Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
Well, now, lets see... the divorce seems to have made a turn for my favor as she wants nothing (absolutely nothing materially, except for her hand me down heirlooms her parents and grand parents gave her) and only wants 25% of the equity in this home "when and IF" I ever sell it. Now that made me feel much more alive last week and seemed to be able to see daylight at the end of this past goin on 6 months of bullshit with her. Monday (this week) went for a scoot on my HD, just putz'n along enjoying the scenery, clearing my mind as it were. Basically just admiring the views around here ride'n a good 5 to 10 mph under the limit. Snaked my way up a winding road out of a deep river canyon where at the top were some straight aways allowing for some genuine cool down opportunity and a few 90 degree turns. First one is more like a 45 degree turn, but that second is a strict 90. I come up on it and drop a gear way ahead of schedule. Speed limit on that corner is 35 mph. About the time I go to lean into it I'm drop'n another gear to help lower my speed. Just before committing to the corner I glance down and I'm right at 32 mph. So, I commit, lean and part way into the first half of effort a fuck'n deer leaps out in front of me causing me to jamb the rear brake hard as well the front brake causing me to skid. In a nanno second I notice yet another fuck'n deer leaping toward me as well, following the first deer, which now I'm below 32 mph but quickly saw an opening that if executed right I'll slip through clean as a whistle. Well, my friends... that thought was a good one but by the time I throttled to make that happen I missed that first deer entirely but my windshield, turn signal and mirror on my left got smashed by the head of that second deer causing me to do an instant 70 degree twist of my handlebars to the right which leaning to the right already caused me to flip over sideways to my left side flip'n me free of my bike entirely to do a facial body slam on the shoulder (part rocks/sand/asphalt, etc.) and at some point during this ordeal my bike slammed down on my back as I was skidding getting road rash which knocked me unconscious for a few minutes but also broke 10 out of 12 ribs there are on my left side. One of those ribs penetrated my left lung and left me with 25% reduced capacity in that lung for the rest of my life. It's a damn good thing I got a room mate cause I can't get in and out of bed without help, much less take a piss or shit. In fact, I can't even get on and off the couch nor in and out of my own bed even with help. Had to check around craigslist to find someone gracious enough to give or loan me an electric hospital bed I an adjust for get'n in and out of as well varying positions My body cries out for in comfort throughout each night. Meanwhile, my room mate (also a handicap) had an extra wheelchair I could use. So, at this point, after helping her over the past month or two, she's now been helping me learn how to exist and overcome immobile situations. The good news in all this is that my bike fared far better than I did in that wreck. Just cosmetic scratches (I'm told by friends who retrieved it for me and have it in protective custody) and one nice dent in the tank which they thought was odd 'cause whatever dented it wasn't hard enough to leave any scratched paint. I told 'em it was my back it hit. I don't know how, it was all pretty much a blur in my mind, but I know that bike landed "on" me and either it bounced off and away or I bounced off further away, or it forced me to body slide out from under it and skid further away after it hammered me on the ground like it did. So needless to say, I'm semi ambulatory now for the next few months, at least. Yippie fuck'n skippie. And the beat goes on.... and on and on... For gawd's sake... I need a fuck'n break... not an "actual break", DAMMIT!!! And what's with 10 of them fuckers all at once??? Sheesh..... ok.... rant over.
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
Oh yeah... Levis, t-shirt, helmet but no gloves and no leathers at all. Fuck... it was 110 in the shade. I'd have dehydrated and passed out under those extreme temps. LOL.... This ain't my first bike wreck, but it is top of the list of the most stupidest ones I've ever made which could have been prevented, of course, but could definitely have been reduced in severity had I had leathers on regardless the temps.
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
Yeah, leathers. I have the same problem down here. Wearing leathers in the tropics just ain't gonna happen. So I am more careful. I'm too old now for a trip down the road on my face.
I am certainly glad to hear you are up and at it. Well, sort of up and at it; at least you're posting. Being in bed for a while, bored, can be an opportunity. As my energy level declined with both old age, and chronic fatigue syndrome, I began developing myself as a writer. I am at work on a novel. You have an obvious talent as an artist. Maybe you can do some neat stuff while you are recuperating. What I really want to see is that damned bear finished.
Best wishes - Richard
I am certainly glad to hear you are up and at it. Well, sort of up and at it; at least you're posting. Being in bed for a while, bored, can be an opportunity. As my energy level declined with both old age, and chronic fatigue syndrome, I began developing myself as a writer. I am at work on a novel. You have an obvious talent as an artist. Maybe you can do some neat stuff while you are recuperating. What I really want to see is that damned bear finished.
Best wishes - Richard
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
Hey Frank, its good to see your on the mend 
, look after yourself mate.....Here were I live it gets damn hot and humid in summer, and at the very least I always wear a heavy leather vest.
, look after yourself mate.....Here were I live it gets damn hot and humid in summer, and at the very least I always wear a heavy leather vest.When life gets tough, remember: You were the strongest sperm
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
Glad to hear your home Frank. I could never make it out of the parking lot or driveway on a bike, so I just stayed away from them. Sounds like you saved your bike on your back.
We've had a couple close calls with deer hear. The neighbor had one run into the side of his car and put a big dent in it. He said it was running out of the woods so he slowed down. It turned and ran right into him.
Take it easy and heal up. We will keep you in our prayers.
We've had a couple close calls with deer hear. The neighbor had one run into the side of his car and put a big dent in it. He said it was running out of the woods so he slowed down. It turned and ran right into him.
Take it easy and heal up. We will keep you in our prayers.
quando omni flunkus moritati 
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
That trip home was only for a brief spell to allow my body to settle down from the trauma it received. Ended up being 11 ribs broke rather than just 10 as mentioned before. It was as if I'd been floor stomped by an elephant, all but three ribs were shattered on my left backside. The other three ribs were on the front just under the clavicle (shoulder) bone. A few of the back ribs were broken in several pieces. The process to put it all back together again was an experimental method designed by a surgeon that worked at the hospital I was at. Seeing as how VA didn't have the knowhow to do the work they were obligated to foot the bill for the experimental surgery process which allowed VA's surgeons in this area to attend and witness the method during the surgery. This, in turn, allows VA surgeons (now) to up their expertise and offer greater support to patients that undergo such trauma in the future.
Suffice to say I'm all back together again. Came home this past Friday afternoon to finish mending at home. I must say, the past month my mind's been goin through a shit load of soul searching with regard to what I can do from here on out in terms of physical effort. As is, my rib cage (on the left side of my body) is now solidly anchored as an immovable object interlocked with titanium plates and screws. Bones were aligned as anatomically accurate as one could do to a live patient while breathing and heart beating, etc during the surgery. That half of rib cage, now, doesn't bend at all with inhaling and/or movement of the rest of the body. I seriously doubt I'll get back the stamina, flexibility, and strength I once had prior to all this shit happening. Just getting into shape again may (and likely will) have its own limitations to contend with the rest of my life. It doesn't mean I'm throw'n in the towel at all, but have to realistically reassess my life and decide what I can and can't do with what I have left to work with. This bear sculpture will be the end all tell of that tale. If it's beyond my limitations I may have to have it cast and assembled by outside services. If so, I'll likely fall back to sculpting smaller works with volumes similar to a life size dog, and smaller. Question remains how long it would take for what I've done to my body and it being able to heal. As it is, I'm guess'n by end of this winter will be mark to decide whether or not I'll be able to ever muscle the materials to do life size art work. Then again... I'm a firm believer in "mind over matter". So, we'll see in the months ahead how things go.
For quite a while, since my ex walked out without notice nor reason, my mind's been wallowing in pitty mode dwelling on feel'n alone after having had "perceived such a wonderful marriage all 36 yrs prior". I'll tell ya what, though... nothing paints a more clearer picture of what it's like to be truly alone than lay'n in a pool of your own blood along a minimally traveled roadway while drifting in and out of consciousness periodically; come'n to and dwelling on what the fuck caused those deer to appear out of nowhere haul'n ass like they were as if the devil himself was breathing down their necks. In this neck of the woods, to me, that suggests coyotes (in a pack) may actually have been their motivation and drive. Nothing says "chow time" like the smell of blood, though, and guys I'm here to tell ya there was a damn lot of it spilled out on the ground about me. Twice I regained consciousness and worked to pack "squirters" on my arms with clay dirt that were pump'n blood near 1/2 inch in height with every heartbeat from my chest. When I drifted off that second time I knew I couldn't get to my feet at all, much less roll over or onto my side. If coyotes were about there would have been no way I'd been able to fight 'em off. Imagine my surprise, after mentally giving up and just figured fuck it... take a nap, that to my surprise someone's face was next to my own ask'n if I was awake and needed water. That was all it took to recharge me to a point where I could do more assessment of my condition and relay that to him and eventually the paramedics that arrived with the ambulance he called in. Suffice to say I felt like I was down for the count for a while there before that guy and his wife or girlfriend showed up... then the fighter revived itself within me, so to speak, to get back into the fight if only out of spite.
I Had only one visitor in the hospital the entire stay and that was my middle son who lived about 2-1/2 hrs from the hospital I was in. That also put things in a bit clearer perspective and that simply stated implied to me, "stop dwelling on what I've lost and start focusing on what luck and blessings I've been given, i.e., the only surgeon that could do the procedure was there in that hospital and soon to retire; the fact my body has a remarkable ability to heal quite rapidly; I still have enough fight in me to tackle whatever else life throws at me (so long as I don't waste it doing stupid shit); and the fact I still have a strong chance at finishing that bear and once done it becomes "MY CHOICE" whether or not to remain here and try and do more artwork or sell this place and move elsewhere to be closer to my boys, or take on another adventure in life somewhere I've never been before. There are sooooooo many possibilities. I'd much rather dwell on that than waste another second trying to find reasoning in why the ex did what she did without hint or notice. I honestly believe she's incapable of such direct honesty and I'm far better off without such a person in my life any longer. I feel soulfully liberated today, very much like I was when I got out of service.
For now, though, I need to mend. At least another month without physical over exertion. Then will come my regiment of exercise routines that will re-build my upper torso in methodical gradual steps and growing repetitions. After a couple months of that (by mid winter or spring) I'll know if I can do what I could do prior. THEN I can plan on how best to utilize what I've got in resources and body once more.
Meanwhile... nourishment (plenty of it, proteins, veggies, etc.) and rest. Once boredom becomes too much to handle that's when I'll begin the body building.
Cheers, my brothers.... I'll keep in touch.
Fc
Suffice to say I'm all back together again. Came home this past Friday afternoon to finish mending at home. I must say, the past month my mind's been goin through a shit load of soul searching with regard to what I can do from here on out in terms of physical effort. As is, my rib cage (on the left side of my body) is now solidly anchored as an immovable object interlocked with titanium plates and screws. Bones were aligned as anatomically accurate as one could do to a live patient while breathing and heart beating, etc during the surgery. That half of rib cage, now, doesn't bend at all with inhaling and/or movement of the rest of the body. I seriously doubt I'll get back the stamina, flexibility, and strength I once had prior to all this shit happening. Just getting into shape again may (and likely will) have its own limitations to contend with the rest of my life. It doesn't mean I'm throw'n in the towel at all, but have to realistically reassess my life and decide what I can and can't do with what I have left to work with. This bear sculpture will be the end all tell of that tale. If it's beyond my limitations I may have to have it cast and assembled by outside services. If so, I'll likely fall back to sculpting smaller works with volumes similar to a life size dog, and smaller. Question remains how long it would take for what I've done to my body and it being able to heal. As it is, I'm guess'n by end of this winter will be mark to decide whether or not I'll be able to ever muscle the materials to do life size art work. Then again... I'm a firm believer in "mind over matter". So, we'll see in the months ahead how things go.
For quite a while, since my ex walked out without notice nor reason, my mind's been wallowing in pitty mode dwelling on feel'n alone after having had "perceived such a wonderful marriage all 36 yrs prior". I'll tell ya what, though... nothing paints a more clearer picture of what it's like to be truly alone than lay'n in a pool of your own blood along a minimally traveled roadway while drifting in and out of consciousness periodically; come'n to and dwelling on what the fuck caused those deer to appear out of nowhere haul'n ass like they were as if the devil himself was breathing down their necks. In this neck of the woods, to me, that suggests coyotes (in a pack) may actually have been their motivation and drive. Nothing says "chow time" like the smell of blood, though, and guys I'm here to tell ya there was a damn lot of it spilled out on the ground about me. Twice I regained consciousness and worked to pack "squirters" on my arms with clay dirt that were pump'n blood near 1/2 inch in height with every heartbeat from my chest. When I drifted off that second time I knew I couldn't get to my feet at all, much less roll over or onto my side. If coyotes were about there would have been no way I'd been able to fight 'em off. Imagine my surprise, after mentally giving up and just figured fuck it... take a nap, that to my surprise someone's face was next to my own ask'n if I was awake and needed water. That was all it took to recharge me to a point where I could do more assessment of my condition and relay that to him and eventually the paramedics that arrived with the ambulance he called in. Suffice to say I felt like I was down for the count for a while there before that guy and his wife or girlfriend showed up... then the fighter revived itself within me, so to speak, to get back into the fight if only out of spite.
I Had only one visitor in the hospital the entire stay and that was my middle son who lived about 2-1/2 hrs from the hospital I was in. That also put things in a bit clearer perspective and that simply stated implied to me, "stop dwelling on what I've lost and start focusing on what luck and blessings I've been given, i.e., the only surgeon that could do the procedure was there in that hospital and soon to retire; the fact my body has a remarkable ability to heal quite rapidly; I still have enough fight in me to tackle whatever else life throws at me (so long as I don't waste it doing stupid shit); and the fact I still have a strong chance at finishing that bear and once done it becomes "MY CHOICE" whether or not to remain here and try and do more artwork or sell this place and move elsewhere to be closer to my boys, or take on another adventure in life somewhere I've never been before. There are sooooooo many possibilities. I'd much rather dwell on that than waste another second trying to find reasoning in why the ex did what she did without hint or notice. I honestly believe she's incapable of such direct honesty and I'm far better off without such a person in my life any longer. I feel soulfully liberated today, very much like I was when I got out of service.
For now, though, I need to mend. At least another month without physical over exertion. Then will come my regiment of exercise routines that will re-build my upper torso in methodical gradual steps and growing repetitions. After a couple months of that (by mid winter or spring) I'll know if I can do what I could do prior. THEN I can plan on how best to utilize what I've got in resources and body once more.
Meanwhile... nourishment (plenty of it, proteins, veggies, etc.) and rest. Once boredom becomes too much to handle that's when I'll begin the body building.
Cheers, my brothers.... I'll keep in touch.
Fc
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
Fc,
Good report. We were with you. Mite kept everyone advised through private messages. You are a very smart man to get away from those doctors as soon as you can, but also to make use of them when you have to. Keep posting. I am interested in your progress.
Richard
Good report. We were with you. Mite kept everyone advised through private messages. You are a very smart man to get away from those doctors as soon as you can, but also to make use of them when you have to. Keep posting. I am interested in your progress.
Richard
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
Stasha has been in touch with me and probably Mike, when she would send me an update, Mike would send out a message at the same time. Hope you heal up quickly. Is the Titanium permanent or will the take them out sometime? Save it for melting. 
quando omni flunkus moritati
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
Those titanium strips are forever a part of me, Jammer. Doc says titanium won't trigger airport security screening but there's where ole' Doc loses touch with reality. Those scanners pick up anything more dense than bone. I'll no doubt have to get a card to present prior to screening to advise them what to expect on the monitor screen. Nevertheless, they'll still demand to do a grope and feel every time I go through one, no doubt. Just means I need to ensure I get to screening ahead of time each time I fly is all.
Those plates they used have a mixture of slots, holes for screws, and tabs extending about 3/8" along each side. They position the rib pieces where they belong in connection to one another then use a crimping tool to bend those tabs around each rib piece, then they screw them down good and tight. The bone continues to grow together and actually grows through those slots and excess holes unused by screws which over time those plates will pert near disappear beneath new bone growth. The only thing that bothers me is that there is no longer any flex to that side of my rib cage. If I take another blow like I did recently you can imagine the damage that will cause and likely either kill me, or damage that area of ribs to a point where they'll have to figure something else out to either fix it or replace the entire set of ribs with something else new some visionary invents in that meantime. I think I'll just slow down and be a bit more cautious in what I do from here on out. Not give'n up... just more like give'n in to making this situation last what years I have left to enjoy.
Those plates they used have a mixture of slots, holes for screws, and tabs extending about 3/8" along each side. They position the rib pieces where they belong in connection to one another then use a crimping tool to bend those tabs around each rib piece, then they screw them down good and tight. The bone continues to grow together and actually grows through those slots and excess holes unused by screws which over time those plates will pert near disappear beneath new bone growth. The only thing that bothers me is that there is no longer any flex to that side of my rib cage. If I take another blow like I did recently you can imagine the damage that will cause and likely either kill me, or damage that area of ribs to a point where they'll have to figure something else out to either fix it or replace the entire set of ribs with something else new some visionary invents in that meantime. I think I'll just slow down and be a bit more cautious in what I do from here on out. Not give'n up... just more like give'n in to making this situation last what years I have left to enjoy.
Re: Commisioned Life Sized Grizzly Sculpture
It's day 12 of September... yesterday felt wonderful... caught a chill mid day, wrapped up in a blanket and watched TV. Come bedtime I was cold and couldn't seem to get warm at all. Even dressed in sweat pants, socks and sweater plus a sheet and blanket. About 1 am I caught a caugh that wouldn't stop... one of those tickle coughs that makes ya cough so hard you damn near throw up. Gawd what a nightmare that was... repetitive coughs and near gagging each time. My ribs were scream'n in pain and the damn chills wouldn't cease. By morning I was dead tired and had absolutely no sleep whatsoever. Today I've been mope'n about like an invalid. Ribs ache'n terribly bad, hardly able to catch my breath at times. Chills, though, have subsided... thank God. Appetite is minimal, though. My gut hurts have'n food in it. All I want to do is lay down and cover up but I can't get comfortable... every damn rib in my chest is give'n me fits. God I hope tonight goes better than last night. So, back to watch'n Tv again. Was gifted a terrific miniseries called "The Pacific", a well made film (six CD's) made in the same way as Tom Hanks "Saving Private Ryan" was filmed. Tom Hanks directed this series, too, but didn't play a part as an actor. Awesome depiction of the Marines opposing the Japanese at Guadacannal, and several other islands, basically following a unit of marines from enlistment through the horrors of war and how they changed dramatically from what they were like when they enlisted to when they survived and got sent back home. Explains a lot about my own father from his service in Europe against the Germans, then later serving in Korea against an enemy in the thousands at each confrontation. I can only, now, Imagine what nightmares he went through at home decades later that I had to wake him from 'cause I was the only one quick enough to do it and not get hit. Anyway.... time to vegetate and get engrossed in another session of "The Pacific". Cheers, guys..... can't wait till my body heals, I'm get'n so damned bored and feel'n worthless.