Knife Making and being Disabled

Good point Richard!! I've had a couple of back operations, neck surgery, an operation on my right knee and my right hand, eye surgery, a stroke, I have two strains of malaria and had hepatitis A in Vietnam. I'm a type 2 diabetic from agent orange too. I think my ballet career is over.
 
I too am one of those banged up knife makers (Trying to be, LOL) Over 10 years ago I had a Heart Attack @ 49 years old. The Doctors were putting stints in, when they screwed up and ripped up the right side of my Heart! I had to have emergency Heart surgery and wasn't expected to live! Heart failed several time and was on bypass longer than anyone should have been (Over 6 hours) I was in a coma for seven days. Upon coming out of the coma I was suffering from all kinds of disabilities. The main thing was I was unable to walk but, only 5 feet and had no memory. It took over two years to even kind of recover. I was disabled, for many reason because of my health. I tried to do many things to entertain myself, but nothing sparked my interest ! I have also done many stints in the hospital for other heart problems. Along came Knife making and I haven't looked back since :biggrin: My problems is I have to retrain myself every time I make a knife. Thank god for this forum, I am constantly referring back to this forum on how to do things.
 
CRAIG1952 said:
I too am one of those banged up knife makers (Trying to be, LOL) Over 10 years ago I had a Heart Attack @ 49 years old. The Doctors were putting stints in, when they screwed up and ripped up the right side of my Heart! I had to have emergency Heart surgery and wasn't expected to live! Heart failed several time and was on bypass longer than anyone should have been (Over 6 hours) I was in a coma for seven days. Upon coming out of the coma I was suffering from all kinds of disabilities. The main thing was I was unable to walk but, only 5 feet and had no memory. It took over two years to even kind of recover. I was disabled, for many reason because of my health. I tried to do many things to entertain myself, but nothing sparked my interest ! I have also done many stints in the hospital for other heart problems. Along came Knife making and I haven't looked back since :biggrin: My problems is I have to retrain myself every time I make a knife. Thank god for this forum, I am constantly referring back to this forum on how to do things.
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Craig,
You are welcome to another retraining session anytime you get your over sized Derriere down to the shop!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
:s12137:
rhinoknives said:
Craig,
You are welcome to another retraining session anytime you get your over sized Derriere down to the shop!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
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:s12137: My wife has never complained about my Derriere, But tells me my gut is growing :s12138: Hope to see you soon for retraining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Holidays !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I haven't posted on this forum but wanted to send out prayers to you guys! I too have one herniated and another ruptured disc - doctors said it looked like injury. I have had to rethink everything I do or hope to do, and really can relate which most people cant do. People have a hard time understanding other people can really be hurt without seeing an injury. Have to work smarter and not harder for sure. I really like this forum and appreciate everyone's generosity and postings - I am slowly reshaping my little shop and plan on getting some of the appropriate tools. Like the rest of you the doctors took what little bit of money I had to tell me what I already knew! Thousand dollars for MRI images... quoting $20K and urging saying I needed surgery (which I will avoid until I can't). I've dieted away over 40Lbs which has helped and a lot of physical therapy but it can only do so much as you all know. I am currently collecting parts for a small forge and plan building a proper sander/grinder :) Thanks again for the forums
 
icemankfc said:
I haven't posted on this forum but wanted to send out prayers to you guys! I too have one herniated and another ruptured disc - doctors said it looked like injury. I have had to rethink everything I do or hope to do, and really can relate which most people cant do. People have a hard time understanding other people can really be hurt without seeing an injury. Have to work smarter and not harder for sure. I really like this forum and appreciate everyone's generosity and postings - I am slowly reshaping my little shop and plan on getting some of the appropriate tools. Like the rest of you the doctors took what little bit of money I had to tell me what I already knew! Thousand dollars for MRI images... quoting $20K and urging saying I needed surgery (which I will avoid until I can't). I've dieted away over 40Lbs which has helped and a lot of physical therapy but it can only do so much as you all know. I am currently collecting parts for a small forge and plan building a proper sander/grinder :) Thanks again for the forums
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Welcome to the forum ! Glad to see your not sitting down and giving up ! When you get time, post the picture of your WIP on the forge and grinder
 
Wow, I didn't know I had so much in common with so many people. I'm disabled and have chronic pain also and have gotten bitten by the knife making bug too. I'm in the process of making my grinder and setting up a small shop in my garage. I've completed a few knives and each one gets better than the one before. People often don't understand that on a bad day when the pain is almost unbearable that a guy can get crabby (at least I do), but knife making has given me something to help get my mind off of my problems and focused on something else, not to mention I enjoy it a whole lot.
 
phatjohn said:
Wow, I didn't know I had so much in common with so many people. I'm disabled and have chronic pain also and have gotten bitten by the knife making bug too. I'm in the process of making my grinder and setting up a small shop in my garage. I've completed a few knives and each one gets better than the one before. People often don't understand that on a bad day when the pain is almost unbearable that a guy can get crabby (at least I do), but knife making has given me something to help get my mind off of my problems and focused on something else, not to mention I enjoy it a whole lot.
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same hear glad i made this thread its a good outlet to get us broke down ole farts together. I take what i call a happy pill lol for depression but i find keeping my mind on knifes and working on fishing reels helps a lot keeps my mind busy .
 
I went to dinner with my family last night. My siblings came in from across the country and most of my extended family were there. We brought my mom out of the nursing home to be with us for the night. My mom suffers from alzheimers (spelling?)...she smiled a lot and appeared to have a good time.
At the end of the evening I sat and talked with her for a while to see how she felt about the dinner. She told me she had been laying sod all day and was really tired and then reminded me that I need to pick the trash up in front of the garage before it gets covered in snow because it is really comming down out there.
Mom has never laid sod in her life, and there is no trash or snow comming down.
I tell you all this because my mom was one of my biggest supporters when I started making knives. Now she doesnt even remember my name half the time.
This is the type of pain that the doctors have no perscription for.
 
Lagrange said:
I went to dinner with my family last night. My siblings came in from across the country and most of my extended family were there. We brought my mom out of the nursing home to be with us for the night. My mom suffers from alzheimers (spelling?)...she smiled a lot and appeared to have a good time.
At the end of the evening I sat and talked with her for a while to see how she felt about the dinner. She told me she had been laying sod all day and was really tired and then reminded me that I need to pick the trash up in front of the garage before it gets covered in snow because it is really comming down out there.
Mom has never laid sod in her life, and there is no trash or snow comming down.
I tell you all this because my mom was one of my biggest supporters when I started making knives. Now she doesnt even remember my name half the time.
This is the type of pain that the doctors have no perscription for.
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Eric,
It must be very painful you see your mother in this condition.
My Mom died when I was 6 years old. So you have many more years of fond memories & support. from and with her.

She has a loving son to make sure she is well taken care and has no needs at this stage of life and that counts for alot!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Lagrange said:
I went to dinner with my family last night. My siblings came in from across the country and most of my extended family were there. We brought my mom out of the nursing home to be with us for the night. My mom suffers from alzheimers (spelling?)...she smiled a lot and appeared to have a good time.
At the end of the evening I sat and talked with her for a while to see how she felt about the dinner. She told me she had been laying sod all day and was really tired and then reminded me that I need to pick the trash up in front of the garage before it gets covered in snow because it is really comming down out there.
Mom has never laid sod in her life, and there is no trash or snow comming down.
I tell you all this because my mom was one of my biggest supporters when I started making knives. Now she doesnt even remember my name half the time.
This is the type of pain that the doctors have no perscription for.
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Your story bring back a lot of memory's about my mother. She also had Alzheimer, one of the last things she said to me and my brother was "You two look like you could be brothers". I feel your pain !
 
I know what you mean about missing parents. My father died Christmas morning in 1955 when I was 14 years old, my mother died on Easter Sunday 1977. I still miss them both.
 
I lost my father in 2006. He was a 79 year old korean and two tour vietnam veteran and career soldier...my hero.

Let's remember to raise a glass to our parents this holiday season!
 
Eric wow your story brought tears to my eyes, as my mom was driving her car a year ago and riding her horse , she still remembers me but I know it will all be gone . My wife and I took her some christmas gifts and she was just happy we were there My Mom means the world to me as eveyones mother does. Its a mean dissease that makes my situation look small . I am glad to have replied to the post as soon as I saw it. I seldom say much about my condition , and the more I talk knives the more I learn from the great people willing to help at this warm place. Merry christmas ya all . kellyw
 
WOW! What a thread!!!! I find myself again a part of another ELITE group of folks! Let me see if I can sum it all up for me... it will take a minute. I was booted from the Marines in 87' after I blew out my right knee in a training accident, which led to the beginning of my back and hip problems, unbeknowst to me, the compensating for the knee injury has caused several problems in my lower back and right hip, I declined hip replacement as I am too young to have it done just yet, I would end up having to have another one if I live long enough and that must be avoided! Until it is absolutely necessary! That
means can not move for me! Fast forward to September 2001, I had to have Brain surgery, which I could have went on S S I back then. In 2003 or 04', (not sure bout that) I went blind in my right eye, no apparent reason, just happened. Then 2010 I had a Heart Attack! That is the high points of my health issues, for me knife making is my escape. I can go to the shop and be in enormous pain all the way to the door, but once I get in there it's like...well it's hard for me to describe, kind of like my 'pain free zone',if you will. Once I get in there and get focused on the task at hand, it's like nothing else in the world! I get lost in what I'm doing and in doing so, so does the pain! With all I've been through my biggest problem is my back and neck, I have degenerative Disk Disease, with multiple bone spurs through out my back and neck, getting to the shop is the hard part! But once I am in there, all is right with the world! No matter how frustrating the task I am attempting to do, it is all worthwhile! Because while I am in the shop I feel NO PAIN!!! Well...., sorta. I have several things I have to be very careful doing, if I don't, I usually end up in bed with ice and a heating pad for a few days!

I too have avoided the sympathy stuff, it's useless. I understand that it is ONLY because we are surrounded by GREAT PEOPLE ON THE FORUM! And it is natural for compassionate folks to feel compassion to other knife brothers, It always felt like it wasn't necessary to tell all. BUT! Now I see that it can be a source of inspiration to others as well as myself, so THANKS. DALLAS!!!! As for folks starting out with knife making that have limitations, the samenpassion that drives us to keep striving forbthe perfect blade is the same passion that ALLOWS us to work through the pain, if you all can figure out a way to make the needed adjustments to your work area, knife making will not only help you pass the time and keep you out of trouble, it will also provide you with so much more....the intangible stuff that can only be acquired through personal perseverance!! Tue feeling you get when you finish a blade that is not only beautiful but also highly functional, it is that feeling that drives me to make another one that is not only better but more difficult, I have more to share on this but typing this by phone is going to hazardous to my phones health if I don't stop now! I'll add more later, Rex
 
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