One Dumm Hikks Blog

[OneDummHikk]

Here it is 2 hours later and I can't sleep. I got home and took my medicine, I couldn't stay awake for 10 minutes and I was asleep. That was only one of the meds. I took all three and now I can't sleep and one of them is a sleeping pill. Sheesh.

[OneDummHikk]

I can't name all the people one at a time and I won't try. But, to all the people who have asked about my surgery, about my back, either in public or in PM'es, I want to THANK YOU. It helps keep my spirits up and makes me feel better knowing people are thinking about me. Thank you to all of you and may your blessings be returned to you ten-fold.

[OneDummHikk]

Today was another typical day for me where I didn't get a lot done. We did get the strips cut but now I have to cut some circles. I hadn't really thought about how to do it until today even though I have known for years how to cut a perfect circle. Such is life.

[OneDummHikk]

Today was what I think of as "catch up" days where my back catches up with me. It was a day of rest for me where I didnt do anything but try to rest from the last few days. Still working on my jig for a skimmer though.

[OneDummHikk]

Why is it that when you ask advice on how to do something in particular, people tend to want to talk you out of it and tell you why its a bad idea? Even I seem to fall prey to that trap. If a person wants to do something, even if its a detrimentally bad idea, should you simply tell them its a bad idea and still try to help (as long as its not illegal or similar) them do what they want or just spend all your time telling them why they should do it differently?

[OneDummHikk]

It seems as though Home Depot has stopped carrying a particular fitting that I need so I spent most of the day today hunting two things. 1) A source for the fitting, 2) a source for acrylic. I think the fitting will be found first. I found one store that wants 400 bucks for a 1/2" sheet of acrylic. I asked if it was cast or extruded. His reply? "I don't know because in 10 years I have never been asked". Hillbillyville I tell ya!

Guess I will try to order my fittings online (local was a waste of time) and will check on acrylic in nearby towns as the people in this town lack the mental capacity to know what I am hunting.

[OneDummHikk]

Another one of my days where I can't figure out whats going on. I woke up sweating in my room where I had the windows open to cool it off. It was around 70 in here. It was the medicine wearing off. It seems to happen when both wear off at the same time. I wonder if its a side effect of the two combined.

[OneDummHikk]

I got my tap bit yesterday. Today I tapped 12 1/2" CPVC male adapters. Part of a denitrifying project I am working on. Tomorrow is on to try to finish my 24" tube project but not sure about the circles. They are giving me trouble. My "helper" (brother) had to work late today but supposed to be off early tomorrow. If not, Saturday or Sunday. No big hurry.

[OneDummHikk]

I should start a build thread on my skimmer pieces but I am too lazy to take pictures of it. I did get the preliminary jig made for a 24" diameter tube. Anybody that thinks a 24" tube isn't big is nuts.

I got a big scare today from my back. I felt a "knot" on it that felt like swelling. I asked my sister-in-law and she said it was swollen. Turns out it was the bandage over my steri-strips and it wasn't swollen. Whew!

More later, just got home a little bit ago.

[OneDummHikk]

Today was a setback for my back. It was stiffer than normal and a lot sorer than normal so I spent a lazy day piddling.

[OneDummHikk]

Today was another typical day for me. I did spend some time with my brother playing cards. A game called Phase 10 Twist. Neat game.

While at his house, we did make the initial jig for a 12" DIY tube. Its all nailed together. Have to spin it now to sand it round and then it will be time to try to make a tube. We decided to do the 12" tube first so that it isn't using up as much material if something goes wrong. I didn't get any pictures but I don't have a camera that I can use with my PC. The camera I have takes floppy disc (Its old) but it takes good pictures.

I had a hard time sleeping last night so tonight I am trying my Soma again. It makes me sleep but not sure how my doctor is going to react tomorrow when I call and tell them what I did. I can't sleep because I can't get comfortable so I have to stay up until I simply can't stay up any longer then I go to sleep but I am awake 6 hours later. I would rather sleep from midnight to 6am every day than from 6-7am until 12-1pm.

[OneDummHikk]

I actually managed to sleep last night with the help of a muscle relaxer. I was up at 8am. Yeesh why do people get up this early? Has started out a fairly decent run around day with my insurance company. Typical stuff from them though. Almost lunch time then it will be time to eat and leave for a few hours. More later.

[OneDummHikk]

I thought I had figured out how to sleep at night. I took my muscle relaxer last night (soma) and it put me to sleep. I was asleep early, up at 8am, thought I had it figured out. I took one tonight at 10pm. Its now 12:30 and I am still wide awake. I guess I gotta call my doctor and see if I can get true sleeping pills so I can sleep at night..

[OneDummHikk]

It is almost 2am and I am no closer to going to sleep than I was 4 hours ago. Simply can't go to sleep. I hate this.

[OneDummHikk]

I spent almost 2 hours on the phone with my insurance company today. It seems that any time they have a deadline, that it doesn't matter. They simply come up with an excuse and get an automatic extension. Yet, if I miss a deadline, its too bad, I missed it and I pay for it. What a joke.