Month: November 2007

  • Blood Works

    Did that sound like a movie?  Anyway... I got the results back from all those tests that I took about 3 weeks ago at the hospital.  My doc went over them with me at my Tuesday appointment.  It seems like I'm doing really well.  Woot!  My A1C was fantastic, as are my daily blood sugar tests, and it would appear that I'm not a diabetic if they didn't already know that I was diabetic.  Cool!  My liver and kidney functions are good.  The blood gases were on the low end of the scale, but acceptable.  This is where the doc thought I might have a real problem since I worked in a chemical plant for years and I was also the Captain on a Rescue and Confined Space team (usually wore a SCBA).  So my lungs are NOT shutting down due to some chemically induced problem.  I also smoked for about 2 years after the accident because the menthol cigs would ease up a migraine (only did about a 2 packs a month).  So other than the migraines, and the metal stuff in me, I'm doing pretty well.  I had also lost another 10 pounds.  Woot!

    I asked the doc if the extreme pain from the migraine (and/or seizure) that I had that day could short-circuit my pea brain windings and cause it to send out all kinds of mixed signals to the rest of my body.  He is of the opinion that it wouldn't happen that way, but he's not sure.  IMHO, the human brain is much more complex than most want to admit.  If I can lower my body temperature by using biofeedback techniques, then why can't my brain do other amazing things that are not caused by problems in the body?  You know, the brain gets overwhelmed by the sheer pain of a horrendous migraine and sends out some signals that are not necessarily good for the body, but cause some things (like the blood tests) to come up with strange numbers.  It's like a seizure: the docs know pretty much how the seizure works, but they still don't know "why".

    [insert spiel for Tai Chi Chuan]

    UPC

    It's funny, or may not be funny but kinda' weird, but ElevenStones mentioned that he wondered about being bar coded to save time at the hospital.  I had just mentioned that to the Registration Nurse at the local hospital the other day when I was there.  Hey, they have the bar code on the nice bracelet that they attach to the hairs on your arm, why not just get it tattooed on and save the hairs?  I would mention something about our minds, but I don't want to insult ES!  LoL!

    Oh, and when I mentioned to someone else about getting the bar code tattooed on me, they mumbled something about the mark of the Beast.  Hmm...

    I was also wondering, since I swipe all the bar codes on everything that we purchase for Shopper's Hotline, if every single bar code is unique for every single item.  Could a door knob at Home Depot have the same code as a can of tomato soup at Kroger's?  Or are they all unique?  I guess I'll have to do some more reading.

    Shopper's Hotline

    If you would like to swipe your purchases, you can join Shopper's Hotline.  We swipe everything we purchase, plug the gizmo into its slot, and it sends out the info from the bar codes to Shopper's Hotline.  There are rewards for doing that, and I've got like $20 on a debit card to spend, plus there's monthly drawings, and all kinds of stuff.  If someone joins using my referral number, then I get an extra $25 on my debit card.  So, now you're really wanting to join.  Right?  Right?  LoL!  If you do, then copy my number down to give as a referral, 065121780, then call 1-877-999-2949 and ask for Operator 10.  Of course you must be eligible for it to count as a referral.  The small print: "Eligible is defined as at least 18 years old, a U.S. resident (not living in Alaska or Hawaii), not a current member of your household, not a former or present Shopper's Hotline Member.  Membership is limited to one per household."

    Sinus Infection

    The drugs to make me all better and the cough medicine to chill out my bronchial tubes is chilling me out.  Wow, I think oblivion will come whether I want it or not. 

    Why is it that I think short blog and it end up always being long?  Maybe it's the only time that I can feel like I can say what I want to say!

    The FogWalker goes to the safety of the recliner...

  • Rainy Moanday

    The barometer is beating me up again.  I can't take its rollercoaster ride.  But when it bottoms out, then I'll be okay.  That's when everyone else say, "oh, dreary day" and they act like it's lousey.  Then I'm all feeling great and ready to go.  So what do people do when it's raining?  I mean, besides singing.  LoL!

    And the temps today got up in the mid 50sF.  Wow!  I thought it was winter. 

    [whine]

    Explain a Migraine

    Someone asked me how it really felt to have a migraine.  She said she had a migraine this past month, and wondered if hers was like mine.  I think she were really trying to understand (for a change 'cause most people really don't want to know).  To understand fully, one would need to either have them like me, or spend alot of time with me, or take the time and try to understand by asking.  I just can't explain it in 5 minutes and that's it.  And she really didn't want a 5 minute answer, which really surprised me since most people don't want a 5 minute answer, they want a less than 30 second answer.

    I told her that I wouldn't belittle her pain, because I bet it was pretty bad, and I can't feel hers like she felt it.  But then again, one day of pain is nothing like everyday of pain.  See, it already doesn't make sense, does it?  Let's say that you have a really bad migraine....you can't see straight, every beat of your heart hurts your head, the light hurts, talking hurts, any noise hurts, motion hurts, eating hurts, coughing really hurts and throwing up makes you want to end your life....and let's say that it lasts from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed at night....then the next day it's gone.  That sounds pretty bad.  It's a horrible experience that you never want to happen again.

    But what if everyday is like that?  Okay, say that 10 days out of the month are exactly like that, and the other days are only half that bad.  You can't imagine that, huh?  I don't have to imagine that; I know what it's like.  It may seem unbelievable, but I've had 29 days with a zero migraine since the Fog starter (car accident and TBI), and that was 28 January 1998.  If you want to know what's even more unbelievable, then I have a great Hunni that has stayed with me for all that time.  She's the best.

    Pain Scale

    You've seen the pain scale at hospitals, I guess you have.  I think that I invented that, but didn't get credit.  After the car wreck, I had to keep a log of what the migraine pain level was everyday.  Zero is no migraine; I've had 29 of those since the accident.  Here's mine:

    • 1 it is just there and almost pain free (doesn't happen often).
    • 2 & 3 are tolerable with not much interference to the activities of the day. 
    • 4 & 5 starts to interfere with most activities.
    • 6 & 7 interfere with everything (my general state).
    • 8 is sick and I'm not very tolerable
    • 9 is horrendous and I'm getting ready to go to the hospital for a Stadol cocktail, have already taken Imitrex and whatever.
    • 10 is at the hospital (about once or twice a month, in a good month).

    One would statistically guess that the average day is a 5, but statistics has nothing to do with it.  The barometric pressure can change the number.  Looking back at my logs and the average of most months is around 7, give or take a small fraction.  Add to that pain that my body wants to do some strange things when it's 8 or above, then it can be kinda' gruesome.

    So, do you think you can understand?  I think you can understand the numbers, but I don't think most people, like 99.9999% of the people, can understand or really empathize with the migraine.  I'm always told that I'm a harsh person when people say they understand.  Come on, you can't understand that.  Okay, I take that back.  Maybe you can understand, but most people can NOT understand.

    A Little Cheese with that Whine?

    Seems like I've whined again.  Gee!  I'm a wimp, what can I say?  If you've read all this, sorry for the whine.  I like sympathy in a way, but then again I don't like it.  Make sense?  I love empathy, but most can't give it.  Make sense again?  So what would I like to have out of life?  I don't know anymore.  I've actually got the bestest Hunni that can deal with me when I'm not the most like-able guy.  And truthfully, I've got the most caring cat (named Smokey) that deals with me on a daily basis and is always my friend, even if I don't want to do something for him.  He hangs with me in the most unpleasant days, and I mean he really stays right by my side.  He's even bit me when I was having a spell to help me come back out of it; what are friends for?  Yeah!

    You know, I'm pretty fortunate.  I got to spend 5 days last week out camping and hunting.  Yeah, there's 1 evening that I don't remember well and a day or 2 were really a test of endurance.  But all in all, I did get to do what I liked to do, and I enjoyed most of it.

    Today has just sucked, you can probably tell from the whine, but I still survive.  And if you happen to actually meet me someday and rhetorically ask, "How are you?" , you'll get that answer, "I still survive!"  I do just that, survive.  Don't know how or why, just do.  I've named to caregivers that I have, my Hunni and Smokey.  They're the best!  I sometimes think that the will for survival is based upon something that you really want.  With me, it's not that I really want to survive, it's that I want to be with my Hunni, something (sorry for calling her a thing) that is a someone that I really want and want to be with.  Now don't ask me if I always show her that I want to be with her.  Remember a couple of things: one is that pain will make you do things that you don't want to do, and two is that I'm still a guy (that can be bad enough in itself).

    Just for the record, there is a debate that pain will make you do things that you don't want to do.  And maybe that would be a good "thinking" blog someday.  What do you say?  Can pain make you do something you don't want to do?  It's like the question, "why does it always seem easier to hurt the one you love?".   Good topics for someone, someday.

    Now I've gone and started thinking, and my head's hurting worse.  :p

    [/whine]

    The FogWalker goes back to seeking oblivion....where he's been most this day....

  • Spam Spam Spam

    We all love it, huh?  [/sarcasm]  I'm talking about the junk you get in email, the junk that's posted at forums, the junk that's posted in chat boxes or tag boxes, and all those other places.  I think it's only happened to me twice now, but I received a comment from another Xangan that I would consider spam.  It wasn't a comment about my site, or about my comments, it was just a "hi, look at me, I got another site, and I want props and comments and I'm spamming you to get it, blah blah" kinda' post.  If that ain't spam, then I don't know what it was.  And that wasn't a question of doubt, it was one of assurance that it was SPAM.  I started to make a comment at the mentioned site, but that would give her one of her criteria for "starting" her great site.  Geemyknee!

    I was going to leave it and let other people see how stupid some people can be, but I decided to delete it and not give the person an external link to her site.  And maybe she just needs to grow up some and realize that what she did was SPAM!  Hey, I know I'm not the most exciting person to read after... you don't see a zillion comments after my blogs... but cut me a break and don't spam my uselessness with your worse than useless junk.

    I remember the ol' "hey I proppred you, prop me back" comments, too!  Don't you?  Gee, prop this!  sorry...

    Now that I've said all that, I've really forgotten what I was gonna' post about today.  Man, what an exciting life!  LoL!

    The FogWalker goes back to.... well, back to just surfing around... maybe reading some other blogs...yeah, yeah, that...

  • What would you do if you were the last person on earth?

    I would start my quest to find another last person on earth.  Hopefully, that would be a "she" that would like a "he" like me.  I guess at that point in time, good looks and a great personality could be optional.  Then again, I might not have the looks thing down, but my personality would make up for that.  LoL!

    Of course, I don't know what the situation was to make me the last person.  But guessing that I could, I'd turn on the radio or TV to see if anything is running.  Then I'd go down the road to the Hummer dealer and get me a ride.  Next place to visit would be WalMart to get me a good syphon and some supplies.  Next would be a local gun shop to get ammo (I have what I need for protection and hunting, but could always use more ammo).  And Fort Knox is not that far away, so I might visit just to get a bar of gold that would be worth nothing.  Of course, I'd keep my electronics as long as they would last (like players and CDs and DVDs, laptop to waste time, etc.).

    I'd probably next run up to Chicago to the Field Museum of Natural History and stay there for awhile.  I always liked that place.  And maybe run across the street to the aquarium; don't know if I could free the dolphins, but I could try.  I'd hate to see animals starve to death because they didn't have any human caretakers.  With that thought in mind, I'd start visiting zoos and head south.

    I guess I'd visit alot of places that I always wanted to visit, but never had the time or money.  LoL!

    I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!

    Friends

    I was just turned down to be a friend with someone on Xanga.  After I think about it, I've read most of their posts for several years but haven't done much in the way of replies, and I mean haven't done much at all.  I think I used to talk more with his better half, but I don't know where her blog is (if there is one) since they moved to the dessert a long time ago.  I was kinda' shocked at first, but then realized that I'm not the only person on earth and since I'm so quiet on some blogs, I'm invisible!

    Maybe I should say more.... You know, I used to read blogs and then just give some props.  But a long time ago, that didn't seem an appropriate action to do when reading another's blog (just to give props and no comments).  So I quit doing that.  I wonder what people think of it now?

    The FogWalker ponders props...and goes to read some blogs...and then.....

  • Black Friday, huh?

    I really don't care that places mark stuff lower than normal to get more sales.  I would, too.  And I try to take advantage of any sales that I really need (or want).  If we're going to make it against the law, then why didn't we keep the Blue Sundays?  Old joke, I guess.

    ThruTheFog.com

    A very long time ago, like when I started this blog, I tried to get www.thruthefog.com, but it was already taken.  I wrote the guy to offer to buy it, but he had some plans on using it.  It's been run out for awhile, so I bought it.  Now, besides the DMo224.com, you can visit this blog by clicking on http://www.thruthefog.com.  Woot!  I think that I'll open another website someday that encompasses all the stuff about the fog, and not the normal humdrum life that most people read about me, and use that domain name there.  I still go in and out of the fog, but not like when I first started here.  You know what?  Some of the being able to come out has been because of some of the people I visit and read after, and those that have left comments.  I can think of several, but should I mention names like Leah, Sheryl, and Betsy?  I don't want to leave anyone out.

    Thanksgiving Questionaire?

    Is it crazy to answer this thing?  Who sent this to me?

    1. Turkey or Ham?      Ham
    2. What kind of stuffing/dressing do you make?    I don't make it; I just eat it if it is made.  And I like stovetop (is that a name brand, kinda' instant stuff?)
    3. Sweet potatoes or mashed?     Sweet potatoes! 
    4. What time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner?   Usually on Saturday around 3pm.  I'm not home on Thursdays at that time of year for various asundry reasons.
    5. Football or Macy's Parade?     Pass on both!
    6. What's a weird Thanksgiving tradition in your family?   Hunting, if you consider it weird.  Or maybe it's weird of the rest of the family to think about me while I'm gone?
    7. Do you still sit at the kid's table?     I didn't sit there when I was a kid!
    8. Who gets the wishbone?    Whoever wishes it.
    9. Is there anything better than a turkey sammich on the day after?   Sammich?  Yeah, there's better.
    10. Do you nap on the sofa or in your bed?     Neither; it's usually in the recliner.   
    11. Who makes the food usually?    Definitely not me; people would starve waiting on me to cook, unless you count MREs.  
    12. Do you miss your mom's stuffing?   No, I like my Hunni's better.
    13. What do you drink w/ Thanksgiving dinner?     Water, or diet pop.
    14. Do you go to more than one person's house for Thanksgiving?    Usually not.
    15. What do you do the day after Thanksgiving?   Answer goofy surveys like this one.  Nothing special.
    16. Do you hit the Black Friday sales?    Only if someone tells me about one that has something that I want, and then I still ask my Hunni to go for me.
    17. Ever been in a fight over an item on Black Friday?  No
    18. What's your most embarrassing Thanksgiving story?    Thinking.... can't come up with one right now.
    19. Do you put your Christmas decor up before or after Thanksgiving?   Neither; I don't put up Christmas stuff.
    20. Does everyone get along at Thanksgiving?   Yeah.  I'm smart enough not to go where I won't get along.
    21. Have you ever spent Thanksgiving away from your family?    If you're talking about the Thursday and not the week, probably more than most people.
    22. What's the best kind of pie? Is there a bad pie?  Pumpkin, just because it's expected.  I don't know if there is a bad pie, even though I do remember the first pie my Hunni made (I walked in the house and everything was white, including her...she used about 10 pounds of flour with that first pie!).
    23. Ever wonder who thought to put marshmallows on top of sweet potatoes?   I always thought it was the cook.
    24. What's up with green bean casserole?    The same that's up with vegetable casserole, rhubarb casserole, and all those casseroles!  Umm, umm, good!
    25. What are you thankful for?  My God (no, not an expletive), my Hunni and family and extended family, I gotta' quite this list or I might get teary-eyed.  I'm thankful for alot!

    Now that I've answered that thing, my font is messed up.  Geemyknee!  So I had to go back and switch things back.  Oh well, the wonders of modern html!  LoL!

    The FogWalker needs to do some other things....maybe they'll get done this WEEK.... maybe not... but maybe...

  • Happy Thanksgiving!


    The Ninja Buck

    The Ninja Buck has again proven his prowess.  He has successfully evaded me for four days.  Or, his careful use of disguises has led me to believe that I didn't see him.  And since I didn't see him, I wasn't able to test his keen senses and abilities with my .30-06!

    Of course, I'm not allowed by law to try my invisibility secrets in the infamous rifle season.  I partially used them in the bow season, but was discovered by the Ninja Buck.  I wanted to use them to the fullest this week, but the law requires that I wear 400 square inches of blaze orange.  I do wear a vest that contains the required orange in a camo pattern with black.  It makes me not feel quite like a light bulb in the woodsEveryone has their opinion about it, but personally I dislike having to wear it and I think that the statistics prove that it has not been an effective aid in saving lives taken in hunting accidents.  If it were effective, then the ratio of hunting accidents should have gone down (ratio of number of hunters compared to the number of hunters involved in accidents during that particular season).  Maybe that happened in some state somewhere, but it hasn't happened in all of 'em.

    Hey, you can't shoot me if you can't see me!  But that's just me....

    I saw smaller bucks and does, but not the 6 pointer Ninja Buck.  I did some more exploring and did find his rub line up to and past the place where I sat all day in ambush, only not to see him.  I don't know if he used his disguise skills to watch me watching for him, or if he just didn't pass by me that day.  After one day of sitting, I moved out in stealth mode the next couple of days.  Still, no Ninja Buck.  One little spike walked within 30 yards of my position and never saw me.  Was my prowess good at that time, or did he know that I was looking for his master?  Too many deer too close, but I waited on one that I never saw.

    So the saga will continue next week when I go back over to his territory and search for him yet again.  He wins the battle this time, but we'll see who will come out on top of this test!

    My 87 YO Dad Scores!

    I might mention here that my 87 year old Dad did harvest a button buck (hunter's choice if you have an antlerless permit).  I think it's pretty good that he gets out, hunts, and does what he can outdoors.  Congrats to the ol' man!  And I did come home early so we could process the hunting party's game (just none of them mine).

    The FogWalker goes to rest.... maybe ponder on next week's match up of skills.... maybe not...

  • Evil Inventions

    There are some inventions, meant to be good, but they're evil.  I wrote about one a long time ago, and that's cling wrap, plastic wrap, whatever you want to call the cursed stuff that will cling to a bowl so tightly the first time when my Hunni puts it on, but it will not cling to anything but itself when I gt in the bowl and try to put it back.  It's evil I tell you!

    Or maybe it's one of those things invented by a woman just to frustrate a man!  What do you think?

    Another one of those inventions is the anti-fog shower mirror.  It's a highly polished piece of metal that won't fog up under normal conditions and that's great.  However, droplets of water make it hard to see my reflection.  Okay, I shower AND shave in the shower.  I shave first and then wash.  Anyway, I spray water down the mirror and it is a great reflection of my face (even though my face isn't that much to look at but that's another story).  After a few seconds, the water splits like the Red Sea with Moses right down the middle, leaving the little droplets that make seeing a clear reflection impossible.  Another spray of water on it and it's reflecting great; right up until I'm make a second stroke with my razor down my face.  Then the water splits, the droplets make multifaceted images, and I can't see to shave.  Spay the blasted mirror again, try to get in a quick couple of strokes, and I cut myself from hurrying.

    By this time, I've again declared it an evil invention.  Then I wonder if that's another one of those things that women invent to frustrate men.  Okay, you can argue that point, but since it was a gift, I began to wonder.

    I remember from Chemistry that water has a couple of properties, cohesion and adhesion.  Cohesion means that it will stick to itself, such as when water droplets gather and run down a glass.  Adhesion means it sticks to other things, like the glass.  Water also has surface tension which will help it to stay together in a horizontal plane.  So why does this stuff work for a little while in the vertical plane and then quit right when I'm trying to shave?  The answer is gravity.

    But then I did an experiment and sprayed water on the anti-fog shower mirror.  I watched it stay a very smooth reflective surface for 5 minutes.  Then I picked up my razor to shave.  I made sure Moses wasn't standing in the bathroom raising his rod and making the water split, because it split, formed the little droplets in the middle, and frustrated the "stuffing" out of me.  If I only cussed...that mirror would have got an ear full...but it doesn't have ears, so what the heck!

    So, now I'm in the habit of spraying the mirror with the hand-held shower head while it's in my left hand and the razor in my right and trying to shave.  Of course, I've already lathered up my face.  I have a couple of strokes, then spray the mirror, shave some more, argh, it's ridiculous.  Especially since when I'm not shaving it stays nice and smooth without the droplets.

    Oh, and on top of that, yesterday that blasted mirror decided to let go of the side of the shower while I wasn't looking.  When it hit the bottom, it scared me so bad that I jumped in the already wet and slick shower, and almost fell through the glass shower doors.  I'm glad I didn't have a club in the shower for I might have destroyed it all.

    Ninja Buck

    I saw him again, but he was too far to shoot at with my bow and arrow.  He had decided not to test me again.  However, I'll be leaving this weekend to test him again Monday morning.

    The FogWalker ponders the mysterious inventions of life....then sits down to take a nap....

  • Hieroglyphic Code

    The doctor's handwriting has to be just that, some kind of hieroglyphic code!  Yeah, just try to read it!  I had read that order for the test and it looked like TSH, CBe, CMP, ABC's, one for Micro. Albium, lipid
    profile, hBA1C, CXR, Dx Hypoxic, dysime letlungy, DM lype  2, HTW.  So, I only knew a couple.  But godslily, since she works with that stuff, gave me some insight on what it was, which I'm gonna' copy here.  It's interesting, and I don't know how many people read other people's comments.   So, here it is:

    • TSH = Thyroid stimulating hormone, tests thyroid function.
    • CMP = Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
    • CBe = well, this might not be what was written since it was in code, LoL!
    • ABC was ABG = Arterial Blood Gas (and that hurt!)
    • Microalbumin = tests Kidney function (I misspelled this one too)
    • Lipid profile = tests for risk for heart disease
    • hBA1C = Hemoglobin A1C which shows how well a diabetic is managing their blood sugar in the preceding weeks/months
    • CXR was UCXR = urine test (I didn't study for that either)
    • Dx Hypoxic = diagnosis is hypoxia (low oxygen)
    • And I probably didn't decipher the rest correctly so it's hard to tell what they are, but it included a chest x-ray.

    And I am a Type 2 Diabetic.   So there you have it.  The amazing thing is they have a new type analyzer and they don't require a million tubes of blood; it only required one tube of blood.  Also, someone had to come from the respiratory department to do the blood gas test. 

    The Funny Part 

    When I went in for them to draw blood, the nurse asked if a supervisor was going to watch.  They said yes, so she told me that it would be a moment.  I asked if she had ever done this before and I was really afraid of needles.  While she was assuring me that she was experienced and competent, the supervisor walked in and asked if I was really afraid of needles.  I told her that I was deathly afraid.  Another supervisor was in there that I've met before this time and he commented that I couldn't be afraid with the tattoos that I have.  I got a chuckle out of it, but I don't think the other supervisor was convinced, nor did she find it funny.   Okay, so I told her that it wouldn't bother me... then I leaned my head against the wall, closed my eyes, and said "Go ahead."...That didn't help and she really watched.  Hey, why not have a little fun with the people that are sticking needles in your arms and getting blood.  I'm the one hurting.  Well, that one didn't really hurt.  But that blood gas thing did hurt since it went in an artery and not a vein.  I asked about what I had read about it, and the guy really explained why it hurts.  Cool!  I like it when people have time to talk with you, or take the time to explain something.  He told me to keep that bandage on for at least 15 minutes since they really get mad at him when someone takes it off too quick, the blood squirts on the wall, and then they got to clean it all up!  And since it's a biohazard.... hahahaha!

    Cleaned Up

    I got my chest-of-drawers cleaned out and organized (threw holey stuff away), and got the closet cleaned along with the air filter and air purifier.  It was a good day; lots of things accomplished.

    My Surprize

    My Professor in the Martial Arts called and asked if I could stop by his house.  I did, along with another instructor, and he gave both of us a very nice black jacket with our names and style emblem embroidered on the front, AND the emblem in a large size embroidered on the back.  Embroidered now!  It is really nice.  It was his way of showing appreciation for us.  Wow!  I'm impressed and it's very nice.

    New Meds

    The new meds are really working on me and I'm having a hard time with dizziness and being cold.  They say I should be adjusted to it by this weekend.  I hope so, especially since we might get some snow showers tonight.

    A New Friend

    I got invited to be a friend with someone on Xanga, but it seems that she might not want a friend as much as she wants exposure for her business.  I don't mind that someone wants exposure for their business, but this just doesn't seem the right blog place for it.  I don't know!

    The FogWalker goes to put on more layers... then maybe some midday oblivion...

  • The Buck

    Maybe you have read about THE BUCK; the one that exploded my arrow and is still wandering the woods in Wirt County.  Maybe you haven't read about THE BUCK.  So go read the previous entries.  I'll wait....  Okay, moving on.

    Then It Dawned Upon Me

    Maybe it was due to a question asked by godslily.  The beautiful newly wed has deep insight into the mysteries of the  world and asked if that buck could be Ninja.

    Then I pondered.... she must be right! 

    I have a hard time believing in aliens.  After all, they're only made up in Hollywood.  Alien?  But the Ninja, now there's something that is real.  And still hidden from most Western infidels.  Their uncanny skills of disguise, their lightening like reflexes, all their hidden weapons, their ART!  We've seen it on TV; we've read it in books; and I've even met Stephen Hayes, the Father of American Ninjitsu (though some may argue that the arrow catching Ronald Duncan is the Father).

    So it wasn't the Independence Day -like forcefield.  The forcefield would have made a flash when the speeding arrow had hit it, and there was no flash.  Now it becomes clear.

    The Ninja Buck must have trained under one of the American Fathers of Ninjitsu.  He's probably the Master of those woods, protecting the other inhabitants of the forest with his prowess.  That must be it!

    I replay the shot in my mind as I type.  Now I realize that he had spotted me though acting oblivious to my presence.  His coolness was only maintained by his ever-ready vigilance as he approached my concealed spot.  His muscles, though relaxed, were ready to spring into action at the slightest hint of danger.

    With my bow fully drawn, he walked into the kill zone.  The release of the string sent the razor-bladed, chisel tipped graphite arrow towards his heart at an incredible speed.  His keen hearing picked up the gentle whisper of the string moving as it released certain death.  With his super reflexes as if time had come to a standstill, he drew his concealed sword, slashed the arrow into two meaningless and harmless pieces, and slammed the sword home in its sheath.  That was the crack that I heard.  All of that in less than a blink of an eye.  A high speed camera would have only caught the blur of some movement as he saved his own life.

    The Ninja Buck jumped into a deer position and looked around to maintain his disguise as a common deer.  It had me fooled the entire time.  Since no retaliation came in the form of a shuriken through my eye, this warrior buck walks in peace, and still survives.

    I will test his skills even further in the next week.  I'll be back, hidden differently, when an aroma of a doe in heat penetrating the air to see if his self-control is as advanced as it can be.  If I never see him again, then he has bested me with his skills.  He will have won this conflict, but I'll still have enjoyed the hunt.

    Two Weeks From Now

    In a couple of weeks the stakes will raise.  The Ninja Buck will no longer be pitting his skills against a 300 feet per second moving arrow that is 26" long, but against a 3000 feet per second moving .30-06 round weighing in at 150g and only about 1" long.  Then we'll truly see if he is THE MASTER NINJA BUCK!

    If you know what this means, my M70 Winchester eagle claw sniper rifle with rangefinder 3.5x 10 variable scope with 50mm objective has a confirmed at 457 yards.  Just a tidbit for those that understand.

    Then Again

    I got a report from the doctor today about my episode that happened on Thursday, October 25th.  The blood work and the tests did not come back good.  I don't fully understand about arterial blood gases, but the partial oxygen level was at 60 (way too low), the carbon dioxide was at 60+ (way too high), oxygen content was low and the saturation was in the 80s.  Those results can be based on factors of poor lung working (which the docs don't say is the problem), being a diabetic (which I am, but it's in control and not a problem), kidney failure (had passed two kidney stones if that counted), and something to do with the liver.  According to the docs, I don't fit the profile for having those results.

    However, the night of the tests were went I went in for a #10+ migraine and severe pain with a b/p of 185/145.  They said I had a seizure in the emergency room waiting room and took me back for whatever they did to me.  I remember waking up 2 days later with bandaids all over me, along with the blood that had seeped out from under them.

    I think that severe pain can cause things to happen in the body that "practicing" doctors do NOT understand.  When the neurological part goes crazy, wrong signals can be sent everywhere in the body and who knows what will happen with the electric lines all crossed over.

    And now I have a sinus infection, my blood pressure has not sufficiently come down, and my TMJ along with the migraine is trying to kill me.  So there!  I'm a wreck, but I'm still surviving.

    What do I do next?  I got in Thursday morning for alot of tests.  If I could read this thing, it looks like TSH, CBe, CMP, ABC's, one for Micro. Albium, lipid profile, hBA1C, CXR, Dx Hypoxic, dysime letlungy, DM lype  2, HTW.  I can't read that writing, that's what it looks like to me.  I know what a couple are, like the lipid profile and the hBA1C.  I haven't even looked up the others yet.  Another continuing saga!

    The FogWalker heads off to oblivion...

  • Three Bucks

    I previously mentioned that I have seen 3 different bucks in the area where I'm hunting, one of which is a nice Eastern count 6 point.  Okay, so you can't eat antlers, but there seems to be a little more glory to the story when you bag a buck.  Besides that, if it comes down to later in the season and there's no meat on the table, then I'll take whatever I can.

    Really, even if there's nothing tagged and bagged, it's still a successful hunt when you've enjoyed the great outdoors.  I have enjoyed them.  And in my case, it's successful when you survive.  LoL!

    Force Field Buck

    The third time that I saw this 6 pointer, he was going through the same area as previous times.  I had seen other deer and let them walk.  A couple had seen me and decided to run.  However, this buck didn't see me and was walking down a trail that would bring him 15 yards from me.

    Now I practice through the year generally shooting at 20 yards.  I don't shoot from January to March or April and start back practicing around April or May.  I'll shoot 6 arrows every other day until it's October and hunting season has started.  By shooting only 6 arrows at one practice session, I don't make mistakes that are commonly done by shooting too much and becoming tired.  Yes, you do have to pull the bow back and I'm shooting 65 pounds.  When the season came in, I was able to put 6 arrows in a one inch circle every time.  I don't usually shoot in the same circle on my target because I'll end up tearing up the previous arrow's vanes or nocks.

    All that was said to show that I have confidence in my shooting ability.

    Now here comes the buck, oblivious to me.  I'm sure with my placement ability and I wait for him to walk behind a tree so he doesn't see the movement of me drawing my bow.  I'm at complete draw when he emerges on the other side.  The bow is level, the sights are on, and the 20 yard pin is on the heart area.  The release is smooth and the arrow disappears at the target with a loud crack.  The buck bolts, but only runs about 10 yards completely away from me.  I watch with the expectancy that he will soon collapse.

    As I watch, he turns around to survey where he was.  Now I'm hiding behind the tree pulling another arrow from my quiver.  He looks around like nothing is wrong, steps in heavy cover where another arrow won't penetrate and is gone.  Okay, so he could be mortally wounded and walk off like that.  That's not typical for me, but it can happen.

    I wait about 15 minutes before moving, giving him time to lay down or keel over.  While waiting, I mark the spot in my mind where he was standing when I shot and where he stood surveying the area.  Fifteen minutes are up and I slowly move to the first spot.  I can see his kicked out tracks, but there is no blood, nor hair, nor anything other than the tracks to suggest a deer was even in that spot.

    I move slowly to where he stood, following the same route that he moved.  Again, there is no sign that would lead me to my bagged deer.  I didn't even find my arrow sticking in the dirt.  So now my mind is wondering.  What was the loud crack?  Could I have hit him high in the shoulder?  Why is there no sign?  Time to retrace steps, and find the arrow.  Alas, I can't find the arrow nor any sign that would show that this deer had been hit.

    It's time to slowly follow his exit route, which happened to be along a rub line.  About 100 yards out, I jumped him and he ran off.  There is still no sign.  Back to the shooting spot to find that [insert mumbling] arrow!  Upon arrival, there is no arrow.  I followed what would be the line of the arrow if it went over, below, or through this buck.  Nothing!

    Could I have missed the spot where I thought I had shot him?  Okay, I'm going to walk back to my position that was on a shelf above him and get the spot in my mind again.  As I took one step toward my spot, I found my arrow.  Or should I say, I found part of my arrow?  It was laying loosely on the ground on top of the leaves, snapped in half.  So I had not missed him by shooting over or under, and it was obvious since it was on my side of the deer that it had not gone through him.  The half that I found was the meaningful end of the arrow.  The broadhead and the arrow had no blood, no hair, nothing left on it if it had only grazed him.  It was as clean and straight as when I shot it, except for the fact that there was only half the arrow there.

    Now the amazement sets in.  I concluded that this deer is actually an alien in deer form that is walking around with his Independence Day -like forcefield on.  Yeah, that has to be it.  How else would a speeding arrow, sharper than a four-edged sword, stop and explode before it hit him?  Why he didn't turn around and fry me to a crisp with his ray gun, I don't know.  Maybe it was so he wouldn't blow his cover.

    Or maybe this buck shot up a whispered arrow prayer like I had in previous days and it was answered with God knocking that arrow to pieces.  I don't know.  What I do know is that this buck was not meant for me on this day.  He went away unscathed, and I went away believing in God and wondering about forcefield suits that make aliens look like deer.

    Just another day of the hunting escapades.

    Then The Winds Came

    I watched the sunrise the next morning through a dreary overcast sky.  When the sun actually came up was impossible to tell because of the gradual dark turning to dim light.  Then the winds came.  They were hard and everything in the woods was moving.  Leaves were flying.  Little dusters went twirling by.  A couple of deer hurriedly passed being slightly alarmed with all the movement in the trees and on the ground.  I only watched and would not shoot with this kind of wind.  Then 10 turkeys happened by and I watched them.  They didn't scratch much and I think they were headed for some place that might be covered from this wind.  Next came the rain.

    Then came the walk to get out of the woods around 10am.  I got back to my tent around 11am and walked to my brother's camper.  The wind had stopped, the sun was shining, and I could feel that it was now going to turn into another unseasonably warm day.  At my brother's camper I saw the aftermath of the wind.  It had taken his awning and stretched it over his camper, demolishing the metal framework that held it in place.  A couple of hours later and we had it securely fastened to the top of his camper.  Though fastened, the metalwork was destroyed, but the awning was still intact.

    Later, we broke camp and headed home.  No one is pleased with destruction, but we still enjoyed being out and trying to help my Dad get his first deer with a bow and arrow.  We will try some more, but only being out and time will tell.

    When I saw deer standing in fields on the way home, I pondered how many were actually deer, and how many might be aliens with forcefield deer suits watching and waiting for that right moment when the hunter becomes the hunted.  Okay, so I had a migraine on the way home and an overactive imagination.  But even at that, I'm ready for 'em!

    The FogWalker goes off in disbelief of the "missed" buck....time for some more pondering and nursing a migraine...

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