Past, Present and Future

I posted my blog entry yesterday in order for this one to make more sense. I find myself believing more and more that I am approaching the end of my life on this spinning orb, and I'm of two minds about it. On the one hand I have accomplished much to be proud of. My beautiful wife Carole, and I have three magnificent daughters who have gone on to raise their own daughters, all of whom are a continuing source of pride for us. Without exception, each has married a man I would (and do) call son. Thanks to SASS (Single Action Shooting Society) and the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting, I have a multitude of true friends, scattered across this great land, most of whom I have never met except through the wonders of the Internet.

In my professional life, as Chief Theft Investigator and Safety Director for a large public utility, I was able to vastly reduce accidents, winning state and national awards in the process.  We went first one year with "No Lost Time Accidents", then another until I retired when we had built up nine years with no lost time sccidents in our Natural Gas Department. On the Security side, I reduced the theft of power, natural gas and water to a trickle and reduced "our fault" vehicle accidents by two-thirds.

The failures are mostly on the personal side and some now seem petty and unimportant. I never got to talk my wife to Italy as I had promised, never toured the country in an Airstream trailer. We had to give up the only home I ever really loved due to my wife's health and dwindling income. And we are living the last few years of our lives from check to check

This Ain't Easy

This ain't easy.

I was unexpectedly admitted to the hospital down in Huntsville, AL on the 27th of Dec. and straight into ICU. I have ascites, combined with cirrhosis of the liver and my liver is starting to shut down. The cirrhosis is caused by a fatty liver, and, because of the ascites, I'm bleeding internally, my abdomen is filling with fluid, which is compressing my lungs, making it very hard to breathe. The doctor told me this afternoon that there's a survival rate of fifty percent after two years and downhill from there. 

The docs here say that they will treat this with a diet limiting sodium and fluids and large doses of diuretics to keep the fluid build-up to a minimum.

Pards, I don't know when or how this will turn out, but I'm gonna stick with this game we all play just as long as I can. Hope to meet and shoot with as many of you as possible between now and whenever. Any prayers, good thoughts or well wishes will, as usual, be greatly appreciated.

Bama Red

UPDATE

I'm home from the hospital - got in about 8 PM last night (New Year's Eve) and my Bride had a New Year's Eve supper waiting for me - mushroom smothered steak, baked potato, corn on the cob and orange sherbet for desert. YYYUUUUMMMMMMM!!!

I'll ask for your prayers to continue, cause the hard part starts now - living with all the restrictions, medicines and continuing tests, procedures, etc., etc., etc. Hope to see as many of ya as possible down the trail.

Bama Red