I never got to that advanced a martial art ;-)
Good thing you aren't a hemophiliac or you would have bled out ;-)

 WC> I mean how many people lay motionless in bed for hours
 WC> thirsty or hungry with food in the fridge because the pain
 WC> of moving to get food or drink just isn't worth the cost?

 CA> Well actually one more than you might think. My bed and my
 CA> computer are upstairs and the frig is downstairs just to give
 CA> you an idea.

 Too bad, when first I saw you posting here somehow I had the idea
 you were young and healthy.

 WC> Recently as 1995 I had a broken ankle, called it my
 WC> "walking break." Hurt like hell started to mend a bit when
 WC> the girlfriend brought home a "Fender" amplifier. I carried
 WC> the amp upstairs rebreaking the ankle, heard and _felt_ it
 WC> snap on the third step from the top and steeled myself
 WC> taking the next three steps, hey it was either that or go
 WC> down the stair with the amp landing on me. Ankle turned
 WC> black but circulation finally came back. Never thought
 WC> about going to the hospital and that's the last macho
 WC> gesture I've pulled. Finally healed correctly, I used to be
 WC> TOUGH, no more.

 CA> That particular type of injury can develop into "Charcot's
 CA> ankle" and they would amputate your foot to save your life. You
 CA> made a wrong decision and survived the mistake.

Well I _do_ dislike hospitals and doctors but the reason it 
largely didn't concern me was the chronic spinal pain.
Were I to have been forcably carried to the hospital
I would have refused treatment and taken the consequences
and been out of pain once and for all.

 WC> Thought I was bad at 6 days a week 11 hours a day, you've
 WC> got me beat. Hard physical work and I recall some days
 WC> sitting at the front of the plant at the end of the day my
 WC> eyes closed and ears ringing for a few before driving the
 WC> motorcycle home. 7 years at that place.

 CA> I had shooting pain that seemed to travel within my bones that
 CA> would run up and down my body from lack of sleep and have to
 CA> get in the car and go back to work. I had six children and a
 CA> non-working stay at home wife to feed.

 Whoa, that's a seriously heavy load!
 Never had kids by intent, good thing as it turned out.

 CA>> btw: My brother insisted I let him poke my finger a few
 CA>> days ago. He is a diabetic after his heart surgery. The
 CA>> medication for thinning the blood seems to always push
 CA>> people into diabetes? Anyhow I had just finished a can of
 CA>> Cola (no breakfast) and it came up 115. He said it can go
 CA>> to 140 and still be OK.

 WC> I had someone insist I do one of those things, think mine
 WC> came back 117. They knew I drink too much and were
 WC> concerned. Diabetes does not run in the family though.

 CA> A few diabetics on both maternal and paternal sides of the
 CA> family but I was only really overweight for 3 years of my life
 CA> and that was 5 or more years ago. Seems to help to not be
 CA> overweight.

 My weight has been gradually coming back down.
 I was under my ideal weight a couple of years back.

 CA> It took quite a bit to do me in but no, I am not indestructible.

Same here.

 CA>>> We each deserve the same care and consideration we would
 CA>>> show to our pets, our friends, and our family.

 CA> --8<--cut

 CA> Sister just put her 20 year old tomcat to sleep. They found him
 CA> paralyzed on the kitchen floor. Apprently he had a stroke and
 CA> the vet wasn't sure at his age he would ever recover from it.
 CA> I don't recall the 'formula' for cats but I think he would be
 CA> something like 100 in human years.  She took him to the vet
 CA> regularly and loves to put people and animals on 'diets' whether
 CA> they like it or not.

As long as my dog remains happy and without significant
pain I'm holding on.



 WC> I'd love to sit in on my own autopsy and hear what a doctor
 WC> had to say about my spinal injuries. I don't look so good
 WC> myself.

 CA> I avoid mirrors if that makes you feel any better. :-)

 I've never been vain so that's no thing to me and anyway
 I don't have a mirror in the bathroom having shattered it
 into thousands of pieces when a muscle spasm in the back drove
 my head into it.



 CA>> This sounds like a bad connector or ribbon cable but I
 CA>> don't

 WC>  The ribbon cable is where I'm going next,
 
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