John Morris

Thanks Jess.

I love those screwdrivers, I need to pick me up some of those someday.

Jim, fortunately with our insurance we have not had that issue. We have great coverage, thank God! I cannot remember ever being denied meds or treatment, but then again, our family has been really healthy so perhaps we just haven't had the opportunity to stretch the boundaries of our insurance. This latest FUBAR at the hospital I had, where the transfusions were not available, wasn't because of the insurance, but availability. Our valley where I live, and the 3 hospitals within a 30 mile radius did not have the precious blood component, so they wanted to send me away across the county to get it, that's when my own doc stepped in and said no, just send him home, no more. His decision was partially because it appeared I was raising my platelets on my own after the hospital blood draw, so he felt comfortable sending me home. Which brings me to my next point folks, since I have been going through this challenge, I have been intimately close with the "Blood Drives" causes and their importance. The folks who run the blood banks are incredible people, and the folks who donate, are awesome people. Please remember, if you are able, donate blood, it truly is needed, and it truly is precious. Unfortunately I am a marked man, I can never donate blood, but I sure need it sometimes, thanks to all who do donate, you are incredible people.

Thank you Tom, I will revel, and revel some more, I need to keep that perspective, firstly, as far as I know, I'll live, secondly, I am much better than I was a couple weeks ago, so I am heading in the right direction. I am starting to look at this episode as a warm up, or primer, for when I get older, things start to break down in us, and the good Lord is easing me in to it all. This is the first health challenge I have had, I have always been a very healthy guy, so this stuff is kind of new to me, and at times I may not be handling it as well as others would. I understand that now. As long as kids and mama are fine and see me fine, they are good, so I keep that good attitude for them so they can go about their daily chores and fun without worry, but inside I do struggle some, I am learning how to re-focus and become positive quickly when the darker thoughts creep in, and breathing, and meditation on the fly, etc, it's all helping.

Thank you Jim, I'm rolling so well with this all that if you punched me hard enough I'd even roll uphill.

Most definitely! Heat injuries can creep up on ya, if you feel the symptoms, it's too late, you're injured, drink, drink, drink, drink, water. All day, and when you get up at night to go pee, drink some more, specially if you know you are going to be working outside the next day.

Steve uses the internet like the rest of us, I'm just too lazy to Bing it.

I have one of those Peter! Not that nice though, yours is in pretty decent shape it seems. I'd be curious to know the history of the aluminum handle.

Holy Cow gator, that would have concerned me too, red urine can't be good! Sounds like you got a great doc to look at ya, and they zeroed in on the culprit very quickly, that is awesome! I do hope you are feeling better today, and even better tomorrow. Keep us up to date how it goes over the next few days, and remember to give yourself the room and space to feel the way you do, don't like I've been doing and lose patience with yourself for not getting back to par quickly. Thanks for the report, and I wish you all the best in what appears to be a "for sure" recovery!

Boy me too Gerald! The foam, I love that idea!

I have the two faces of Snoopy today, thankful to be alive, yipeee! And just feeling a tad worn.

Jim, thanks for asking, I am doing better in the sense that acceptance of my new challenge has settled in and it's just going to be a longer road than I expected. I am still back at work, still keeping a smile on my head, my spirits are up and down, I am always a tad tired, and I have light headed spells often, much better than the dizzy feeling I had, so I am in physically much better shape and thankful for that, so I am much happier than before. I am still battling low platelets, they can't get above the 17k range, and us humans need to be in the 140k to 450k range. I bruise very easily so I am careful, and I am still working in the office cuz there is a danger on the construction sight if I get wounded it could be disastrous. I have blood tests every Monday before I go to work, and my hematologist reviews the results the next morning and this past Tuesday my hematologist called me at work and told me to get into ER to receive some transfusions because I sunk to 11K, below 10K is considered dangerous and severe, internal hemorrhaging etc. So I drove myself home, and my wife drove me to ER, where I spent just a couple hours in ER (thank goodness!) before they transferred me up to a room, and got me settled in for transfusions, a few hours later, a doc walked in and apologized to me, stating the hospital did not have the transfusions I needed, and they were going to discharge me immediately as to not cause me anymore stress. That doc and my doc had a telephone conversation and my doc told that doc to get me out of that hospital, and home and rest, and to have me come into the docs office the next day for some high powered injections. It was a mess, another day away from work for nothing, and all I got for it was a wasted stay in the ER and Hospital room. So I am here in my home today, I have every Friday off from work, sitting in bed with my laptop and writing you and everyone, and just taking it easy. It takes me a little longer these days to get ready for the day, mentally and physically, I really love cool showers these days, borderline cold water and luke warm water, for some reason when I get out of that shower I feel almost normal, and it's a great feeling, like when I was younger and surfed all the time, coming out of the cold Pacific water really energized me and filled me up for hours after. I take that cool shower every morning on days off and before work, and after work, and it's the two times of the day I feel pretty danged normal. To sum it all up Jim, still dealing with the underlying cause, platelets, and I do feel much better all around than I did a few weeks ago, I think mainly because it's all becoming old hat now, and I am just rolling with the punches. Thanks again for asking sir!

They are beautiful tools. And they are expensive. The thing with these types of tools, and the folks who produce them, is they are not mass produced. These types of tools are craft made, and there are many other tool makers who are making limited quantities, or low quantities, the attention to detail is incredible, and the tooling and materials they use are the best available. We can equate these tool makers with our own craft of woodworking. There are many here on this board who understand that your time and effort is very valuable, and your craft is not to be sold at low prices just because it's "all the local market will bare". We understand that our time in our shop, is very valuable, and we do not hesitate to craft a small end table with exquisite attention to detail, and sell it for more than a fair price, because our craft is worthy of that. The tool makers as in Blue Spruce Toolworks, understand that as well. The time and effort they put into crafting those tools, is serious, often time many of these "high dollar" tool makers are working from their own shop off of their own home, just as you and I do our own craft of woodworking. And, what I love about these makers is that they are here, on our own soil, tools Made in the USA. Funds and needs considered, I would much rather support a small crafter of tools, here on our own soil, then the tool maker overseas. But for my dive into my hand plane purchases, for now I am satisfied with my Marples chisels, and old Buck Bros, and my hand made square and older hand me down measuring tools, but it is nice to dream, and look! A Few Others Benchcrafted Caleb James Maker etwas Plate11 Sterling Tool Works Vesper Tool Works Walker Moore Tools Bad Axe Tool Works Woodjoy Tools These are only a few for example, there are literally hundreds of tool makers making fine tools for us. Once you get into Green Woodworking and the art of Sloyd, you are opening up a Pandora's box of fine axe and carving knife makers as well. Yes, they are expensive, just as we expect to get paid for our time, so do these fine tool makers. I love fine tools, and most of all, I love supporting the American worker and the company.

This is most awesome, what a wonderful adventure he's heading off too, I understand your grief Gunny, but as Al stated, your loss, our gain! By the way, did you have anything to do with planting that seed in him or was he already on his way?

As many of you may know, lately I have not had the excitement of upgrading tools or shop, considering my reduction in space, and machinery, but my silver lining, was a really neat Shop Smith that took place of all that beautiful machinery I had. And really, I am very happy to be trodding down the road of minimalism. It's a wonderful feeling. And, I do love my Shop Smith, thank you @Gene Howe for setting me on that path.