Slick 60's

Been learning to form bondo and such. Even test hammered a couple of dents out. Not real good at it, but it was coming along.
In 2000, the Army put me out with osteoporosis and degenerative joint problems. It was bad enough in the shoulders to put me out, but was tolerable in the hips (which is why I went with an automatic transmission in my Slick.) So, I have learned to live with reduced mobility.
Monday the doc calls me to ask if I have been using my arms in a left to right and forward to back motion. Which is sanding activity.
He says I have to stop. It is wearing grooves in the ball of the upper arm bone.
Worse, I am a poor candidate for joint replacement - the bone will likely not support the artificial joint.
I reckon I can finish sanding the rest of the truck with a DA orbital, but the bondo work is going to have to paid. The budget ain't happy.

Banjo: Having been through all that I have in the past with the whole carpal tunnel thing (which is much less severe than what you are dealing with), all I can say is I'm sorry to hear of your troubles:(
Having said that, and knowing that you are still along ways from the grave, I would urge you to LISTEN TO YOUR DOC. Yah, it will suck if you have to extend the length of your project (in order to fund it) to get it done, but remember, you have a lot of years left, and literally wearing yourself out prematurely and having to live with those consequences (discomfort, pain, reduced mobility/independence) every day for the rest of your days will ultimately not be worth it.
Save up the $$, pay someone to finish it, and save your body for more important things.

that's my $0.02(CDN):):)

James

OUCH! Literally and figuratively.

Sorry to hear that......... Just a word of advise, Can you find a quality Body shop in your area that may be interested in doing the repairs in stages for you?

Maybe have the Cab painted first so you can take some time to assemble the inside and that way you can admire some of your achievements and possibly keep you motivated enough to focus on going on to the next step like maybe the doors or door, and on & on as you can afford.

I have a couple of Body Shops here in Grand Rapids, Mi. and I know if I had someone like yourself call and ask to do something like this I would more than glad to do it for you........ My two cents for what is worth..... Good luck! and keep the faith.


Jeff

sorry to hear that

any way for you to still do the denting and filler spreading work and leave the sanding as the part you would need to pay to get done ? if its possible without further injury it will lessen the outlay of $.

i cannot give others medical advice, cant even follow it myself or i would be sitting around eating pain pills doing nothing and i am very bad at inactivity. also the chores alone i have to do and cant in any way pay others for would not get done.

the recent new problem of my left elbow feeling like its being pinched in vise grips causing my hand to be numb and hurt bad in the early hours of the morning has been especially irritating.
i have been getting up between 4-5 am on some days in pain, by the time i have a few cups of coffee and breakfast its not so bad and then i get on with the usual manual labor activitys, this morning it was the chainsaw and its not bothering me right now. in fact its only after sleeping 6 or so hours that it becomes an issue.
something i am going to have to live and deal with as drugs and operations are not free and i dont like or want either.

i hope you can get enough saved to get the truck worked on and i will see about getting those parts sent to you we talked about and that will help generate a few $ towards it.

I really appreciate you all's advice and sentiments. I'm too young to have to give up on some things, really, I am only 55.
I reckon it is time to face it and work around it somehow. I am a survivor, and I also figure the Lord's got something else for me in it as well.
Thanks again, your friendship is beyond words.

John,
Your problems are indeed coming your way to soon in life.
Your faith I am sure will sustain you. Somehow I think you will find a way to keep your hands busy without harming yourself further. search around for schools that teach autobody shop(fewer by the day) or tech school like UTI. Maybe they will cut you some slack.
Doing what you can with the orbital will help, but also further your problem. so move ahead with caution.
John

I hear you Banjo !
5 years of stocking groceries.
5 years of loading semis, full of milk.
20 years pulling a squeegee by hand printing shirts. over and over and over..
Wrenching on junky old slicks (Kids, not mine)
endless bike riding ,sailboarding,snowboarding etc...

Has left my shoulders, elbows ,and hands aching when I sand and do repetitive motion like that..


They say none of us get out alive, I am starting to understand that more every day !

foodstick, dont forget bike crashes............Kid