Old member returning after a prolonged absence due to health issues.

[mackenzie50]

Excuse the beer mugs , as they're inappropriate now!

[K Simmonds]

Excuse the beer mugs , as they're inappropriate now!

Heya Colin!

Great to see your still about as well mate, thanks for the positive vibes man! Your one the poor ******s who not only got pissed about but also got sent stupid/troubling messages. Again, I really am sorry but as you could probably tell I was in a very dark place.

Hope you and your dog/s are well, I've forgot what you've got now but I do vaguely recall you saying you've gotten another canine friend(s), our poor old Staffy had to put out his misery last year, he'd gotten to 15/6 years old so he'd had a good innings. We've now got another old one, again a rescue, but a bitch this time, she's about 10 and hasn't had a very nice life until now, she lives with my folks as frankly I've been too mental to look after myself let alone an animal.

Things are so much better now I could look after a dog myself but I don't have the strength in my arms ATM to be able to handle a young Staff/cross (my choice of breed) safely when out walking, however that's getting better all the time and I hope to have one at home with me next year. I have so much empathy with animals that I can't loose my temper in front of a pet as I don't want to scare them so having one around full time will do me the world of good.

No worries on the beer mugs my man, I appreciate the sentiment. I don't even want to drink these days and I've got to be able to handle being around alcohol socially as it's everywhere, it's not for me though. As Ozzy Osbourne rightly sung, one drinks too much but ten isn't enough for people like me.

I hope to make it up to Scotland next year in my Audi 100 as I can easily live in that, so much space in the back and it's super comfortable, to do the north coast 500 for about the seventh time as it's my favourite drive as well as part of the world. I'll be sure to give you a shout.

Have you still got an S2 or other old Audi?

[Rikki Kitto]

Remember the doctors are there to push big pharmas products not necessarily get the patient better, where's the profit in that , keep strong eat healthy get lots of exercise and sleep well

[mackenzie50]

Hi again Kit,
no need to apologise!
I felt bad about making a noise when not getting my parts- heaven's it's just metal and £s. Mates are far harder to replace.
Great you've got another pooch- hard to replace former dog though isn't it. Yes, got another Spitz- type beastie, he's 7 now &came from Leeds and needed re-homed.
No S2s but one of those 'modern' (electronically risky!) Audis, 11 yrs old now. It had all the 'chocolate' engine parts and dodgy ancillaries replaced. Best handling car I've ever driven.
Get in touch if you're heading North!

[K Simmonds]

Remember the doctors are there to push big pharmas products not necessarily get the patient better, where's the profit in that , keep strong eat healthy get lots of exercise and sleep well

Tell me about it Rikki, they dish out SSRI,s and other new drugs like sweets, some of which are highly addictive, a lot with with very questionable research conducted by the same company’s that markets the crap…. That’s one of the reasons it’s taken so long to get somewhere near the right meds, the stuff I’m on is pretty old school with no profit in it, I don’t actually take everything they give me, just what I feel I need. And yes, exercise and diet are my main priorities, done 300 sit ups, 700 rep’s with a heavy hand spring on each hand and walked five miles today, some days I do even more. I think the exercise is doing me more good than anything else.

[K Simmonds]

Hi again Kit,
no need to apologise!
I felt bad about making a noise when not getting my parts- heaven's it's just metal and £s. Mates are far harder to replace.
Great you've got another pooch- hard to replace former dog though isn't it. Yes, got another Spitz- type beastie, he's 7 now &came from Leeds and needed re-homed.
No S2s but one of those 'modern' (electronically risky!) Audis, 11 yrs old now. It had all the 'chocolate' engine parts and dodgy ancillaries replaced. Best handling car I've ever driven.
Get in touch if you're heading North!

Nice one Colin, thanks for understanding mate.

I probably get on better with dog's than I do with people to be honest, glad to hear you've rehomed a dog, bet he has great time out in the forestry with you.

Like I said I'm going to take on a rescue Staffy or maybe a cross of my own, depending on what comes up once my arms are both working again. My left elbow is taking forever to heal, at least it is getting better slowly now I've stopped trying to do to much with it. still got to wear a brace the whole time though. The X-rays of my right wrist/forearm taken last week show the bones have nearly healed completely, though it kinda looks like I'm now some sort of bionic robot, a couple of plates and a lot of bolts.

I'll be sure to give you a shout when I'm heading up.

[Error404]

Hey Kit, glad to see you back mate - you were missed.

[Rikki Kitto]

Tell me about it Rikki, they dish out SSRI,s and other new drugs like sweets, some of which are highly addictive, a lot with with very questionable research conducted by the same company’s that markets the crap…. That’s one of the reasons it’s taken so long to get somewhere near the right meds, the stuff I’m on is pretty old school with no profit in it, I don’t actually take everything they give me, just what I feel I need. And yes, exercise and diet are my main priorities, done 300 sit ups, 700 rep’s with a heavy hand spring on each hand and walked five miles today, some days I do even more. I think the exercise is doing me more good than anything else.

We had a nightmare bro for over a year meds really foooked my missis up turned her into a bit of a zombie but all good now using the cbd oils thank god, plenty of fresh air and exercise releases endorphins as you probably know the brains pleasure Chemical. Might sound a bit mad but have you tried cold water swimming

[K Simmonds]

Rikki mate, after a Doctor recently prescribed me a combination of drugs that could quite easily have killed me, which I knew but he didn't, I have close to zero faith in them getting what I need for my head right. I literally had to tell them what drugs I need for myself this time around, after they yet again tried to prescribe new generation SSRI's which I know make me even more prone to psychotic episodes and a totally emotionless zombie when I'm not punching holes in walls etc... Really sorry to hear you wife got F'd up by them, my poor farther also suffers with depression (as did my grandfather on the male side) and has taken whatever they've given him and I know it's made him worse, he even agrees with me finally.

I hate to say it, but I trust my knowledge of psychoactive pharmacology more than a GP's, I've done a lot of research into the field as I want to know what's wrong with me and how best to treat it. That hasn't stopped me from making some very stupid decisions in the past, but that is just that, the past, I'm not going to dwell on that too much as is pisses me off.

If one can get moving then exercise is a great treatment for depression as well as anxiety, get's the body's natural endorphins going and given that they're basically natural opioids (same as morphine etc) produced by the pituitary gland it's not surprising they make you feel better. If I don't go for my daily walk, well it's turned into more of a march now, I feel noticeably worse and can't sleep as well etc. Upper body wise I'm limited to stretching (which is surprisingly good for muscle tone), sit ups and forearm/hand exercise's as it's only been two months since I had multiple broken bones in my arms and my bloody elbow is only just healing now. I'm a strong swimmer, but at the moment would really struggle in the water due to my elbow, I'd end up going round in circles, in seriousness I could probably still rescue myself but it would risk damage. As for cold water swimming I've tried it and don't doubt that it's beneficial but I can't stand the pain in my balls!!!

And Alex, thanks mate, great to see your still on her as well. Hope to catch up in person sometime next year.

[Lago Blue]

Hi Mr. Simmonds,

As I recognize your name from reading old forum posts when digging for info, glad to hear you and you're presence are on the mend. I recognize the mental good it does one to be able to focus, write constructively and thoroughly about one's interests. I can empathize with the sustained effort required to make a journey of this sort. In the spirit of Rikki's suggestion above, I might mention any old decent name-brand mountain bike, suitably tuned-up and equipped might also be low-impact therapeutic fun.

With studded winter tires, fenders and lights, until the snow is heavy and deep I'm more secure and much farther ahead on the bike than when on foot. If the roads are clear, I ride helmeted, mostly both hands-free and sitting upright without having to engage my upper body for much from a lovely Brit bike seat. The frame geometry is such that it absolutely encourages this. Bikes about the same vintage as these cars can be technically deep and found cheap. I've got adjustable air-oil / poly suspension at either end and decent cable operated rim brakes with seasonal pads and an entirely sufficient and precise old-school indexed 8-speed rear mech.

On clear roads, I'm now "no-hands" and going by the seat of my pants uni-cycle style before the second pedal stroke, steering with just upper body placement, just touching the bars for brakes, shifting and brief feet-up stops and uncertainties; but wasn't always. The practice is great for balance and the physical rush gives me a great chance to just let the mind wander whilst holding the "line", and going quickly. Once a week there is the opportunity to meet-up early (still in the dark of late) with a good bunch for an hour's scenic ride, a quick cuppa and home again. I'll ride (or try to!) almost every day right through the dark of winter, it's shorter going that way.

Stay well sir.

[K Simmonds]

Thanks for the good wishes Lago Blue, much appreciated.

The mountain bike suggestion is excellent as I do actually have a very decent 1990's MB tucked away, Shimano XT group set, 21 gears, no suspension, very little to go wrong. It needs a couple of new tyre's/tubes, a brake cable and new pair of pedals as the bearings are shot in the current ones. I've only just about got enough use of both my hands to able fix it myself now, though I'm a little skint ATM, the next spare funds I get should really be spent on purchasing the parts required.

As you say it's low impact, great exercise and make a pleasant change from walking everywhere as I currently do, haven't got to worry too much about studded tyres over here in the UK, though lights would probably be a very good idea now it's winter!

In fact now you've reminded me I'm going to go onto eBay and price up all the parts required to get it fully functional now, thanks for the push in the right direction.

[fzr phil]

sorry to hear you have been through the mill, very courageos to be so frank and upfront about it.
i h

[fzr phil]

ffs!

[K Simmonds]

ffs!

Cheers Phil, there's no point trying to hid it and it makes me feel better being honest.

Just wish I was able to do more with my hands as I have so much to get on with that I can't do ATM, either for fear of setting myself back again or because of restricted movement, I've over done the hand exercises a bit recently and their really stiff, still it'll have done good in the long run.

[Flyinsparks]

Hi Kit

I've just read the whole of this thread and I salute you sir for your honesty and bravery in coming on here and explaining what you had been through. I too misssed out on parts bought from you but Tristan and your mum sorted out a refund for me. I have no need of another apology your past situation makes my small inconvenience exactly that small.
I wish you all the very best for the future which from your attitude looks to be calm and trouble free. Its nice to hear stories of people getting over what could be insurmountable odds and returning back to being pleasant productive encouraging people.
Well done sir.

Kind Regards
Andy