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carlweis

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 7, 2014
146
1
Well it has been a bit since I've last been on. Had a couple of major events go down. First and foremost about broke my heart, the kid I was mentoring I probably wont be anymore. His parents wanted me to mimic their authoritarian figure at home and when I didn't they made it impossible for me to take the kid out fishing, or do archery here at the house or just hang out and talk which is what he really needed. On top of all that they made him give back the fly rod and reel I gave to him. I dunno, its been bothering me alot.
Anyway. I started running out of tobacco. So i've been on the hunt for some new stuff to try and I found Dan Tobacco sweet vanilla honeydew pipe tobacco which is a beautiful tobacco with a great after taste. I also found some Dunhill standard mixture mello, it is... so so. Not amazing not bad just something to smoke I guess. I like their London Mixture better. And a big bag of black cheap cavandish. I love the smell so I just throw it in my Nording and puff away.
The last part is my back. Doc told me years ago I had degenerative discs or whatever. Well the bottom one finally blew out you know what comes with all that. Trip to the VA no CT scan no MRI 9hr wait doc saw me for 5min and said you have a ruptured disc heres some vicodin have a nice day. Literally that is what happened in the exact time frame. My primary care doc wasn't happy and neither was I. So we had to setup our own CT scan etc. Anyway pills dont work worth a crap can only take 4 a day. Anyway the pain is now spread to my hips and keep losing feeling in my feet and left leg. So I'm taking it easy down here in my basement reading listening to some classical music and resting and smoking my pipe. Which is all I can do at the moment.

 

pipefish

Can't Leave
Aug 25, 2013
341
6
Hey Carl--so sorry to hear about your health issues; hopefully that tin of SVH is helping keep the pain away (along with the vicodin).
As for the boy you were mentoring, I find it strange that any authoritarian parent would want anyone mentoring their child. Most likely you were making a positive difference with him with fishing and archery, and they may have felt threatened by that.
Hang in there and hope you can get your back issue resolved soon!

 

terrygoldman123

Can't Leave
Jun 2, 2013
427
1
Virginia
Carl; So very sorry to hear about your back. It can be a killer. Take the time and $ to get it fixed. Vicodin is not the answer.
Mentoring is THE HUMANE thing to do for a kid. you gave it your best shot and he will have memories of you/fishing and archery and this will sustain him regardless of his

overbearing parents.
Where did you purchase the Dan tobacco? I'd love to give it a try.
Peace, brother, PEACE.

 

elpfeife

Lifer
Dec 25, 2013
1,288
477
Got to agree whole heartily with what Terry said. Your effort with the young man will likely have a positive impact well into the future. You just may not know about it. He will be thankful for your influence. Do what you must to get yourself repaired. Shame on those VA folks.

 

ravkesef

Lifer
Aug 10, 2010
2,901
8,863
81
Cheshire, CT
Carl, I really sympathize. I have degenerative disc dis disease also and have had 4 spinal surgeries in the last year and a half. I have explored frontiers of pin that I would never have contemplated, last week I had 40 injections in my lower back, something I go through every 3 weeks. OxyContin is my best friend. Hang in there, buddy--it's all we can do.

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
732
In the time you had with the boy I'm sure you made a difference that will last his lifetime. I wish I'd had a mentor of sorts when I was growing up, even for a while. Perhaps I'd have turned out better than I have. Perhaps in this age of Facebook and social networking he'll be able to hunt you down some day in the future. One can always hope.
Also, I hope you're able to get things taken care of regarding your back. Hang in there.

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,538
15,022
SE PA USA
Carl, I've been where you are with the back, and agree with you 100% about the pills. The only good they do is let you sleep at night without doing more damage by inadvertently twisting and turning. Sciatic nerve impingement just isn't fun, no matter what anyone tells you, and sometimes, you need narcotics just to dull the pain enough to maintain consciousness.
I got better with a combination of PT, chiropractor, Tenz unit and NSAIDS. That was 15 years ago, before I knew about the power of the pipe. Hang in there.
Eric, I'm so sorry to hear about your trials. I hope that there is some good relief for you on the horizon.

 

carlweis

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 7, 2014
146
1
Thank you for all the kind words, I don't know me also being 33 is worrying. My doctor had nothing but bad news for the future. To say the least I am worried. I had to use a wheelchair for the first time in my entire life 2 days ago at the hospital and the looks and stares were killing me. I hate going to the VA hospital its like seeing into a crystal ball at your future. The pain has moved into my hips so bad I can't lay on my side or back comfortably now among other problems like using the latrine. I am glad I have my pipes and yall to talk to. Seriously its a comfort knowing others have gone through this stuff.

The mentoring thing really killed me, Since my time in the infantry it seems I forgot how to laugh an lost my spirit of adventure. When I was with that kid it was almost as if I woke up from being over there mentally. It's fun to tromp through the woods to a fishing hole or river, I was at ease and not worrying about much.

Well as for right now I am busying myself with some old books I picked up at an antique store. People don't read anymore apparently. So I've decided to start a collection of classics. I was reading John Locke earlier, and found it to be very taxing in his prose. But the subject matter blew me away... totally amazing the intellect and the written ability of that man. I wish I could at least think so eloquently as his writing comes out. I've got some lighter reading "The Last of the Saxon Kings" it was published in 1902 and is in really good condition. I also found a first edition autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Carl Van Doren from 1938. All in very good condition considering their age.

I feel like somehow in this day and age we are losing so much history and everything is disposable. So it comforts me when I find something like this that may not be worth the 15 dollars I paid for it, but it's found its way into my home until I die will be part of my personal library. When I die and people are rummaging through my house looking at things going what in the hell was this guy reading? LOL.

 

mirain

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 5, 2011
193
7
It takes a special person with unique qualities to give the time and energy to mentor a child. Clearly you are that man. I agree with Anthony, you've touched that boys life forever as he's touched yours. You can trust that these types of experiences are ever enduring.

 

gregprince

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 29, 2014
276
0
Many years ago I was warned not to feel too cocky about my successes or to beat myself up too bad for my failures. I was just one in a long string of influences in a person's life. It feels great when a person we care about is able to put things together and gain significant insight while they're with us, but it is never all our doing. The breakthrough is the result of bringing together the pieces from many relationships. When it happens on your watch be thankful that you were privileged to be a part of it, but don't imagine that it was all your brilliance that made it happen. On the other hand, when facing your failures, don't forget that your gift to him remains in there. Another mentor, teacher, friend will enter the boy's life. Someday he will have the opportunity to build on what you have given him.
In a word, we aren't called on to be anyone's savior, but to love them and to give them our best during the limited time they're given to us. Then trust them to the hands of another.
Thank you for your service, military and civilian.

 

settersbrace

Lifer
Mar 20, 2014
1,565
5
Thanks for your service Carl.
I'm mentoring a couple kids in hunting, shooting, trapping and fly fishing and I'm a little upset that the kid you were helping out has such small minded parents. I'm sure you have transferred some positive influence onto him. I had L-4 diskectomy in 2013 to relieve the pressure on the nerve bundle to my right leg. It's a pretty easy recovery and the relief is instantaneous. Best of luck in the future with your health.

 

carlweis

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 7, 2014
146
1
I felt like I was useful again helping that kid out, somthing I havn't felt since the Army. I don't know I am taking it harder than I should, but maybe its time to have kids? I dunno. I think I may be to burnt out emotionally for that. I pray that boy uses his head and doesn't end up like the rest of his family. I hope I can spend time with him again, he was a good fishing partner and a good friend. It scares me when I talk to such a young person who has been through enough to talk on almost the same level on certain things.

 

dsollars

Lurker
Mar 25, 2014
48
0
Carlweis,
My soninlaw returned from a second tour in Afghanistan, 82nd airborne. Before his second tour He had a major collision with the earth during parachute training, and seems like he strained his back. In any case, he came home a year later, complained of back pain that ran down into his legs. Also,had lost some of his hearing, and had torn up his knee. VA diagnosis: bulging discs, etc, solution was exercise and painkillers. A year later he goes back, and they give him more painkillers. Then the steroid injections... Finally, this past spring, he went and saw a respected orthopod in KC. Discs, hell. He had torn his hip labral during that collision with the he ground, and had a bone spur in his hip. Surgery required, and likely to be successful. Another doc looked at his chart and recommended hearing aids as he lost substantial hearing due to close proximity to .50 cal machine guns. For the last six months, the VA. Kept denying his claims, so he was looking at major expense. After family intervention with with our Congresswoman and Us Senator's office, today he finally received word that VA will cover the surgery expenses. One of our your heroes who answered the call of his country, the father of my grandson and husband of my daughter has a chance to begin his life again. Thanks son for serving your country, here are you painkillers. Geezsh.
I guess my point is this. Get another opinion from a non VA doctor, just to make sure of your diagnosis. Backs are tricky things. Good luck.

 
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