World's Best Medicine

Today was a tough day for me. Only as far as cigarette smoking was concerned though. It has been a little over 2 weeks and today it hit me. I really like to smoke. It calms me. It gives me a prop, to hold, and emphasis the point with. For over 30 years it has been a part of my life. I really wanted a cigarette today.

Still do !!!! But my Macz is at our house tonite, and she told me I smell good. A first for that statement from her. She just smiled as she hugged me , and said" Pop op you smell so good!" I said "yes ma am, Pop op quit smoking" She said " uh-huh, I know....thank you"
You know a guy really doesn't need much more than the woman he loves the most telling him thank you for motivation. I don't care if I do want a cigarette, I will no longer be a slave to the damn things.

Thank you my 2 year old angel,
I will never forget what you have done for me.
Love ,
Pop op (pronounced POP-OP)

By the way I own a tobacco store in Big Spring , Texas that grossed over 3.5 million last year. It is for sale!!!! $175,000.00 for inventory and name. Rent 1750.00 a month. Or $275,000 for lock, stock, and real estate. Just for the principle of the thing, its gonna be hard to be a non smoker while owning this store.
Thanks for your time.
ScottE

I know some of you read this thing.

You know what , I finally figured out how this blog thingy works. You have to spend hours , not composing good blog fodder, but reading and commenting on other's blogs. So here is to you guys , who read the blogs, but do not comment. I will if you will. I pledge to start commenting on all of the blogs that I peruse during the day. Of course this would be easier if the content filter from hell had not been introduced to our network at work. So it will be late night commenting from now on. As I can read your blogs but am not allowed to comment on them.
I understand the need for security, as the company who bought us last may, makes some part in the guidance system of the Cruise Missile. I especially liked the fact that words like--- sucker rod, stroke, nipple, joint, dope, and even tool and bite --are also words that are not allowed.

I work in the Oilfield people. You know , where we....nipple up, add another joint of pipe, increase stroke length, use a fishing tool, and get another bite on something every day. Dope comes in 5 gallon buckets, joints are 30 ft long, and there is a pusher on every rig.
Look , if your gonna play in this game, you gotta learn the lingo!!!! When in Rome..........

So , please don't try to rewrite the patch, especially the Permian Basin. Just change the filter to allow these words, and let me comment on me com padres blogs. It truly is networking at its finest.

Thanks for your time
ScottE

50 Years of Big Spring--Going..Going....Gone!!!!

March 21 Saturday at 10 am. The Boy's Club in Big Spring is closing and having an auction. I will be donating my services and they are donating 100% of the proceeds to the Kid's Zone. The Kid's Zone was damaged by vandals earlier this year, along with a totem pole that has been in the park my whole life. I think that donating to that project is a show of class from the Board of the Boys Club.

This auction has a unique set of items for sale. There is a cool thing about the caretaker of the Boys Club. Bert has been with Boys Club since 1959 , when he retired from Cosden. As an engineer he must have had a knack for organization because if there were 250 parts when they got it , all 250 parts are still there today. I mean, Wood Working --every tool, bit , auger, file , is there and in its place. Lathes, Saws, jigs, wood, scraps, and every thing used in woodworking.
Photography--A complete Darkroom-along with every camera since 1959- thru digital. Trains-2 or 3 HO train sets on boards-down to the passengers. Pianos, Organs, Weight Training sets, Sedlinger Trampoline, 20 Passenger Bus, Every Board Game, Books, plus old records, projectors, Kiln, molds, telegraph equipment, and more.
There are 2 Brunswick Pool tables, a Brunswick bumper pool table (rare) , Fooseball tables, air hockey, Ping Pong , Shuffleboard, and much more.

Just come to Big Spring Texas and you will see a tall building, The Settles Hotel, we are next door. On 3rd Street ( a one way heading west) just east of the Settles. This building is slated for demolition, and we are still waiting on word about the metal tile ceilings, and the new AC units.

Yall Come, I Promise there will be something there to remind you of fonder days.
Thanks for your time
ScottE

ps. Thanks for all of your prayers for me and my family! I know they made a difference.

Okay, I bet there is an oilfield explanation for this Deal.

One month ago to the day.  I thought I had a heart attack and went to the ER.  After a clean angiogram . my doctors and I believed that I was a medical miracle.  No Heart Attack-no blockage of any kind visible with or without contrast (dye).  If it happens again we will try to pin it down but most likely a hietal hernia or an ulcer, maybe even a panic attack.

Now you must understand that I have been smoking since I was 13 years old, I did quit for 3 years , but picked it up again on the way to Arlington TX to visit my bro in the hospital.  He had just been diagnosed with Cancer.  That was over 20 years ago.  I have been strutting around like a peacock for about 2 weeks, when I notice that just by pushing a dresser across a slick tile floor, I am completely out of breath.  My mind said Hmm.!

Last Saturday , I woke with severe heartburn at 7 am. I took some acid pills and then went to w-Mart to get something more.  Maalox Advanced and that did the trick.  After 8.30 I was fine for the  rest of the day.  Wed at 8am, I felt it begin in my belly,  I tried to shake off the foreboding feeling that came over me,  as the pain radiated to my fingertips, I would stretch and shake my hands to try to relieve the pain.  About 10 am I went to my local doctor, and we talked about panic attacks.  He tried acupuncture to balance my life force.  He then gave me a knock out shot, because we all knew it wasn't my heart.

Lisa came to pick me up and after 2.5 hours of tossing and turning, I agreed to go back to Dr. in Odessa , because he could set us up with a Stomach Doc.  Got to the ER at Odessa Regional and had the foresight to just say I am having chest pains.   As the cardiac ER folks , took over I explained that I had a clean angiogram  , less than a month ago.  Everyone smiled and said Oh okay cool and the world slowed down.  In about 2 minutes , they hooked me up to an EKG , and gave me some Demerol for pain.  In about 2 more minutes they came in and changed out my EKG machine , cause this one must be broken.  Same reading,  Dr. Jack and Steve leaned over me and said, Clean angiogram or no , You sir, are having a massive heart attack.......I looked at my wife and smiled.  She said, Why are you smiling??  Cause I knew it all along!   Never have I had heartburn, stress, or a problem expressing myself!   And the overwhelming sense of Foreboding is something that should be listed as a symptom of heart attack.

Dr. Naidu started emergency surgery and found my main artery 100% blocked and a second 80% blocked.  This unsettled him some but he went straight to work,  with a touch the 100% blood clot dissipated .  But the 80% clear plug had to be roto-rootered out.  He then inserted 2 stints to keep the artery wide. 

 

I know what happened in the ER in Big Spring a month ago.  They had me on a heart monitor and my heart rate and BP went thru the roof .  The young lady trying to start an IV blew up my vein and got blood squirted on her.  Then my pain went away----completely away!!!!  

I explained to Dr. Naidu what I think happened.  A blood clot formed and plugged my artery.  Then after 1 hour and 10 minutes , My body took over and forced the blood clot though my heart with such force that it actually cleaned out my piping.  Like running a rabbit or a pig though a piece of pipe.  These are not animals , but what the object is called that you send through a piece of pipe to clear any snakes, rabbits , skunks or sand out of the pipe.The term pig is used more in the refining end of the oilfield and a rabbit is what we called it on a Drilling rig or a Pulling Unit.

Heck fire,  We just pressured up and pumped the plug.  Just another day in the oilfield.  Only there is always the chance that the pipe will yield and blow a hole in such pipe.   In the medical field this is called a Widow Maker.  I will always feel blessed that I dodged that bullet, and I got to go home yesterday and see my 2 youngest boys and my granddaughter came over this morning.

I am now working on 80 hours without a cigarette,  and my sense of smell is just amazing.  I cannot drive my truck because it stinks too bad.  My office is just as gross and I will probably replace ceiling tiles and carpet next week.  Paint too if I have to, but for now Febreze baby Febreze!

I hope I can keep it up , but that feeling of impending doom, is a DAMN good motivator!

Thanks for your time.

ScottE

Okay I fixed my blog.

By deleting some old posts and removing the song option of my blog , I now am able to view this post . I hope you can ,too.
Lisa and Nick are back from the Mayo Clinic. The testing went well, but not that well received by Nick. He has matured so much during this ordeal. I don't think he will give us a fit at flu shot time this year. He endured many invasive tests and the end result is.........IT IS NOT Juvenile M.S. They believe they will have it narrowed down later this week and he has another appointment on the 17 of March. His problem is more than likely an auto-immune problem that could have stemmed from Celiac's Disease. (the inability of your body to deal with gluten). It also is the reason that he suffers from arthritis.
Please keep my baby in your prayers, he is a 14 year old boy, and Lord , I need him. A parents job is sometimes just too taxing. I must refrain from praying it away from him to me. Jesus will see to taking care of this problem-he always does! But a little extra prayers can't hurt. So if you are a warrior in Christ-lift him up and praise him-and ask him to watch over my son . A miraculous cure is not out of the question.
Thanks for your time
ScottE

Lisa & Nick go east!!!

They left Wed. morning to head to Chicago.  Then over to Rochester to the Mayo Clinic.  Thursday A.M.-- the testing begins. 

Lisa says there are skywalks everywhere.  This is how they traverse a hospital town in sub-zero weather.  It goes thru the hotel, malls , restaurants, and more hotels , clinics, and support facilities.

Friday--back to Mayo for more testing, Hopefully a little less invasive than yesterday.  Hope that last appointment doesn't change their travel plans.  Made the shuttle and the flight.  Back in Chicago.  BBBBrrrrrrrrrrr!

Sat- Hang out in Chicago and wait for the verdict.  Meanwhile-Chinatown, Blue Man Group, Choice of a wide Gluten Free menu at every restaurant , not just outback.  Seems like there must be a lot of Celiac's in Illinois. Even the mom & Pop  shops have a gluten free menu.

Sunday-Its snowing again but only in Downtown Chicago.  Even the suburbs don't believe is it snowing downtown.  Bundle up - Gotta go see some sights!

Monday-Hope to have testing results and prognosis for Nick by 10 am.  Then we can schedule more testing.  Or they can come Home. Home-

It ain' home until they get here.   If they can't get scheduled , Then they will come home Today.  or Tonight!  Before Midnight is Today , Demit!

Thank the Lord for keeping mine safe - I pray he does the same for you and yours.

Thanks for your time,

ScottE

PS - I tried to insert some pictures of Chicago, snow, Rochester, and MacZ's new pajamas from China town. Silk with butterflies!

Something is wrong with this blog????

I don't have any idea what I did .  Too many off the wall (no not porn) web sites i guess.  I am trying to post this thru my new computer.  We will see

Thanks for your time

Scott E