tkrexx
4th Level Green Feather
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2001
- Messages
- 4,797
- Points
- 0
Howdy folks. I know I've been scarce for the past 6 months or so, I guess an explanation is in order. I don't see any reason to post one of those "Be Back Someday" threads, 'cuz, well, I was never really gone, just exhaustingly busy. I'll try to make this post an abridged version of the trials and errors of the past half year, simply for the sake of sparing your eyes. Actually, I'm just venting, and touching base with you all at the same time.
About a year and a half ago I posted this thread:
http://www.ticklingforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22447&highlight=whats+a+daddy+to+do
To make it short, my son had turned 18 and I was having some serious Daddy's-getting-old pangs. Would I have known the pangs yet to come.
My son Rus got a good job about 90 minutes from here last summer, so naturally, he moved out, and roomed up with a couple of fellows I wouldn't room a snake with. Edit some for space here. He got laid off, then ripped off by his room mates. So in December, he came home. And he brought a surprise with him.
The good news is I'm NOT a Grandaddy. Rus had a growth the size of a T-bone steak on the small of his back. The day before he turned 19 I had him admitted to the hospital to have that parasitic organism removed. After the surgery, I must have looked mighty pale as I first saw the wound. He had NO SKIN in the spot where that growth was. I was looking at the muscles in his back. Even the layer of fat was removed. In a couple of places he'd had almost an inch gouged out of him. He kept asking me if I was ok. The next day as I came to visit him, he went into a siezure. I can easily say that was THE single most frightening experience yet in my life. Turns out that the Demeral he was getting for pain can sometimes do that. I tell ya, I made alot more noise than I should have in a hospital. More good news: The growth was NOT malignant. I changed his bandages every 8 hours for a month. Honestly, they were pads. I told him now he knows how a woman feels, except he bled for 30 days. After a month, he had skin grafts from the backs of his legs to cover the gaping maw in his back. They took well, no complications.
This puts us in Feb, this year. I was really feeling sorry for my son. At his age he shouldn't have to go thru this kind of thing. He was real grouchy, citing his dislike of being "Infirm," Honestly, at that point I was feeling sorry for myself too. That is a traumatic experience for a parent, to watch your kid get carved on, always trying to keep the worst case scenarios from entering your head...
Yeah. I was feeling sorry for myself. Then my best friend, my Brother, the guy I grew up with, fought with, got in trouble with, shared women with...His 20 year old daughter was killed in an auto crash. What could I say? How could my pain, my fear, my guilt compare to his? I was so embarrassed for whining to him earlier about the pain I felt for my son. I mean, I still have Rus. Bobbi Jo is gone.
These are the 2 major events of the past 6 months. Other less dramatic happenings include a series of hospital visits for my Mother which included an angioplasty (I'll be I mispelled that; it's late, y'know), my step-father, and my Grandfather, the last one for pneumonia. Hey, they're getting old, right?
I've been seeking a new job for 3 years, a transfer within the organization, actually. I was finally selected in April, and scheduled for a physical. I'm in pretty darn good shape for a man of my age, no pot belly, good cholesteral, no high blood pressure...But I couldn't read the eye chart with my right eye AT ALL. Not one letter. The worst part is I NEVER NOTICED IT UNTIL THEN! I saw an optomotrist who gave me a long, unpronouncable 3-word name for my condition. I have a fluid-filled lump on my cornea. That's how I say it. It's warping and darkening my vision in my right eye. I didn't notice it because my left eye had been working overtime compensating. Of course I asked the Doc, "Why Doc, WHY? What caused this?" He said it's not an uncommon condition for men in their 40's with "Type-A" personalities. I'm no shrink. I think my blank stare informed him of that fact. So, once again, in my terms: Type-A's are people who work 60 hours a week. I used to hate being called lazy.
But hey, I'm getting old, right?
Believe it or not, I still got the job. I start tomorrow morning. Yes, Saturday. But at least there will be no more shift-swapping nights, weekends and holidays. Hopefully no more 60 hour weeks either. The optomotrist said my condition may correct itself in time, or my left eye will overwork itself and develop it's own lump. I've been experimenting, trying to find out exactly what I can accomplish on paper, and how much this will affect my sideline work. Unfortunately, with my eyes the way they are, I'm not such a good judge.
Oh, and let's not forget that POS computer of mine! Been virused 3 TIMES since November. Spent ALOT of ca$h repairing and preventing future assaults. Then lightening crawled in thru our phone line. Some IRREPLACABLE tk material was lost, (Including ALL of my saved FairFeather toons, hint, hint!) and I look forward to putting this unholy digital beast to death.
Did ya ever get the feeling that God is testing you?
So I FINALLY pried some money out of my wife for a new computer. It's got so many firewalls, anti-viruses, worm-poison, spyware detectors, cloaks of protection, walls of force, airlocks and other armor that I can hardly reach the keyboard. So apologies are in order for you folks who have been waiting for me to get back to you: P50, Phineas and Morandilas come to mind. Thanks to Ayla for her understanding and words of encouragement before. Toyou, TickleChgo and Captain Jack the Tickler have been rocking in the mainstream pics department, and the Man from Mica located a Tickle-Party profound enough for a temporary comeback... And I have a feeling old Ed V had his fingers in there somewhere, too. Kahoshiden, Meachr, sl44n3sh (What kinda name IS that anyway??), and Synful Pryde, I haven't forgotten you, and a big THX for getting back to me, what was it, a couple of months ago? TIB, I hope ya understand, since I contacted you I spent all my vid money for the next decade or so.
SO, how have YOU been lately?
Rxx
About a year and a half ago I posted this thread:
http://www.ticklingforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22447&highlight=whats+a+daddy+to+do
To make it short, my son had turned 18 and I was having some serious Daddy's-getting-old pangs. Would I have known the pangs yet to come.
My son Rus got a good job about 90 minutes from here last summer, so naturally, he moved out, and roomed up with a couple of fellows I wouldn't room a snake with. Edit some for space here. He got laid off, then ripped off by his room mates. So in December, he came home. And he brought a surprise with him.
The good news is I'm NOT a Grandaddy. Rus had a growth the size of a T-bone steak on the small of his back. The day before he turned 19 I had him admitted to the hospital to have that parasitic organism removed. After the surgery, I must have looked mighty pale as I first saw the wound. He had NO SKIN in the spot where that growth was. I was looking at the muscles in his back. Even the layer of fat was removed. In a couple of places he'd had almost an inch gouged out of him. He kept asking me if I was ok. The next day as I came to visit him, he went into a siezure. I can easily say that was THE single most frightening experience yet in my life. Turns out that the Demeral he was getting for pain can sometimes do that. I tell ya, I made alot more noise than I should have in a hospital. More good news: The growth was NOT malignant. I changed his bandages every 8 hours for a month. Honestly, they were pads. I told him now he knows how a woman feels, except he bled for 30 days. After a month, he had skin grafts from the backs of his legs to cover the gaping maw in his back. They took well, no complications.
This puts us in Feb, this year. I was really feeling sorry for my son. At his age he shouldn't have to go thru this kind of thing. He was real grouchy, citing his dislike of being "Infirm," Honestly, at that point I was feeling sorry for myself too. That is a traumatic experience for a parent, to watch your kid get carved on, always trying to keep the worst case scenarios from entering your head...
Yeah. I was feeling sorry for myself. Then my best friend, my Brother, the guy I grew up with, fought with, got in trouble with, shared women with...His 20 year old daughter was killed in an auto crash. What could I say? How could my pain, my fear, my guilt compare to his? I was so embarrassed for whining to him earlier about the pain I felt for my son. I mean, I still have Rus. Bobbi Jo is gone.
These are the 2 major events of the past 6 months. Other less dramatic happenings include a series of hospital visits for my Mother which included an angioplasty (I'll be I mispelled that; it's late, y'know), my step-father, and my Grandfather, the last one for pneumonia. Hey, they're getting old, right?
I've been seeking a new job for 3 years, a transfer within the organization, actually. I was finally selected in April, and scheduled for a physical. I'm in pretty darn good shape for a man of my age, no pot belly, good cholesteral, no high blood pressure...But I couldn't read the eye chart with my right eye AT ALL. Not one letter. The worst part is I NEVER NOTICED IT UNTIL THEN! I saw an optomotrist who gave me a long, unpronouncable 3-word name for my condition. I have a fluid-filled lump on my cornea. That's how I say it. It's warping and darkening my vision in my right eye. I didn't notice it because my left eye had been working overtime compensating. Of course I asked the Doc, "Why Doc, WHY? What caused this?" He said it's not an uncommon condition for men in their 40's with "Type-A" personalities. I'm no shrink. I think my blank stare informed him of that fact. So, once again, in my terms: Type-A's are people who work 60 hours a week. I used to hate being called lazy.
But hey, I'm getting old, right?
Believe it or not, I still got the job. I start tomorrow morning. Yes, Saturday. But at least there will be no more shift-swapping nights, weekends and holidays. Hopefully no more 60 hour weeks either. The optomotrist said my condition may correct itself in time, or my left eye will overwork itself and develop it's own lump. I've been experimenting, trying to find out exactly what I can accomplish on paper, and how much this will affect my sideline work. Unfortunately, with my eyes the way they are, I'm not such a good judge.
Oh, and let's not forget that POS computer of mine! Been virused 3 TIMES since November. Spent ALOT of ca$h repairing and preventing future assaults. Then lightening crawled in thru our phone line. Some IRREPLACABLE tk material was lost, (Including ALL of my saved FairFeather toons, hint, hint!) and I look forward to putting this unholy digital beast to death.
Did ya ever get the feeling that God is testing you?
So I FINALLY pried some money out of my wife for a new computer. It's got so many firewalls, anti-viruses, worm-poison, spyware detectors, cloaks of protection, walls of force, airlocks and other armor that I can hardly reach the keyboard. So apologies are in order for you folks who have been waiting for me to get back to you: P50, Phineas and Morandilas come to mind. Thanks to Ayla for her understanding and words of encouragement before. Toyou, TickleChgo and Captain Jack the Tickler have been rocking in the mainstream pics department, and the Man from Mica located a Tickle-Party profound enough for a temporary comeback... And I have a feeling old Ed V had his fingers in there somewhere, too. Kahoshiden, Meachr, sl44n3sh (What kinda name IS that anyway??), and Synful Pryde, I haven't forgotten you, and a big THX for getting back to me, what was it, a couple of months ago? TIB, I hope ya understand, since I contacted you I spent all my vid money for the next decade or so.
SO, how have YOU been lately?
Rxx
