Mortality

[Tom Watson]

I had this growth on my back.

It wasn't anything that worried me much but it was there, and it used to bleed sometimes, when it would get bumped up against.

I didn't think much of it but my wife told me that I should have it looked at.

So, I made an appointment to go to my Primary Care Physician, who seems to be a wheelhouse that leads you on to people who charge even more money than he does.

He sent me to a Dermatologist.

I went to the Dermatologist.

He told me that I have Pre-Cancerous Lesions - and he zapped those suckers with liquid nitrogen - thus making little ugly spots on my face, composed of necrotic tissue - he didn't care much for the mass on my back - he just whacked it off.

I asked that man, "Do I have Cancer?"

He said, "Nah, but you have the beginnings of it and you need to come in here and have them zapped - or you will have Cancer."

Shit, I had an Uncle who died from a migrating skin cancer - I knew that this was serious.

I told that Dude that I'd go to him every week, if that was what was needed.

"Once a year will be fine, Mr. Watson.", is what the expensive man said.

So, I started thinking to myself - if'n I was going to die (which is always true), and, if'n I might die sooner, rather than later (which is also always true), what projects would I want to do first.

I'd like to do a re-imagining of the Goddard-Townsend Secretary - as a sort of mausoleum - but maybe I am going to far with this current thought...

I do hate visiting Doctors of any sort - I was going to make a shelf for the kitchen.

Tom Watson - WoodDorker tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)

(website)

[stoutman]

Try alt.cancer.support

This is rec.woodworking.

[Swingman]

LOL ... in any event, damn glad to hear that you indeed made a timely trip, Tom.

If I was a turner, I'd make an urn, if I thought cremation was the way to go ... but I ain't too sure about that either. ITMT, we both should probably have another glass and give it further thought ... here's to your continuing good health!

[Andy Dingley]

Tom, you're going to die - we all are. Some of us do it quicker than others, one a year probably does it surprisingly quickly by car or motorbike. Having something treatable caught early on with modern healthcare is a lot safer position to be in than just crossing the street talking to a cellphone.

(My sister in law is an oncologist _and_ dermatologist. I couldn't get so much as a zit without my wife spinning dire tales of woe and having it prodded over the dining table.)

Still, the mausoleum furniture is a nice idea. One reason I do this is because I hope to leave furniture behind that's going to last a century longer than I do. I particularly like timber framing in oak, because I see plenty of barns that are 400+ years old and still going strong. As far as railing against mortality goes, decent woodworking isn't such a bad legacy to leave behind and it's a damn sight easier than pyramids.

Yeah, well make it as a convertible tool cabinet or something first. I don't think you're in any danger of falling off your perch _just_ yet.

[Tom Watson]

Swing, have you heard this young mandolin player on a CD called, Nickel Creek?

Damn, there's another guy that I'll never be as good as, but, he's better than Ricky Skaggs, and I already wasn't as good as him.

Sigh...

Tom Watson - WoodDorker tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)

(website)

[Swingman]

What was downloaded to this box was very much _on_ topic.

[Charlie Self]

I figure cremation, because my other choice--roll me in the ditch and toss an apple core on my belly button--is probably not legal.

[Tom Watson]

"Ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe

If'n you don't know by now

Ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe

It don't matter anyhow

When the rooster crows at the break of dawn

Look out your window and I'll be gone

You're the reason I'll be traveling on

But, don't think twice, it's alright"

Tom Watson - WoodDorker tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)

(website)

[stoutman]

Thank you Mr. Dylan, that was wonderful.

I will be sure to post to rec.woodworking and fill you in the next time I have an ailment.

[BobS]

Just had one of those surgically removed from my back. What a bummer.... Got it removed all sewn up and all the stitches pulled out an hour later. Off to the ER bleeding like stuck pig. Now you can't re-stitch a wound that was already stitched up - even if it was only an hour ago so I'm told. Pressure bandage and lots of good tape to hold everything in place. Out the door I go......

Next morning, I'm on fire! Back looks like somebody took a blowtorch to it and it's itching like fire ant's to up residence my skin... Yep, back to the ER. Appears that I'm allergic to the adhesive that is used on cloth/plastic type bandages - big time. Lots of cream applied (feels so good not to be burning and itchin) and now they use the paper tape which wouldn't stick to tar if you stapled it on.... I suggested using a staple gun but the doc nixed that idea.

Six weeks of the wife changing bandages daily and wiping on a handful of some prescription cream to heal the red skin. She is a real trooper when it comes to doing nursing duties. Ever try to get paper bandages to stick to skin with ointment all over it... What a freakin mess and all that time I couldn't work in the shop for fear of the wound opening and bleeding again. I asked for it to be cauterized but they said it would leave a nasty scar and they wouldn't do that. Ok then, how about a hot branding iron.... That got a look or two from the nurses....;-)

Tom, not that it has anything to do with anything but I have a neighbor that has had more treatments for skin cancer than he can remember - including skin grafts and even the new fake skin (which by the way looks better than his own backside skin,...) He's been having these yearly treatments now for over 20 years and he'll be celebrating his 85th birthday pretty soon. You have a way to go....

Do make that shelf for the kitchen and when done, place a bottle of the finest spirits you enjoy on it and the next time you feel like you're having a bad day, grab the bottle, grab the wife and go look at that great view you have outside your shop. It won't get much better than that.....

Bob S.

[Swingman]

You bet ... and if you like Chris Thile, you'll love one of his mandolin heroes, Dave Peters. Dave died a few years ago from a drug/alcohol reaction, but I had the pleasure to both record and play with him. I guarantee that his seminal recording "Art in America", is in Chris Thile's CD player. I'll see if I can find a copy around here and wing it your way.

[Swingman]

Thanks ... at $13/bottle, there's at least $3 worth of pinot noir that's gotta be cleaned off the damn monitor now.

[Tom Watson]

(Snip Of Hell On Earth)

Damn, BobS, my little thing was a picnic compared to yours.

I'm glad mine wasn't as bad as yours, 'cause I'm a big sissy and don't like fussing with blood much beyond the band-aid level.

I was just using mine as a joke lead in to a dumb story.

I'm glad to hear that your more serious thing turned out OK.

Tom Watson - WoodDorker tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)

(website)

[BobS]

You snookered me ....;-)

Yeah, it was a bit of a mess for awhile but the prognosis is good and like yourself - I'll be seeing the expensive one every year. I'm way behind on my projects for Christmas but now I can work in the shop again - and it has a whole new meaning too.

Some things do get better...

Bob S.

[Lew Hodgett]

There is a tape of a concert making the rounds of PBS.

Rickey Scaggs, Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson spend an evening pickin and grinnin.

True Americana.

It's older than dirt, but still good.

Lew

[Australopithecus scobis]

You want to be careful about putting hot stuff into a wooden cylinder. ;)

[Rod & Betty Jo]

When I turned 47 (nearly 6 years ago) I had a rather rude surprise and became the near dead....Facing my mortality my first regret was the damn house still wasn't in proper shape to leave the Mrs......after surgery, a drug regime to control the condition, a long recuperation including a set back or two and few years later I decided to venture into my shop and build something, anything.......I settled on a Kitchen wall shelf approx. 5ft wide and 4 ft high....with legs still wobbly, a bit unsteady and not particularly comfortable cutting much of anything I decided to build a stool first to hold me up when the rest of me couldn't.....I love that stool as it stands for that long road back to whatever life and purpose I have left......The kitchen shelf looks pretty good as well......Rod

[Charlie Self]

I had 3 taken off earlier this year...couple, three months. The one major one (non cancerous) remains a problem because the surgical student messed up the stitching and the nurse pulling stitches was jittery because another surgeon was rushing her. She didn't get all the stitches out. Silly nonsense, except that one end sticks out, gets rubbed, and I haven't had time to go back and get it re-cut (now healed around it, but the miserable SOB wouldn't encapsulate). It's a nuisance procedure, almost no pain (the ones on my scalp felt worse, because you can *hear* the scalpel working). Biggest hassle: it itches about 95% of the time.

Things may slack off here after the holidaze. Then I can go let another med student practice on me.

Another of the multifarious joys of aging. The ones on my scalp kept me out of the shop for about 3 days.

[Tom Watson]

It would be - if you still lived in West Virginia.

Tom Watson - WoodDorker tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)

(website)

[Larry Blanchard]

I grew up in Kentucky and never did get to liking the taste of bourbon. Most of the time I drank rum. I did finally develop a taste for scotch after discovering some of the very peaty single malts - but I can't afford them anymore :-).

Of course my total consumption nowadays is about a fifth of rum a year.