Paul B's thread

[Paul B]

My back needs to get better because I just received a letter asking me If I wanted to be Honored for my service in Viet Nam with a bunch of other Veterans from WW2 and Korea. They will fly us to Washington DC on what is called an Honor Flight, where we will tour the WW2, Korea and Viet Nam monuments. There will be an Honorary Dinner and I assume some speeches and other things.

There is a chance I won't go because I think they ask more people than can fit because many of these guys are very old and may be to sick (or worse) to go. But I filled out the papers just in case. I am pretty excited.

I hope it's not on that plane where the door fell off.

 

[Paul B]

On another note, and more exciting for me, I just got a call from a Local Long Island News station. They may want to do a story on me and that 10 year old woman that wrote me a Christmas card while I was in Viet Nam 55 years ago.

They want to film the meeting of the two of us because I didn't meet her yet. They are calling her to coordinate it. Of course it could fizzle out and maybe they will do a story on another cat that got stuck in a sewer or fell out of a Boeing plane. I will probably find out in a few days.

All sorts of cool things happening this week.

 

[Paul B]

Good morning. I didn't go walking this morning like I normally do and it has nothing to do with the ice covered ground and 22 degree temperatures. Last night around 5:00 my back went totally out. I am not sure who it went out with but I wish it would go out again and stay out.

Again I couldn't move without screaming (but it was a very low pitched, Manly scream, more like a Roar)
My wife got scared and wanted to call an ambulance. I wouldn't let her because of a couple of reasons. Hospitals have no clue what to do with a back ache except to call a surgeon who will cut a huge hole in your back and look around a bit with a big flashlight trying to find something wrong.

If they can't find something, they will remove something just so they can bill the insurance company a million dollars and in a week when you get home, you will still have the same pain, only worse now because they sewed part of a tire iron in between your ribs in the hope that you are anemic and just need iron. (they will of course wash it first)

Also if you go to a hospital on a Saturday night the doctors are usually playing golf but now that the golf courses are covered in ice, they may be out ice skating or skiing and if you disturb them, and they have to operate on you, it won't go well, especially if they still have their ice skates on so you will lay there on a gurney in the hallway, eating stale chocolate chip cookies in front of a TV watching re runs of "I Love Lucy" until Monday.

That happened to my wife the last time I took her to a hospital on a weekend. (I think they were Saltine crackers then but we have better insurance now) She was in the "emergency" room, on a gurney for 16 hours before someone that actually went to High School came to look at her. It happened to be the Lady who mops the floor but after her shift, she did get a doctor.

Then, eventually they operated and of course put in two steel rods. They could have been aluminum depending on what type of insurance you have.

On Sunday mornings we normally go to a diner for breakfast but I would have to eat standing up. I am standing up now and I would have to drive to the diner, standing up. I have a Jeep and it does have a moon roof so I would imagine I could open the roof and drive standing up with my head sticking out. At 22 degrees, when I got to the diner, they would have to put my head in the pizza oven to thaw me out enough to eat.

So if I end up in a hospital, I will try to hold off until Monday. I think I have enough Scotch and pain pills to tide me over until then.

 

[mrjantzen]

You take care of yourself! You are right about hospitals on the weekend! But remember 85% of people who go to the hospital get better anyway.

 

[Paul B]

What happens to the other 15%? Did you ever see the movie "Soylent Green"? (probably not)

 

[Paul B]

I did my walk this morning which may have been a mistake. All the YouTube video's I see (and we all know that the doctors on YouTube are the best) They say walking is the best thing for back pain. It hurts at first but you have to work through the pain and it will get better.

"Better" is a relative word and I have some relatives with bad backs. I am not sure how far you have to walk for the pain to get better but I had to buy a new pair of shoes before I got back because I wore them out.

One important thing I like to mention especially if you live in New York but other cities may be similar. When you pick a doctor, make sure you get a young one preferably right out of medical school because by the time you get an appointment to see them, they may retire.

If they retire before you see them, you may get their Grand Daughter who minored in Beyonce and got a degree in Podiatry.

 

[Paul B]

The Long Island News station called me a little while ago to tell me they are going to air my story of the "girl" who sent me a Christmas card in Viet Nam in 1970. She lives in New Jersey and as soon as she can get here, they will send a film crew here.

She is an executive and works 7 days a week although I don't know why anyone would have such a job. But whenever she can get 2 days off, she will come here.

I wonder if they want to film my tank

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Make sure you mention Boston Reefers and not LIRA, just kidding. Sounds like a treat

 

[mrjantzen]

What happens to the other 15%? Did you ever see the movie "Soylent Green"? (probably not)

Yes, I saw Soylent Green. I am an old geezer too!

 

[Paul B]

Good movie. Anything with Edward G Robinson in it has to be good. I liked his line in "The Ten Commandments". "Wheres Your Moses Now" .

 

[Paul B]

Nice view of the back of my tank and my impeccable electrical work.

That orange bucket has a DIY leak detector for my DIY skimmer (not likely) There is a "probe" in the bucket connected to the GFCI outlet so if it gets wet, it turns off the power to the pump that feeds the skimmer. I use that method anywhere I feel there may be a leak and shutting off power will "fix" the problem. Very simple (if illegal but who cares) I normally use that system on my hot water heater, it turns off an electric valve that feeds the boiler if it detects water under it.

 

[Paul B]

A film crew from Long Island News 12 is coming here on February 17th to film the meeting of me and Cathleen. I don't know when it will air yet.

Maybe they will want to make a movie. Brad Pitt can play me and Scarlet Johansen can play Cathleen the girl who sent me the Christmas card in Vietnam

 

[Paul B]

So this year I am changing the way I donate the money from my book to the MS society. I used to wait until I got $500.00, then I would donate that. But I can't figure out Amazons web site so I will just wait until the end of the year when they send me the W2 form for my taxes.

I just got it and the book made $640.00 this year after I donated that first $500.00 so that is what I will donate. I will post the receipt when they send it to me.
I want people to know I am not keeping any of it.

 

[mrjantzen]

So this year I am changing the way I donate the money from my book to the MS society. I used to wait until I got $500.00, then I would donate that. But I can't figure out Amazons web site so I will just wait until the end of the year when they send me the W2 form for my taxes.

I just got it and the book made $640.00 this year after I donated that first $500.00 so that is what I will donate. I will post the receipt when they send it to me.
I want people to know I am not keeping any of it.

I bought your book a couple years ago. Great info and even better stories. Recommend for anyone who likes this thread.

 

[Paul B]

Mrjantzen thank you but I think only you and I read this thread, thats why so many of the posts are just weird.

 

[mrjantzen]

Paul, we like weird! Keep it up!

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Mrjantzen thank you but I think only you and I read this thread, thats why so many of the posts are just weird.

Every Paul I know is weird, that why we're the best. The street I grew up on, had myself, my Dad, the guy across the street and one of his sons and the next door neighbor, all named Paul.

 

[Paul B]

Mrjantzen and Paul, I forgot about you, so there are 3 of us.

I spoke at your club meeting in 2016. If anyone remembers. We have a couple of friends there that my wife knows since grammar school. It was fun.

I think the last place I spoke was New Jersey. Too bad the woman who is coming here in 2 weeks for the interview isn't into fish because she comes from the Jersey shore.

 

[Cpage101]

I’ve been reading this since day 1 @Paul B. The meeting you spoke at was at a VFW in Peabody. I remember it very clearly. It was a great presentation and a good meeting turnout. BTW @Paul B. @BiGGiePauls33 & @mrjantzenwe we are all weirdos in this hobby one way or another.

 

[Paul B]

The street I grew up on, had myself, my Dad, the guy across the street and one of his sons and the next door neighbor, all named Paul.

Paul, we also have a Saint named after us.