Knife Making and being Disabled

rhinoknives said:
Sorry to hear about your dilemma from the implant.
I refused to get one of those implant pain pumps for that very possibility!
Even after my two back surgery's I told them I can still swallow the time released medications so why would I want a implant? I guess the oral meds weren't working for you?

I never wanted any sympathy ether. But being willing to talk about it has made me many new friends with similar situations
and I have gained much knowledge about treatment and help and have been able to help many others as well.

I also feel that my disabilities have shown me how to live life to its fullest and not to take things for granted.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
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Laurence,
I so agree with you, so far I have been able to keep them from cutting as much as they want to! It's one of those things that you put of until you just can't stand it any more. Now I have ANOTHER "trigger finger", that is driving me nuts! When it gets bent, it's a new adventure in PAIN!!!! I've been having several good days here lately, it's almost scary to realize that it will stop being so good at some point, so I tend to over do it in a bad way, I'm trying to be careful as possible, so I can continue making knives and hopefully I can make something Gorgeous, here soon.....I hope! Rex
 
McClellan Made Blades said:
Laurence,
I so agree with you, so far I have been able to keep them from cutting as much as they want to! It's one of those things that you put of until you just can't stand it any more. Now I have ANOTHER "trigger finger", that is driving me nuts! When it gets bent, it's a new adventure in PAIN!!!! I've been having several good days here lately, it's almost scary to realize that it will stop being so good at some point, so I tend to over do it in a bad way, I'm trying to be careful as possible, so I can continue making knives and hopefully I can make something Gorgeous, here soon.....I hope! Rex
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Rex,
I've had a trigger finger operation also! LOL it was my left middle finger,it was stuck flipping off the world constantly for about two years until I finally went and had it fixed. LOL

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
I'm posting my story, because I might run into some of you at one of the knife shows. I already have. I walked with a limp for almost ten years, cost me my black belt in Soo Bahk Do. I was told I had Osteoarthritis and given a cane, because I was to young to operate on. Apparently the parts only last about 20 yrs. Now from refusing to use a cane, my dumb ass, I messed up my left ankle and right knee. So now I can't walk without it. Last doctor I went to says I was born with a congenital hip disorder. So, if I have enough bone density, I can have my hip replaced. Oh, and I have to lose 20 to 30lbs. I've heard so many horror stories about the operation, I'm not sure if I want it done. I live with the pain because I hate pills. If they just stopped the pain without all the side effects, that would be great! But they don't. Sleeping at night is hard. But when I'm carving, drawing etc. I'm so focused on what I'm doing, I go into a "trance" and don't feel pain.

Seems like everyone I know is falling apart! Getting old sucks, 'cause the Heart is Willing!

Cathy
 
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knifecarver said:
I'm posting my story, because I might run into some of you at one of the knife shows. I already have. I walked with a limp for almost ten years, cost me my black belt in Soo Bahk Do. I was told I had Osteoarthritis and given a cane, because I was to young to operate on. Apparently the parts only last about 20 yrs. Now from refusing to use a cane, my dumb ass, I messed up my left ankle and right knee. So now I can't walk without it. Last doctor I went to says I was born with a congenital hip disorder. So, if I have enough bone density, I can have my hip replaced. Oh, and I have to lose 20 to 30lbs. I've heard so many horror stories about the operation, I'm not sure if I want it done. I live with the pain because I hate pills. If they just stopped the pain without all the side effects, that would be great! But they don't. Sleeping at night is hard. But when I'm carving, drawing etc. I'm so focused on what I'm doing, I go into a "trance" and don't feel pain.

Seems like everyone I know is falling apart! Getting old sucks, 'cause the Heart is Willing!

Cathy
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Cathy,
Nice to hear from you.
A cane is for balance and i don't think it would have saved your ankle. I have similar ankle & foot problems also.
I think my hips are about the only strong point I have left. LOL

We all have to make those decisions about pain verses Pills & surgery.
Some Meds have more side affects than others and I would suggest working with a qualified Pain Management specialist Doctor before moving on to a surgery, also I have had great results with Acupuncture & Meditation along with some Meds prescribed by my one and only Pain Mangement doctor. He also prescribed the acupuncture.
This also means no self medicating with Pot or large amounts of Liquor etc.. You have to tell them everything!

The "trance" you are referring to is call "FLOW" by modern psychology. The world goes away and time has no meaning as I work grinding and sculpting a knife!

I just started turning wooden bottle stoppers etc.. I may start turning & selling walking canes for friends and others soon?
remember to have fun and enjoy the ride!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Alright, you guys don't want sympathy...so I won't give you any. What I will give you is a lot of respect for going forward against the pain and hardship. My wife suffers from inoperable chronic pain, and like you guys...she gets a whole lot of respect from me. Keep it up and always go forward. ...Teddy
 
Damn, there is more of us out there than I thought. I am disabled and have been since 1999. Back injury and subsequent failed back fusion. Four heart attacks and most recently a quadruple bypass. It has cost me a lot in a lot of ways. Lets just say I should have been dead many times over, I figure the good Lord must have a purpose for keeping me around.
However the day I give up, is the day they lay me out to rest, six feet under. I just can't sit still and wait to die! I always tell them the good Lord is going to have to catch me on the run as I ain't sitting around and waiting till my time is done!

I enjoy making knives however sometimes life has a way of getting in the way! Everything except the anvil is on wheels in my shop and it is all tailored for my use. I think that is just the way it is for someone with disabilities. My pain management doctor asked me the other day if I got any good out of my back surgery. I told him considering my surgeon told me I would be in a wheel chair if it wasn't done, I guess I am doing well, however knowing what I know now, I would still have too give it great consideration as too whether I would have that fusion over again.

The hardest thing on me has been my wife contracted an incurable disease that effected her spine and her limbs and she stays in pain all the time. As well as it makes it hard for her just to get around.That is one of the hardest things I have had to deal with. My knife making has taken a back seat and I only work on it when I can steal away some time! It is hard some days with my pains and aches but it is even harder to watch my wife have to deal with it, and know there is little I can do to help her!
 
Sorry Mr. Craft, to hear of you and your wifes troubles,but as you said...we know who is in control of all things.

I said I was not going to share my troubles,but sometimes I guess it's good to talk about it esp with others that have the same problems.I was born with Spinal Bifida Acult.
I had problems my entire childhood.The dr did not know what the problem was,until I was a senior in high school.I had 2 back surgeries in 1988,and did really well,until
about 2005 when I started having more trouble.I delt with it for a little while and finally had to have it checked out...In 2008 I had 2 more sugeries,and never got right..I
had my 5th sugery in 2010 and my dr said due to my condition,he would not release me,so on disablity I went.I really enjoy knifemaking,and spend a lot of time in the shop..Lately I have been dealing with some new problems...My pain management dr is doing the nerve block shots,to try and find the problem.I think he has found it ..He is going to burn the nerves,and they say I can get 6-8 months relief and they will grow back,and I can have it done again.

I pray all you guys and gals can continue to do what you love,and the Lord will bless you with the health you so desire.

God bless my friends
 
Glad to know I'm not the only gimpy one around here.
The week before I was supposed to have back surgery, my then wife and I were in a massive car accident. Some 20 something girl decided she jsut HAD to beat that yellow light and T-boned us at over 60 mph. I evidently saw her coming and unbuckled and threw myself over my wife, who was 9 weeks pregnant. If I hadn't I'd have been permanently dead, instead of just dying twice and coming back. (Rumor has it I saw there was no beer OR knifemaking on the otherside so....why bother staying?)
I died twice, once on the helo ride to the hospital, and once again on the operating table. I was left with 3 broken ribs, a right lung punctured in two places and collapsed, and a shattered right hip put back together with a plate and 9 screws (And I think some spit, baling wire and super glue.) In the process they discovered thatmy body is trying to kill me and that I throw blood clots for fun.
THEN a few weeks later I had the back surgery and that didn't work, so.....Gimp city for me. And jsut prior to that I'd been forging my own blades, and starting to get some local attention for them. Suckage!

Well, when I couldn't make knives anymore, I needed something to occupy my hands, so I started making Longbows. Fun, but not as satisfying as knifemaking.

Anyways, long story short, I'm back to doing both, bow AND knifemaking. In the next year I hope to get back to forging my own blades, and not just hafting.

I'm glad to see that knifemaking isn't just a life saver for me, but for others as well. For too many people, "Disabled" means we're not able to do anything of worth, and that we jsut sit around doing nothing all day. Or should be, according to some. Sitting around doing nothing, creating nothing, is the worst form of living death I can think of. I might only be able to do only a couple hours of work a couple of days a week, and spend the rest of the time hurting, but I do work that fulfills me and give me purpose. I hope it's the same for the rest of you as well.
 
Guys "Disabled" is a term I really hate. Because as long as you are able to give of yourself to this ole world you are not disabled. I always looked at it like this, not being able to get out and do things would near about do me in. Well I don't do as much as I use to, or as I like to say I am still kicking, just not as high as I used too!:biggrin:

However I now have grand boys, one is two and one is four, also my son married a girl who has a nine year old son. I never figured I would live long enough to see grand kids, as all of my Grandparents were dead before I was born. So even if I don't get too spend as much time now-days making knives as I would like. Every minute the good Lord see fit too give me here on this earth I try to spend as much of it as I can with them boys, and my wife. You are never disabled as long as you got something to give, even if that something is only your love to a loved one!

Thanks guys for the good thoughts on my wife. That has been one of the hardest things. You see I can deal with me hurting, it is truly hard to watch a loved one hurt and not be able to take their pain away! We have been married 35 years and we have been thru a lot together but this is hard.

Sorry guys if this is straying away from the original theme of the post! I still do make knives but like I said life has a way of getting in the way of that! So lets just say production has slowed down but then again so have I!:lol:
 
C Craft There is no rel theme to this thread you say and comment how you need or want to my friend. This thread is a way for us old codgers to get to know one another and vent a little when needed.
 
There seems to be a bunch of us a little banged up. I did have a lot of fun getting in this shape though, and would do it all over again.
 
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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Crabby? Me? Never in a zillon years!:biggrin:

Chronic pain changes who you are. I have to monitor my condition constantly and make sure I am being as polite as possible. I have bitten off peoples heads over the smallest insignificant things.
I always try to remember to bend with wind as some Japanese say.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Knifemaking does distract from chronic pain and keeps you moving and doing something useful. It seems like if you don't keep pushing, you lose the ability to keep moving on. I've had M.S. for 36 years and if I don't use it, I lose it. Knifemaking keeps me going physically and mentally. Most all of my work is done sitting down. I will make knives as long as I can move. My hat's off to everyone with disabilities.
 
rhinoknives said:
Crabby? Me? Never in a zillon years!:biggrin:

Chronic pain changes who you are. I have to monitor my condition constantly and make sure I am being as polite as possible. I have bitten off peoples heads over the smallest insignificant things.
I always try to remember to bend with wind as some Japanese say.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
Click to expand...

Rhino, that is all most funny, all most cause I have been there.............too often! It's kind of like this I stay at a certain pain level and I pretty much deal with that,it's when something else gets added into it like, right now I am battling a real bad chest cold. I get so grouchy sometimes I don't even like myself!!!! That's when its time to go to the shop and do something for a while. Not always knife work then because I found I need to keep my mind in the game or I usually end up with something I really don't care for, or I start to make dumb mistakes! You are right Steve it helps a lot to keep the mind and hands busy. You tend to forget that you feel not so good!

But I can say this DIDO to your comment!
 
rhinoknives said:
Cathy,
Nice to hear from you.
A cane is for balance and i don't think it would have saved your ankle. I have similar ankle & foot problems also.
I think my hips are about the only strong point I have left. LOL

We all have to make those decisions about pain verses Pills & surgery.
Some Meds have more side affects than others and I would suggest working with a qualified Pain Management specialist Doctor before moving on to a surgery, also I have had great results with Acupuncture & Meditation along with some Meds prescribed by my one and only Pain Mangement doctor. He also prescribed the acupuncture.
This also means no self medicating with Pot or large amounts of Liquor etc.. You have to tell them everything!

The "trance" you are referring to is call "FLOW" by modern psychology. The world goes away and time has no meaning as I work grinding and sculpting a knife!

I just started turning wooden bottle stoppers etc.. I may start turning & selling walking canes for friends and others soon?
remember to have fun and enjoy the ride!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
Click to expand...

Laurence, you start making custom canes, I may just have to have one.
 
A few years back I tripped over a curb "In front of my Dr's office no less"
I landed on the corner of the curb on my lower spine when I have a fair amount of Titanium hardware. The pain was so intense I just layed there for I don't know how long?

When I was able to move, I noticed that I was in front of my Doc's office!:biggrin: I almost crawled in the door.

After more poking & prodding Xrays etc.. I was told that I should use a cane till my sense of balance returned.
I could not find one long enough for a 6'4 man that wants to stand up straight anywhere until I can across a man in Texas on the internet.

My sense of balance returned after about a year and it's been several since I have needed it.
It sits in the corner of my home office ready for when I need it. I may look into making some canes for KDer's'

I think I will have to get a extension for that Mini lathe to be able to turn pieces long enough for canes?
I will look into this for a 2013 project.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
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