New 2015 'praying mantis' home. Have some questions and comments

[elp_jc]

I thought you weren't posting, because you were on he road to Big Bend.

Hey Ted, that was exactly the plan buddy. He he. But I'm glad this thing hit me a day before leaving. Acute anemia is getting out of the dangerous stage, and hoping a couple more days does the same for the interstatial pneumonia, so I can go home and start the new fight there. So yes, my Connie sits with 66 miles on the clock waiting to stretch its legs. Soon my brothers. Soon . Thank you for all the good wishes gang; I'll beat this thing for sure. And the odds are pretty good too.

[Conrad]

Thanks buddy. You need both manuals to catch the difference .  Well, fighting for my life with an acute pneumonia and the rare hairy-cell leukemia diagnosis (cause unknown) after being healthy as a horse all of my 53 years. But can't wait to get out of the freaking hospital, get on with chemo, and ride again. Hope ALL of you are having a better weekend than me. Ha ha. Have a good one.

I'm really sorry to hear this, get well soon man!

[connie_rider]

If you want, I'll be happy to come up there and help out.
For instance; Will gladly break in your new toy for ya.. <sly grin>

Keep you head up and get well.
Note; Your already on my prayer list. (as I pray for anyone on a Lime green Bike)
         But, next time I speak to the Boss, I'll add a line or 2, "to assure" that you get well...

Ride safe, Ted

[elp_jc]

If you want, I'll be happy to come up there and help out.

Yeah, right! Ha ha. Getting chemo in a few moments, even with my weakened state, but time is of the essence. Hope to go home tomorrow. Chemo is cumulative, so I'll get worse as time passes, therefore, other than getting home tomorrow, riding my bike 10 miles, filling up the tank, and stabilizing the fuel, will have to put it away for at least 2 months. No sense risking a crash and bleeding to death with no platelets. Should be fully well by the national, so looking forward to meeting you folks. It's a 6-week treatment once a week for 2 hours (intravenously), then 4-1/2 months of rest, then another round of 6 and that's it. Wish me luck. I'll spend lots of time at home, especially as I get weaker, so will spend some time reading and posting. Will keep you posted. The good fortune is I work from home, and only 5 months of the year, and I'm basically done, so the next 7 are vacation, and will have lots of time to heal well. I'm a skinny guy, so hope I don't lose too much weight. This week in the ER put about 5 lb, so that was good. GET YOUR ANNUAL PHYSICALS, and any marginal results, dig deeper. Everybody missed my cancer, even as late as a week ago. No symptoms from the cancer at all. Only the second clinic found out after dealing with the pneumonia (which thought was a viral infection). Learn from my experience .

[kwakrider]

Best of luck mate...wish you a full and speedy recovery!

[tweeter55]

Good luck elp. Keep the positive attitude. You know (and I speak for myself)weI can be somewhat rubbing on this forum, but when it comes to the health of our fellow 'biker brothers', there is one thought, "get the  better!!!

[AlbertaDoug]

Hope all goes well with your health battle.
Riding is the best therapy more smiles per mile

 
Thoughts are with ya brother.

[lather]

Best of luck brother.

[elp_jc]

Hey brothers, first bout with chemo was great, with basically zero side effects. Hope it's a trend with the rest, but know things will probably get progressively worse as the treatments pile up. We'll see. But it was an encouraging start .

Big favor. Hospital told me I could die of a blood transfusion if blood is not 'irradiated', and to buy a 'medic alert', or some crap like that. I've never been to a hospital before in my life, so also learned I'm blood type A+ (quite common), so I'd also add that there. I remember seeing threads where to buy those things on BMW forums, but it's been a while. I think it's something you stick to the helmet, with a medical cross or something. I have a Shoei X-12 that also has red tabs to pull padding without having to remove helmet. Maybe next to those? Source where to buy and location where to stick it would be appreciated. Many thanks.

[maxtog]

buy a 'medic alert', or some crap like that. I remember seeing threads where to buy those things on BMW forums, but it's been a while. I think it's something you stick to the helmet, with a medical cross or something. I have a Shoei X-12 that also has red tabs to pull padding without having to remove helmet. Maybe next to those? Source where to buy and location where to stick it would be appreciated. Many thanks.

"Medic Alert" is an organization that maintains electronic records and also provides ID bracelets or necklaces for people with medical conditions (asthma, diabetes, life-threatening allergies,  epilepsy, etc) to wear.  It greatly helps speed medical treatment when the wearer can't speak or is unconscious or altered in some way.

http://www.medicalert.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MedicAlert

It helps medics and ER doctors know who you are and what special conditions you have.  I have never heard of a medic alert ID for a helmet.   But searching finds some products similar to that concept:  http://www.rescuefacts.com/  Still, the standard is to wear a bracelet or necklace.

[just gone]

Not a Medic alert (which is probably better) but it sounds like you are referring to these.

http://www.medicaldatacarrier.com/package-types/powersports/

http://www.medicaldatacarrier.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/PowerSports_Packaging_White.pdf



I think these were given out in the welcome packets at the COG National in Idaho a couple of years ago. They come in black
or white so they can be easily spotted on your helmet.

However it looks like this one from Amazon would be easier to obtain quickly. http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Vital-Medical-ID-Cycling/dp/B001DZLEVK

[elp_jc]

But searching finds some products similar to that concept:  http://www.rescuefacts.com/

That's EXACTLY what I was looking for; many thanks man. I'm not wearing a stinking bracelet or necklace; never had and never will (can't stand them). Ha ha. And I don't have a life-threatening condition requiring that IMO; it's only if I ever need a transfusion, blood needs to be irradiated. Will buy one of those things for each of my cars, and for the helmet. Problem solved. Thanks again for your great help.

[elp_jc]

it sounds like you are referring to these.

Indeed, my friend. Didn't see your post. Those are stuck to the helmet, right? Aren't the ones posted by Maxtog look better? They seem to be attached by Velcro, therefore removable if you change helmets or something. And they also make them for the seatbelts on cars. The only thing I'm not sure is if they're going to bother me while wearing the helmet. If somebody has any experience with either one, please post. Those stick-ons might detach over time (and rain), I presume. Thank you all for your super help. Went to the doc today, and gave me encouraging news, making much better progress than expected, so am quite happy. Not nearly out of the woods of all the complications I have, but getting there. Once just the cancer, I'll beat the crap out of it. Ha ha.

[Deziner]

Hang in there.

[connie_rider]

Great news on your progress!

We'll be looking for you
          and the

Incredible /Glowing-GREEN-Machine      on the road!

Ride safe, Ted

[rhhall]

Big favor. Hospital told me I could die of a blood transfusion if blood is not irradiated.

Irradiated blood reduces the chance of a transfusion reaction due to things like white blood cells from the donor. Pretty common practice with someone that has a compromised immune system. IMHO I might rethink the bracelet/necklace thing in case you are caught out in Bumdiddle, TN or somewhere where irradiated blood may not be readily available. It's not a big deal to irradiate blood but some smaller facilities may take a few hours to procure it from an outside source. Heal fast man. Riding weather is soon approaching. Love the green!!!

[maxtog]

IMHO I might rethink the bracelet/necklace thing in case you are caught out in Bumdiddle, TN or somewhere where irradiated blood may not be readily available.

+1.  No worse than wearing a watch or something. Or at least carry a prominent card in your wallet, just in case.  That way you have something on you at all times indicating what you need.  EMT's are trained to look for medic alerts and cards in wallets.

http://www.medids.com/free-id.php#.VPFJ1x2Q5hE
http://www.americanmedical-id.com/extras/product_walletcard.php

[elp_jc]

Irradiated blood reduces the chance of a transfusion reaction due to things like white blood cells from the donor. Pretty common practice with someone that has a compromised immune system.

That's exactly what my wife read. I definitely have a compromised immune system now, but am not going anywhere until I get out of all the complications I have now. Haven't bought any of those tags because it's possible once healed, I don't need irradiated blood. Will ask the hematologist/oncologist on Monday, before my 2nd chemo treatment. Hope that's the case, so I'm back to being a normal person. Well, maybe I can't donate blood anymore since you never get in full remission with leukemia (for what I read). But will also ask the doc. Have so much crap and bills now that I'll get to that later; no rush . Not to mention our canceled trip to south america that will cost me thousands to cancel. Oh well. As long as I get my health back, I don't give a crap. Ha ha. Have a great weekend ahead gang.