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Ron Journeau
11-21-2005, 8:51 PM
:( Hi ya'all
I haven't posted many times here in the creek, mainly because I haven't picked up a digital camera yet, so I didn't have all that much to say (no pix, it didn't happen,right?) I have been turning all sorts of pens, small bowls, and some practice finials and Christmas ornaments, slowly building up my skills while quickly ducking un-chucked wooden missles. It has been, as most of you can vouch for from your own experiences, a real blast. Time and time again I sit here and read about the ADDICTION, smiling to myself as I read about another creekers' fall into the deep vortex of woodturning, and then scroll through the days pics, watching, learning and yearning. This has been without any doubt the worst bug I have ever been bitten by.
Friday past, while participating in some on-going training (paramedic for over 21 years) I herniated 2 discs in my neck, occasioning some 70's psychedelic color bursts of pain and numbness in my left arm and hand, leaving me with a severley weakened grip. At this point I still don't know what the outcome will be, or if I will get the spinny thing going again, but I just wanted to let you, the people of the Creek, know that I will be looking in on you quite often, so please keep up the pics of your wonderful work, as they have become a part of my daily webtime surfing. I have read the posts from our friends in storm-battered areas, and have also read the responses from so many people that only know one another from these pages. It is a wonderful thing to have this forum at our disposal, and a greater wonder still when one realizes the caliber of people that congregate here to share stories, jokes, and advice, night after night.
I am going to be working quite hard to get my milk hand to keep up with my cookie hand, and will hopefully be ducking some chuckless wonders again soon. At any rate, Happy Thanksgiving wishes to all those Creekers south of the border, and to those few Canucks who hang around in here with me, grab yer shovels, boys and girls..it"s gunna snow tonite!!:D

Vaughn McMillan
11-21-2005, 9:16 PM
Ron, here's wishing you a quick and complete recovery. I'm very familiar with spinal problems (a 30 foot fall and a bad burst fracture of L3). I know firsthand how much work the recovery can be, and I also know the work is worth it.

Get well soon and keep us posted.

- Vaughn

Randy Moore
11-21-2005, 9:33 PM
Ron.

You should have been in good hands getting hurt in EMS school! Still a bummer.
Sorry to hear about your injury.:( Don't know a thing about your type of injury but do wonder what you will have to go through to recupe? If you have to stay in bed can you get your computer in to where you can see it and get in the Creek?:) Or do you have to lay flat on your back?:eek: Maybe you can read books and magizines about WWing and other hobbies you might have.

If there is anything that us Creekers can do for you, ask:confused: and we will do what we can. I wish a speedy recovery so that you can get back to making chips, sawdust and shavings.

Randy

Doug Shepard
11-21-2005, 9:46 PM
Wow. I've had 2 ruptured disks myself, but not both at the same time. Can't even imagine how bad that's got to hurt. The last one had me pretty much on the floor for 2 months. Couldn't stand up for more than about 5 minutes before the pressure on my spine forced me back down. The numbness problem is undoubtedly from a pinched nerve. If the disc bulge can be taken care of, the nerve problems usually go away over time. Don't let them jerk you around with months of going to physical therapy in lieu of actually getting a cat-scan, MRI, or milogram done to make sure it's not something that's going to require surgery. If it needs surgery, it should be evident already and you might as well get it done and over with. The PT wont help those problems except for some short term temporary relief.

Ernie Nyvall
11-21-2005, 10:18 PM
Hey Ron, I did the same thing a few years back and although it didn't seem like it at the time, everything came back to pretty much parr. I just can't hold sheet-rock up to the ceiling any more with the top of my head. You see what it did to my hair too.

Doctor's orders may be tedious, but follow them and get well soon.

Ernie

Bruce Shiverdecker
11-21-2005, 11:08 PM
Sorry to hear about your problems, Ron. Hope everything works out for you.

Bruce

Ken Fitzgerald
11-22-2005, 12:23 AM
Ron.....Sorry to hear about your problem! Follow the doctor's orders and don't, don't give up! 4 almost 5 years ago, I took a bad fall that resulted in a compression fracture of L2. 10 weeks later, 8mm shorter, I returned to work. The first 4-6 months were a painful challenge but today, I work mostly pain free. Occassionally if I drive a long distance, my back lets me know about it. But for the most part, I can do about anything I want, I just can't do it as long as I used to. Hang in there and follow the doctor's orders...Best of luck to you! You'll be ducking those chuckless wonders again!

Frank Pellow
11-22-2005, 12:37 AM
:
...
to those few Canucks who hang around in here with me, grab yer shovels, boys and girls..it"s gunna snow tonite!!:D
I wish you a complete and speedy recovery Ron.

I am one of those Canuks, but we seldom get a "real" winter here in Toronto. I like snow, I even like shovleing snow, so I hope that we do get some tonight. There was a faint dusting two days ago but it didn't stay around very long.

Dennis Peacock
11-22-2005, 1:58 AM
Ron,

Godspeed on your recovery bud.....Most of all take care of yourself and heal quickly. Don't worry about the digital camera. Just post. The pics help others to see and learn, but it's the people that make SMC the place it is today and YOU are an important part of SMC. So post away.:D

John Bailey
11-22-2005, 6:22 AM
Ron,

Sorry to hear about your injury. I've had a back operation and it was a godsend. I spent 30 years fighting back pain. 12 years ago I had back surgery and I've been pain free since. A couple of years ago, one of my best friends fell out of a tree, cleaning up after a hurricane. He was a championship tennis player ready to go to the USA senior's in California. He had, almost, the same injury that you describe, that left him with a very weak grip on his tennis hand. After two years, he made it back to the USA finals this year.

So, hang in there you'll be turning in no time. And to make sure you will, I'm sending down some of my guardian angels to keep watch over you. They can't help the doctors, but they're great at chasing bad spirits away. You see, with the charmed life I've led (read - after all the dumb things I've done I'm still here) I've got some extra guardians that I don't use now that I've wised up a little. Understand, I can't help with your major affliction, that being addiction to turning, but you'll pull that through also.

Good luck, John

John Hart
11-22-2005, 8:18 AM
I blew out two discs in my neck m'self a couple years ago. Neck brace, laying around, having to sleep in funny positions, numbness...Pain. The physical therapy worked and I'm back in business...no numbness...no pain. Good luck to you Ron.. I'm sure you'll be back at it in no time! (It just won't feel that way) Get well soon!

Ron Journeau
11-22-2005, 9:41 AM
What a lift I received from all these posts..many thanks for all the well wishes,etc. but mostly thank you for the stories of similar injuries now far behind you, with the exquisite works of art the proof of your recovery. You all gave me something to shoot for, and with the Creek AND guardian angels behind me, I have no choice but to work on my grip (peanut butter jar a challenge right now) and turn out something new and exciting, like a truly round length of wood!!

Be seeing you all, and again, many thanks