PSA
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dustymojave
- Posts: 2312
- Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:08 pm
Re: PSA
I thank all of you who have shared your supportive words, thoughts and prayers. Even though I'm not religious, I know that others praying for me indicates that they very much care. So I very much appreciate prayers.
Richard
Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
Speed Kills! but then...So does OLD AGE!!
Tech Inspection: SCCA / SCORE / HDRA / ARVRA / A.R.T.S. OffRoad Race Tech - MDR, MORE, Glen Helen BajaCup
Retired Fabricator
'58 Baja with 955K Miles and counting
Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
Speed Kills! but then...So does OLD AGE!!
Tech Inspection: SCCA / SCORE / HDRA / ARVRA / A.R.T.S. OffRoad Race Tech - MDR, MORE, Glen Helen BajaCup
Retired Fabricator
'58 Baja with 955K Miles and counting
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dustymojave
- Posts: 2312
- Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:08 pm
Re: PSA
Ever since the radiation treatments, I've been improving all the time. I've been doing work around the yard.
Even went out to an offroad race this weekend and helped pit. No dumping gas or changing wheels. But did work on more minor issues. Big race for 1600 buggies with extra sponsor $$ up for the class and 65 entries in just that 1 class. 2 of our team ran the class. Rulo Solano in a car that he pulled the frame out of our back yard a month ago with a fresh cage and entire front clip that both needed welding and the car needed a whole new rear clip including torsion housing. Built it all and ready to race while still spending 14 hour days working on customer cars. Finished the race out of top 10 in class, but could use a little adjustment to various items. Went out on a recovery with my son and another guy in Warren's F350 4x chase truck. A member of our team, Rueben Garcia, brought out his new to him 2-1600 buggy for the 1st time. Got to 2 miles short of Start/Finish in the rough silt beds and 3 cars in front of him got stuck and stopped. So he stopped, then in the heavy dust, got rear-ended by another racer. Just minor bending of the rear bumper. They never saw the racer that hit them though due to the dust. Then moments later, they heard a car coming hard on the throttle and BANG!! Hard jolt. Again, never saw the car that hit them. Hit the right rear shock (new King 3" bypass) snapping off the 1" shock shaft just out of the shock body, and slammed the shock body into the lower B pillar of the frame about 8" above the torsion housing and put a 3" long deep dent in the B-pillar. So when the dust cleared a bit, he tried to drive it off to the side of the trail to check it out and as he went up out of the ruts the half shaft pulled out of the inner CV. There was no limit device other than the shock itself. No real harm there and it will go right back together in the shop. But the shock and the lower B pillar tube will have to be replaced. Otherwise the car is fresh enough for the next race. We towed them back to the pit on a strap. I expect that Rueben and co-driver Travis were hurting Sunday morning.
I still get some occasional minor aching in my right arm where the tumor was, but it's healing very nicely. My overall body is doing way better. I FEEL way better. My mental condition is way better. I actually want to DO things now, and get impatient and frustrated when I can't do something. In the process of the cancer, I lost 35lbs. 25 of it in 3 weeks, then 5lbs over the following 2 weeks, then another 5 over the next 2 weeks. I was eating very little. Not by choice, but my stomach would fill VERY quickly. For about 3 months, I had essentially no appetite or interest in food. I'm told that's common with lots of cancers. My Oncologist told me that they don't know why that is, but agreed that it's common. Most of that time 1/2 of a burger would make me stuffed. Like 3 plate loads of Thanksgiving dinner with a couple pieces of pie stuffed. I'm getting some appetite back and even sometimes want to snack on something, My food intake is about 1/2 way between the low point and normal eating. My weight is stabilized at 35lbs less than before. Most of my weight loss was muscle mass. It will take some time to recover strength.
I'm extremely pleased with the care that City of Hope has provided. And everyone that works for City of Hope that I've dealt with has been VERY pleasant to deal with. Even Security guards. I went 4 months unable to drive any vehicle, mainly because my right arm was disabled to where I couldn't shift even an automatic. Very weak overall and kinda woozy too. A car with paddle shifters would have been OK, I suppose. But I don't have one. I don't think I would have been a good driver even if I could have. I'm back driving now though, including Warren's pre-runner Ranger 5 speed.
Even went out to an offroad race this weekend and helped pit. No dumping gas or changing wheels. But did work on more minor issues. Big race for 1600 buggies with extra sponsor $$ up for the class and 65 entries in just that 1 class. 2 of our team ran the class. Rulo Solano in a car that he pulled the frame out of our back yard a month ago with a fresh cage and entire front clip that both needed welding and the car needed a whole new rear clip including torsion housing. Built it all and ready to race while still spending 14 hour days working on customer cars. Finished the race out of top 10 in class, but could use a little adjustment to various items. Went out on a recovery with my son and another guy in Warren's F350 4x chase truck. A member of our team, Rueben Garcia, brought out his new to him 2-1600 buggy for the 1st time. Got to 2 miles short of Start/Finish in the rough silt beds and 3 cars in front of him got stuck and stopped. So he stopped, then in the heavy dust, got rear-ended by another racer. Just minor bending of the rear bumper. They never saw the racer that hit them though due to the dust. Then moments later, they heard a car coming hard on the throttle and BANG!! Hard jolt. Again, never saw the car that hit them. Hit the right rear shock (new King 3" bypass) snapping off the 1" shock shaft just out of the shock body, and slammed the shock body into the lower B pillar of the frame about 8" above the torsion housing and put a 3" long deep dent in the B-pillar. So when the dust cleared a bit, he tried to drive it off to the side of the trail to check it out and as he went up out of the ruts the half shaft pulled out of the inner CV. There was no limit device other than the shock itself. No real harm there and it will go right back together in the shop. But the shock and the lower B pillar tube will have to be replaced. Otherwise the car is fresh enough for the next race. We towed them back to the pit on a strap. I expect that Rueben and co-driver Travis were hurting Sunday morning.
I still get some occasional minor aching in my right arm where the tumor was, but it's healing very nicely. My overall body is doing way better. I FEEL way better. My mental condition is way better. I actually want to DO things now, and get impatient and frustrated when I can't do something. In the process of the cancer, I lost 35lbs. 25 of it in 3 weeks, then 5lbs over the following 2 weeks, then another 5 over the next 2 weeks. I was eating very little. Not by choice, but my stomach would fill VERY quickly. For about 3 months, I had essentially no appetite or interest in food. I'm told that's common with lots of cancers. My Oncologist told me that they don't know why that is, but agreed that it's common. Most of that time 1/2 of a burger would make me stuffed. Like 3 plate loads of Thanksgiving dinner with a couple pieces of pie stuffed. I'm getting some appetite back and even sometimes want to snack on something, My food intake is about 1/2 way between the low point and normal eating. My weight is stabilized at 35lbs less than before. Most of my weight loss was muscle mass. It will take some time to recover strength.
I'm extremely pleased with the care that City of Hope has provided. And everyone that works for City of Hope that I've dealt with has been VERY pleasant to deal with. Even Security guards. I went 4 months unable to drive any vehicle, mainly because my right arm was disabled to where I couldn't shift even an automatic. Very weak overall and kinda woozy too. A car with paddle shifters would have been OK, I suppose. But I don't have one. I don't think I would have been a good driver even if I could have. I'm back driving now though, including Warren's pre-runner Ranger 5 speed.
Richard
Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
Speed Kills! but then...So does OLD AGE!!
Tech Inspection: SCCA / SCORE / HDRA / ARVRA / A.R.T.S. OffRoad Race Tech - MDR, MORE, Glen Helen BajaCup
Retired Fabricator
'58 Baja with 955K Miles and counting
Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
Speed Kills! but then...So does OLD AGE!!
Tech Inspection: SCCA / SCORE / HDRA / ARVRA / A.R.T.S. OffRoad Race Tech - MDR, MORE, Glen Helen BajaCup
Retired Fabricator
'58 Baja with 955K Miles and counting
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chuckput
- Posts: 441
- Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 8:01 pm
Re: PSA
Richard, I loved this report from you. Great to hear that you are getting out and doing things. My favorite line of your entire post: " I actually want to DO things now. . . " Take care and continue to heal. Prayers are continuing on my end.
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CentralWAbaja
- Posts: 4287
- Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:05 pm
Re: PSA
Good news. That had to feel good to be back at the races.
It is not Mickey Moused.....It's Desert Engineered!
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bajaherbie
- Posts: 9967
- Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 7:07 pm
Re: PSA
Great news for sure!
Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.
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CentralWAbaja
- Posts: 4287
- Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:05 pm
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dustymojave
- Posts: 2312
- Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:08 pm
Re: PSA
I know it's been a couple of months. Thanks for that Birthday greeting Daron.
I'm still recovering bit by bit. Mostly back to "normal" now.
We had a fine Thanksgiving. Then a fine Christmas.
In the middle of this year, I was literally not expecting to make it to New Year. Now it's almost 100% certain that I will. So definitely a change for the better.
I'm still recovering bit by bit. Mostly back to "normal" now.
We had a fine Thanksgiving. Then a fine Christmas.
In the middle of this year, I was literally not expecting to make it to New Year. Now it's almost 100% certain that I will. So definitely a change for the better.
Richard
Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
Speed Kills! but then...So does OLD AGE!!
Tech Inspection: SCCA / SCORE / HDRA / ARVRA / A.R.T.S. OffRoad Race Tech - MDR, MORE, Glen Helen BajaCup
Retired Fabricator
'58 Baja with 955K Miles and counting
Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
Speed Kills! but then...So does OLD AGE!!
Tech Inspection: SCCA / SCORE / HDRA / ARVRA / A.R.T.S. OffRoad Race Tech - MDR, MORE, Glen Helen BajaCup
Retired Fabricator
'58 Baja with 955K Miles and counting
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Ol'fogasaurus
- Posts: 17881
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:17 pm
Re: PSA
Keep the fight going... good job!
Lee
Lee
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bajaherbie
- Posts: 9967
- Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 7:07 pm
Happy New Year!
I am hoping to stay up that late!
Last edited by bajaherbie on Thu Dec 29, 2022 10:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.
