Category: Paul

We managed to find a door for the CTD in Ohio, so Dad went and picked that up for me last month. I’ve been trying to get things organized, winterized, fixed, put-away, etc. enough to allow me to leave for a road trip back to PA to retrieve it ever since. Can’t even remember the last time I was home for a visit, so now that I’m not working, the time for that is long past due:

CRD has needed a new steering gear ever since I bought it 6 years ago. The truck was a repo sitting on a dealer lot down in Vernon TX for about 4 months because the front suspension and steering was beat to shyt from a lift-puck death wobble. I was prepared for it, but still nearly soiled my shorts the first time it happened on the way home. The death wobble phenomenon is the most scary and dangerous automotive driving experience I’ve ever had. The entire truck shakes like it’s coming apart, with the steering wheel whipping back and forth violently and no steering control whatsoever. At 70mph. In traffic. Nice.

But this truck happened to be the exact model I was looking for – long bed ’07 quad cab, last of the 5.9’s. I suppose they figured a sucker would come along sooner or later, so I kept my eye on it until they dropped the price to $25k. I offered $23 and they took it. Blue book on it was $35. I spent $5k in parts and alot of time replacing most of the front suspension and steering, so I guess it was a wash from a money standpoint.

But now it has all upgraded parts to include a Thuren lift. The only thing I did not do initially was the steering box. It was OK driving the relatively short trips I did with it around town here, but the sloppy steering would have been too tiring on a cross country drive. So I ordered a Borgeson 6-bolt unit and shaft. Took me the better part of 2 days to get it done, but wow, what an improvement!

Since I’m now waiting for prescription refills to show up, I might have time to go ahead with the final upgrade project on CRD: a front air dam. It would be interesting to see how much over 20mpg I can get out of a lifted Dodge diesel with 35″ tires. Pretty cool.

Made another trip to the VA hospital this morning to talk with the shoulder cutter, Dr. Sylvestri. Seemed like a real sharp guy – no pun intended! He used a rubber model to explain exactly what has happened to my shoulder according to his interpretation of the MRI.

Fortunately a total replacement is not going to be required anytime soon. It does however need surgery to repair a damaged tendon and surrounding tissues. Unfortunately any planning and scheduling for that activity must wait until after a visit with the Neurosurgeon tomorrow. Seems the cervical spine condition is the 1st priority, as expected.  It’s got issues with the old C6-7 hernia, I imagine exacerbated by arthritis and disc degeneration in the vertebrae. Stay tuned for more on my body’s steadily advancing degeneration…

(Next Day Update) The neurologist says nothing too concerning with spine condition – just part of getting older. It was interesting to note how there is no spinal fluid space whatsoever left in the C6-7 area, and that is what is causing the increasing numbness in my arm and hand. The neck pain is associated with ongoing multi-level disc and fascial degeneration between the cervical vertebrae. Although there is nothing called for surgically at this point, he cautioned me to let them know if things get much worse.

So we have the green light for shoulder surgery – yay!

In the coming weeks and months I plan to spend alot more time here, and with the new pup Jax. I’ll be on vacation for the next 5 weeks, burning up the >200 hours I have remaining on the VAC account before being laid off at the end of August. This outcome to ending my career with Lockheed came about quite fortunately due to a serendipitous turn of events described here.

Many factors were considered in approaching things the way I did over the past year leading up to my launch into unemployment. Deteriorating health was the main concern. Timing is of course, always important.

The VA Ortho screen-er Dr. Daniels went over a right shoulder MRI with me last Tuesday. Turns out just about everything that can be wrong with an old guy’s worn out shoulder is wrong with mine – specifically 4 items of concern: 1) Gleno-humeral arthritis (not much cartilage left in the joint). This goes along with the acromioclavicular degeneration diagnosed as a part of my disability rating 13 years ago. 2) Labrum tears, 3) Front tendon tear, and 4) a decent-sized labrum cyst (result of the tears).

So I’ve been referred to the shoulder cutter who will do the surgically technical evaluation and decide what (if anything) he wants to do. I imagine 3 possible courses of action would be considered: 1) Go in arthroscopic and repair whatever can be done now. 2) Accomplish a total replacement now and be done with it, or 3) wait until it gets worse and do the replacement at some future point in time.

Personally, I’d prefer to just get it over with now, but shoulders are tricky – the most complex joint in the body. At this point I’d gladly trade a few months of recovery and rehab for the misery it’s been giving me the last couple of years.

Apple is the most egregious example I am personally aware of, but I’m sure Miscro$oft, Google, et al are in the same mode of operation:  Content Control, i.e. any way to get their fingers stuffed as deeply as possible into your pocket or purse.  It used to be just in the licensing, but the global software money grab has recently been expanding to new heights of arrogance.

Ever noticed how the recent Windoze OS’es relentlessly point you to their online content providers?  Google doesn’t seem to be so “in your face” about it, but it’s there.  And here’s the latest Apple announcement seen on my Win7 instance, courtesy the iCloud client:

“De-selecting Cloud Drive will result in all iCloud content being deleted from this PC.  Are you sure?”

Really?  Are you kidding me?  How about a delete or keep option here?  Who’s goddamn PC does Apple think this is anyway?  Just exactly when did they decide to arbitrarily deploy policies where my software selections  result in data deletion from my PC beyond my control?

Probably right around the time the Global Software Money Grab got into full swing at the Cupertino boy’s hideout.

After the 3rd CT scan (on my liver?!) they say there is a cyst, likely benign.  I’m wondering why they went to the liver(?).  So I’m being referred to a specialist and my PCP declined to renew the Lodine prescription (generic name: Etodolac).  It is a potent anti-inflammatory and the primary drug keeping me ambulating with minimal discomfort.

I’m guessing the doc is just playing it safe until they find out what is going on.  I thought the kidneys were most vulnerable to chronic drug use, but what do I know?

I can’t remember how many times cruising through Buckley AFB on our way to the Commissary I pointed to the radomes and mentioned to Michelle and the girls how I started my career there back in 1983 and would probably end up working there again some day.  That prophesy comes true next Tuesday.  Despite being based in Boulder from the Lockheed perspective, the customer (USAF) is at Buckley, and that’s where much of the work gets done.

Today I’ll wind my way clear across the entire Denver metro expanse west-to-east as I drive from Boulder to the downtown Denver VA hospital for a coronary CT scan.  Then I’ll swing by Buckley out on the east side to pick up prescriptions, do a little shopping then head home.  Should end up being a very long day, clocking around 120 miles on the “D.”  Starting Tuesday the daily work commute will be to Buckley and back, about an hour / 40 miles each way, as we integrate the latest and greatest software for the Air Force.  I only hope this phase of the operation doesn’t last too long.

I was almost hoping Lockheed would make the decision to retire for me, but that didn’t happen.  It’s just as well I suppose, because I have about run out of near-term doable projects that interest me.  A water/meth system has been in development for the 335D for several months now.  I have all the parts, did custom pump mods and even mocked up the tank install, but it’s like I’m just getting lazy about the vehicles these days or something.

The New Yorker is a fine driver as is.  Complete restoration along with building the spare 440/727 must wait for retirement, because I believe that is just too much to properly tackle while working full time.  There’s no place to plant anything else around the house, I’m not finishing the basement and the pond was the final landscaping piece:

Fred0204.jpg  Fred0205.jpg  Fred0206.jpg  Fred0207.jpg  Fred0208.jpg  Fred0209.jpg

Guess I’ll just keep working a couple more years and see what happens…

What would you think if you called your doctor’s office a week after getting a CT scan to diagnose a coronary artery disease condition and the nurse who answered the phone could not give any update or status on the topic whatsoever – even after placing you on hold while she attempted to contact the radiology and cardiology departments trying to track down the matter?  That’s exactly what happened to me yesterday when I called VA Easter Colorado Healthcare.  OBTW, I was on hold for ALMOST AND HOUR to begin with.  Sheeeesh.

Had a scary episode and evening in the Lafayette Good Samaritan ER 2 April after experiencing significant chest pains.  Then I went back and forth with the Denver VA nursing corps attempting to determine if I actually required any medical care at all.  Saw my VA doc in Denver back on the 5th of May for what amounted to the initial consultation on what appears to be some sort of cardiovascular condition.  Now coming up on four months later, I’ve so far had two of what will probably end up being three or four total diagnostic tests before they determine if anything needs done.

At this point we don’t even have a preliminary diagnosis.

…or not, as t’were.  Saw one of the big round X-Ray machines at the Denver VA hospital again for a coronary CT scan last Tuesday.  It’s unbelievable how many X-rays I’ve had for joint and heart problems in the past three years.  If the Coronary condition doesn’t kill me, radiation-induced cancer probably will.  So a week later and no word about the scan from the VA.  Wonder if they are reeling from recent fiascos.  Hopefully no news is good news…

I started taking Lodine again, with nitro at the ready.  After 10 days on it I do feel better joint-wise, but can also feel an increase in circulatory congestion in terms of upper chest discomfort, compared to the OTC Naproxin anti-inflammatory.  No acute episodes yet.  I suppose I will call them tomorrow and see if anyone has any update information.  Maybe I’m just a normal 55 year-old hypochondriac.

This morning I’m on my way up to Rocky Mountain National Park for the annual camping trip.  It’ll be just me after the first day since the women have finally all three elected to get out of the camping business.  They will come up for the afternoon and a BBQ dinner, then back to the flatland this evening.

Michelle stopped doing any more than one-nighters or day trips about five years ago, and the girls have taken turns skipping a year on-and-off since around that time as well.  What a bunch of spoiled tenderfoot pikers they are!

I’m hoping I’ll be late enough in the season at mid-June to get across the snow field on the upper Fern Lake trail this year.  Water will be very high everywhere due to higher than average snowfall last winter.  Also this year I will be trying out a new site in the Moraine Park campground:  B166.  Should be a good trip.  Looking forward to coming back Friday and steeling myself for my last six Mission Planner shifts to wrap up my portion of the Ikonos ops gig after that.

No ischemia or other damage potentially stemming from my circulatory condition was found.  This was pretty much expected.  The stress test is basically a precautionary first step and my heart is still doing OK.  CAT scans image a radioactive marker’s uptake into the heart and surrounding blood vessels before and after exertion to illuminate possible areas of damage.  Next step in the diagnosis process will be an angiogram.  This is where they inject a dye marker and take x-rays to locate and determine the nature of the blockage(s).  It involves a catheter, typically in the leg, so a minimally invasive operation.  I imagine it will involve a day or possibly an over-nighter in the hospital.  Awaiting appointment with instructions ATT…

Our 335D illuminated the SES (Service Engine Soon) light again last Saturday.  Takes almost a week to get an appointment with loaner at the closest BMW dealer.  I’m afraid this will be “the big one.”  Engine’s idling bumpy and fuel mileage is down.  Probably time for injectors along with intake and head cleaning.  We’ll see what they say…

Used the cane getting in and out of the building at work yesterday and again today.  Leg seems to be getting better, but frustrated to find myself visibly crippled in public these days.

55 this year, and not really holding up as well as I had hoped.  Right hip replacement back in January 2013 went well, but the rest of my joints are not far behind.  Slipped on ice out back about a month ago and severely strained the right thigh.  Hip seemed OK at the time, but not so sure now.  The prosthesis pin has become increasingly painful and the first steps out of bed this morning were really bad.  I’m using one of the crutches again.
Son of a…!!