24 hours of hell

My health has really taken a slide, and I decided before it got much worse I would try to bring the dump truck and the bobcat back to Illinois. I loaded the Bobcat with few problems from the loading ramp I built between two pine trees. I did have some problem getting out of the bobcat because I had to raise the bucket to raise the tailgate on the dump truck, and the opening for getting in and out narrowed. Very difficult in my current state. The Truck has a dual 15 gallon tank system which chevy trucks notoriously have the gas gauge and the balancing pump fail. We paid to have this fixed before we brought it down, but it did not work. This means at 8mpg I need to stop between 90 and 100 miles. My wife helped me on the way down, but because she is finishing some items she will not return until Tuesday, and I made this trip myself.

With Endocrine cancer as the hormone levels increase as the cancer spreads, it attacks the large intestine which without warning starts cramping and an immediate need to vacate. I stopped 12 times to fill the one tank with 15 gallons. Without the balancing pump working this meant stupid amounts of gas stops. In addition I had 8 attacks between the gas stops in an emergency need to use a restroom. I was getting weaker and weaker because I could not eat anything, as I am now an expert on every gas station restroom between Northwest Illinois and the Panhandle. I find gas station bathrooms in Alabama similar to public bathrooms in Mexico in the 1970s. Alabama is like a third world country in regard to the standard of clean bathrooms. If you are in Alabama and need to use a public bathroom you must find a national food chain where their standards of clean restrooms which supersedes the barbaric condition of Alabama public bathrooms. It is like changing a waste can or mopping a floor, or having TP is against the law in Alabama.

24 fricking straight hours of driving, and losing my asz in cards at Harrah in Metropolis. I am now in my lazy boy in Illinois realizing that I will never make that journey with the dump truck. I remember the first time when I brought my equipment down to help neighbors after Dennis. I was so strong and able compared to the shell of my former self which has me looking more and more like Steve Jobs as the muscle and bulk is replaced by skin and bones. I mean people think I look slim and healthy now.......but ask anybody who was waiting in those public bathroom to use the same after I was done.......I am one sick puppy. I keep hoping for a second breath, but this trip has knocked me on my asz. I will try to unload the bobcat, and move some maple trees off the roads from the flood, but if I cannot get into the bobcat cab, I will have to seek help from somebody who is flexible and able. Losing your independence is almost as bad as losing your dignity as you look at the shocked look on people's faces who are forced to use a bathroom after you. Still never been happier in my life, and still cannot help laughing at the absurdity of life when you have all this wisdom and ability but your body is failing, and in youth you had all this body and were clueless about life. I think God has a sense of humor. I like it.

2seaoat wrote:My health has really taken a slide, and I decided before it got much worse I would try to bring the dump truck and the bobcat back to Illinois.   I loaded the Bobcat with few problems from the loading ramp I built between two pine trees.  I did have some problem getting out of the bobcat because I had to raise the bucket to raise the tailgate on the dump truck, and the opening for getting in and out narrowed.  Very difficult in my current state.  The Truck has a dual 15 gallon tank system which chevy trucks notoriously have the gas gauge and the balancing pump fail.  We paid to have this fixed before we brought it down, but it did not work.  This means at 8mpg I need to stop between 90 and 100 miles.  My wife helped me on the way down, but because she is finishing some items she will not return until Tuesday, and I made this trip myself.

With Endocrine cancer as the hormone levels increase as the cancer spreads, it attacks the large intestine which without warning starts cramping and an immediate need to vacate.  I stopped 12 times to fill the one tank with 15 gallons.  Without the balancing pump working this meant stupid amounts of gas stops.  In addition I had 8 attacks between the gas stops in an emergency need to use a restroom.  I was getting weaker and weaker because I could not eat anything, as I am now an expert on every gas station restroom between Northwest Illinois and the Panhandle.  I find gas station bathrooms in Alabama similar to public bathrooms in Mexico in the 1970s.  Alabama is like a third world country in regard to the standard of clean bathrooms.  If you are in Alabama and need to use a public bathroom you must find a national food chain where their standards of clean restrooms which supersedes the barbaric condition of Alabama public bathrooms.  It is like changing a waste can or mopping a floor, or having TP is against the law in Alabama.

24 fricking straight hours of driving, and losing my asz in cards at Harrah in Metropolis.  I am now in my lazy boy in Illinois realizing that I will never make that journey with the dump truck.  I remember the first time when I brought my equipment down to help neighbors after Dennis.  I was so strong and able compared to the shell of my former self which has me looking more and more like Steve Jobs as the muscle and bulk is replaced by skin and bones.  I mean people think I look slim and healthy now.......but ask anybody who was waiting in those public bathroom to use the same after I was done.......I am one sick puppy.  I keep hoping for a second breath, but this trip has knocked me on my asz.  I will try to unload the bobcat, and move some maple trees off the roads from the flood, but if I cannot get into the bobcat cab, I will have to seek help from somebody who is flexible and able.  Losing your independence is almost as bad as losing your dignity as you look at the shocked look on people's faces who are forced to use a bathroom after you.  Still never been happier in my life, and still cannot help laughing at the absurdity of life when you have all this wisdom and ability but your body is failing, and in youth you had all this body and were clueless about life.  I think God has a sense of humor.  I like it.

Sorry you had such a rough time but glad you can find the humor.

Get someone to help with the maples.

Get someone to help with the maples.


I will if I fail, but I do not intend to fail. Sometimes that will to complete these projects is the only thing between me and the grim reaper. When people finally meet the grim reaper, they usually long ago gave up on the ordinary life challenges. There are days I do not want to get out of my chair, but heck, what fun and laughs would I enjoy being comfortable......it is much more fun pushing the envelope. Plus, that day where I can no longer run my equipment is coming fast enough, why should I give up when I still have something to keep my mind off the obvious. Plus, I just learned the Bulls lost game five to Boston. It appears my distractions are become few and far between. Of course I still have that wonderful joy of watching the Cavs now that they have flipped the switch.

Feel better, bro.

Edit this shit.

Some of us have jobs.

What....you took a part time job at the local Citgo station?

You wouldn't believe the beat i took in a tourn last weekend. Down to 4 players... i get pocket tens. Raised and got reraised... i just called. Flop was 10 10 J. We got all in... he had pocket jacks. Of course the turn was a J... lol. Dems da breaks. Probably playing again Saturday night.

PkrBum wrote:You wouldn't believe the beat i took in a tourn last weekend. Down to 4 players... i get pocket tens. Raised and got reraised... i just called. Flop was 10 10 J. We got all in... he had pocket jacks. Of course the turn was a J... lol. Dems da breaks. Probably playing again Saturday night.

That's just too bad. So glad you shared it.  

Meanwhile, Sea, I'm sure most of us are hurting for you.   Hope you manage to feel better soon.  It's insane what you're going through, though we appreciate your sharing.   You're helping to bring the reality of cancer home to any of us who had no real clue.

Where I used to play, the bad beat is over 400k. You would have won 160k if you had been playing in a cash game. They split it 40-30-30 with the loser getting the 40, the winner getting 30, and the last 30 split by the other players at the table. I got up and left a 10-20 game and one of our players went over to a 1-2 game. About five hands later the bad beat hit and he won 21k doing nothing but sitting in the chair.

I will not get better. I have been in my chair all day resting, and I can only hope my decline slows a bit, but nothing to be sad about, because I still have great quality and can still drive, walk, and find the bathroom on my own. You have to appreciate what you have, rather than worrying about what you might lose. I have more than I could ever ask for, and still find humor as I slowly decline.

I really wish I was strong enough to sit at a poker table for five hours, but I am done after about an hour or two. Who knows. If I start taking pain pills I might be able to play longer, and that day is coming pretty quick, but I still have such a bad reaction to opiates that I would rather deal with the pain which I can moderate with over the counter pills. They gave me 300 new pain pills which I used two, and discovered that pain pills do lose their potency when they are three years out of date.