How can Some People Recover Repeatedly?

Some people seem to take hit after hit and keep coming back for more. They usually end up like the Grandpa (pictured) in the movie Grumpier Old Men:

Grandpa: Well let me tell you something now, Johnny. Last Thursday, I turned 95 years old. And I never exercised a day in my life. Every morning, I wake up, and I smoke a cigarette. And then I eat five strips of bacon. And for lunch, I eat a bacon sandwich. And for a midday snack?
John: Bacon.
Grandpa: Bacon! A whole damn plate! And I usually drink my dinner. Now according to all of them flat-belly experts, I should've took a dirt nap like thirty years ago. But each year comes and goes, and I'm still here. Ha! And they keep dyin'.

I always thought it would be funny if John (Jack Lemmon) said back to Grandpa (Burgess Meredith): “That’s ‘cause you were the trainer in the Rocky movies!”

In any case, a few days ago I wrote an entry about a family member that ended up in surgery over the weekend. That person is still in the hospital, but now expected to make a full recovery from something that should have killed him years ago. This guy has been near death in a hospital bed so many times, and he always makes it through to laugh another day. Everyone was amazed he had lived so long with this particular problem going undetected – the pain should have been excruciating.

Which leads me to wonder, do the same people who have an extremely high tolerance for pain also the ones who seem to pull through multiple major health events repeatedly? The kind of events that would otherwise kill the average person? Is their pain threshold so high they keep surviving when other people's bodies couldn’t take it anymore?

I realize there is no real easy answer to the question, but the whole past week has got me thinking.

I actually know a few other older people who, by doctor’s opinions, should have been gone already. At this time I can only admire these elders and hope one day I’ll be the one eating the bacon laughing at the experts who said I shouldn’t have lasted through it all.

Waiting on News from the Hospital

There are many types of phone calls I dread receiving. This Valentine’s Day, I got one which ranks among the top calls I’d rather not get.

After taking my wife out to dinner at her favorite Italian place, my cell rang. The person calling knew it was Valentine’s Day and we’d be out for the night, so right away it was obvious something was wrong. When the voice on the other ended sounded frantic, I knew something was VERY wrong. Unfortunately, a loved one was admitted to the emergency room with extreme internal abdomen pain, but with no outward symptoms.

I think ER staff is trained to triage in their first college course. What really messes up their groove is when someone walks in with a mystery pain and not bleeding from anywhere. No broken bones? No blood? No sickness? No chest pain? Their diagnosis might as well be a big question mark on a chart with a recommendation for transfer to any other floor with an open bed.

On a good note, luckily, the family member in agony did not have to remain in the waiting room too long; it was practically empty. Apparently it was too cold outside that night for people to be out doing anything stupid and going to the emergency room.

This is where the tough part begins though – the waiting for any type of news from the hospital staff. When a patient’s pain is not easily diagnosed, a string of doctors, nurses and specialists run a myriad of tests. Each professional has their own schedule and each test’s results take time to read, all accumulating to an eternity of waiting for an answer and next course of action.

In my case, I was not able to be bedside, so to deal with the waiting and stress I had to preoccupy myself. Since I was worn out from worrying so much, the first thing I did was sleep for 12 hours. Upon waking, I then

• Cleaned the kitchen


• Alphabetized a DVD collection


• Moved archived files onto a new computer


• Installed 6 pieces of software


• Cleaned my porch


• Brushed a very large dog who sheds excessively


• Ate almost all the ice cream in the house

By this time, I finally got another phone call to the effect of “they still don’t know what’s wrong; they’re calling in two surgeons.”

When hearing news of multiple surgeons opening up a loved one, many people have different reactions. Some may cry, others may pray, me – well, I was hungry for more ice cream.

At this point, the situation reminds me of taking apart a car’s entire engine to find out what the squeak is under the hood. I just hope when the mechanics all get in there they find the source of the problem.

…and I’m still waiting for another call from the hospital…

Economy Got You Thinking About Drinking?

Truth is, you’re not alone. Historically, when economies take a turn for the worse, sales of alcohol, cigarettes and guns increase. I know for a fact gun shops are packed (I waited on line in a few to be told items were out of stock or simply unavailable), I haven’t seen this many people smoking since the 80’s, and alcohol consumption reports are projected to show a ninth year of steady increase.

There is not a place in the developed world that you can hide from bad news on the economy. From downtown Manhattan to the bayous of Louisiana, people are talking about job losses, corporations collapsing and federal bailouts. The common saying nowadays around average people is “where’s my bailout?” The question may end up being awarded the catch phrase of 2009.

Americans most likely won’t see any sort of personal bailout; last I read, we may get tax cuts equaling around $500 per family for the year. All I can say is whoopity-doo; how’s a few dollars less taken out of each paycheck going to help me or the economy – if the company I work for crumbles and I don’t have a job?!

I personally am getting tired of hearing people talk about losing 40-50% of their 401Ks, or their investment portfolio tanking, or “my stock broker can’t guarantee returns anymore.” Like many of you, we were never able to have those things in the first place.

The people of Dirty Tractor have a saying which helps us feel a little better about the whole mess: “I’m surviving the economic meltdown… all I have to lose is debt anyway.”

And that, my friends, is also the truth.


Photo: The newest shirt at the Dirty Tractor apparel shop.

New Book Contains a Collection of Addiction Stories

A new book called "Moments of Clarity" has just been released containing a collection of stories about the "harrowing life of addiction." It was featured recently on ABC News and has stories from both famous and everyday people who have tales to tell about their fight with drugs and alcohol.

The compilation was headed by Christopher Kennedy Lawford - a member of the Kennedy family. We try to keep politics aside on the Dirty Tractor Blog, so FYI - the Kennedy name has nothing to do with us mentioning the book.

What's important is the stories within and how they can help others with their addiction issues. The effort seems genuine.

An excerpt from the summary story on ABC News:

I thought, "This is bad. This is as bad as it can get." What I felt was just a little bit darker than what I'd felt the day before, but that little bit was enough to finally put me over the edge. I knew I could not exist anymore in that state. I had to either die or change, and I didn't have a gun to put in my mouth, so I had to change, and the only way I could change was to surrender. So I did. I said, to what ever was out there, "You know what? I give up. I absolutely, unequivocally give up. I'm not talking about, 'I give up so I can fight another day.' What ever you want me to do, I'll do it." And I realize now, that was it. That was the opening through which grace entered my life.

The book itself is featured on a Harper Collins Publishers page, and for a video clip from ABC News, click here.

It seems like it should be a good read.

Family, Holidays and Boilermakers

“Fish & visitors stink in 3 days.” –Benjamin Franklin

With the major holiday season now over, we all have a little more time to reflect on what it was that just happened. Sitting in a room filled with already broken toys, a 8 foot tall dead Christmas tree and burned out yankee candles, it occurred to me once again that the holidays cause more stress than what they are worth.

This year I had made a whole-hearted effort to drink less than the previous years, and the plan was going along just fine… until the thought of family coming over pushed me back to a regimen of eggnogs and beer - holiday boilermakers, if you will.

Normally dealing with family is stressful enough, but add in the extraordinary cooking of traditional meals, the decorations all being in the perfect spot, the house smelling of northern pine (rather than burnt cookies), it’s difficult to cope. Many family members you only see once a year during the holidays, so you have to figure out what it was you did of importance over the past 12 months so you can sound like you’ve got things all figured out.

Unfortunately this year, when it came time to talk about all the great things I did since I saw the family last, all I could think of was “do we have enough eggnog left to get me through the night?” Truth is, I know I did a few great things over the past year, but because I drank a little too much the family probably thought I was a flake again and slightly aloof.

Stress and holidays… It has finally hit me what happened this season – I allowed circumstances beyond my control get the better of me again.

We can’t make everyone enjoy the decorations we have up, or like the food we serve; in fact we can’t even force them to have civilized conversation with each other. Why year after year after year should this be so stressful? You can’t control other people (especially adults) whatsoever – but we can control ourselves, and in doing so keep from feeling bad about breaking a promise to yourself… and making another new year’s resolution to "cool it" on the alcohol.

I think I’ll go pack up the decorations now with little reminder notes that say “it’s my house and if they don’t like how I do things, then they don’t have to come over… PS: stay away from holiday boilermakers – they think you’re a flake.”

Veteran's War with Alcoholism & Substance Abuse

Yesterday was Veteran's Day; honoring all who served in America's military. VFWs across the nation proudly displayed the red, white and blue, schools taught of sacrifice and bravery, while a few lucky towns still got to hold a parade.

It's no secret that drinking, smoking have always been part of military culture. In present-day however, health trends about our men and women in uniform are monitored and studied before, during and after conflicts.

A detected rise in alcohol abuse among troops should be of no surprise. Fatalities are proportionately lower while all types of disabilities are higher. Of these disabilities, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is prevalent throughout the ranks of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. PTSD is a relatively new measurable in the scope of war history; it was really only identified in the latter parts of the Vietnam war, and as such, contributes to higher rates of vets seeking VA assistance in later wars as compared to pre-1975 conflicts. Hand in hand with service people diagnosed with PTSD are substance abuse problems. To this day, Vietnam vets fight the stigma of "drunk vet." Hollywood is notorious for depicting soldiers of the era as alcoholics or drug addicts - just look at the character Lt. Dan from Forrest Gump.

Into the nineties, the population of veterans and awareness of their needs had been on steady decline. That is until now...

With the US engaging enemies on two separate fronts, NOW is when the data is flowing again on PTSD and addiction issues. The major influx of combat-experienced young people back into general population has spurred new reports focused on the rising substance abuse trends these veterans are dealing with. The statistics are alarming enough that the Veterans Health Administration announced it is expanding the previously shrinking alcohol and drug abuse programs. In May of this year, the US House and Senate passed new bills demanding the administration expand all substance abuse treatment services.

What are the figures that are causing alarm? According to the Pentagon's "post deployment survey:"

-12% of active-duty personnel returning from Iraq suffer from alcohol problems

-15% of National Guard and Reserve personnel suffer from alcohol problems

-It is noted that combat veterans are 30% more likely to develop binge drinking habits than service people in non-hostile environments.

These percentages are absolutely alarming, considering the US keeps somewhere around 200,000 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, with about 1.7 MILLION total who have been served in the region during the course of the recent wars. Furthermore, non-Pentagon estimates place the percent of veterans turning to drugs or alcohol at a higher rate of 20% of all troops seeing duty. 20% of 1.7 million equals 340,000 individuals and counting...

Another study conducted by the State of New Jersey on National Guard members returning from the Middle East found that 55% of soldiers diagnosed with PTSD experience "problem drinking." What's curious about this particular report is 41% of these soldiers received mental health treatment for their PTSD, while only 9% received substance abuse help.

Maybe the expansion of government addiction programs are aimed at closing these gaps and oversights... or maybe PTSD treatment is on the front burner, while alcoholism is pushed to the back... We hope not too far to the back though, because there are many young people returning home who have no idea the life they'll be facing if substance abuse is not properly identified and corrected. If a Veteran goes through a PTSD treatment program, but continues slipping into depression or towards coping mechanisms (such as alcohol), they no doubt need identified and given help.

VFW outposts in rural towns across America have long been known as places to reminisce and drink present-day problems away. Let us hope that one day they will be centers for remembering the good ol' days while enjoying healthy, active senior years.

Sourced articles/good reading: The New York Times "After the Battle, Fighting the Bottle at Home;" Reuters "Alcohol Abuse Rises Among US Combat Veterans"

Photo Credit: US Department of Defense

Hunting and Drinking

Deer hunting season is upon us again, and there are two things guaranteed to appear every year at this time:

1. Dead deer splattered all over the highway
2. Drunk hunters driving their trucks all over the roads, yards, fields, woods, etc, etc

Don't get us wrong; we love hunting (and reaping/eating the rewards), but there are many hunters out there who have had to give up a favorite pastime for health reasons; they can no longer drink beer.

For you guys, here is a song to remind you of the ol' days. Maybe this season you'll be be only the sober one in camp and get to see all the drunkenness you've been a part of, except this year you'll actually be able to remember it:


The FAMOUS "Second Week of Deer Camp" song:

ITS THE SECOND WEEK OF DEER CAMP
I GOT A SWOLLEN HEAD
I'M LYING WITH THE DUST BALLS
UNDERNEATH MY BED

AN ICY BREEZE IS BLOWING IN
THROUGH THE TONGUE AND GROOVE
MY PANTS ARE FROZEN TO THE FLOOR
AND I'M TOO SICK TO MOVE

I DIDN'T DRINK TOO MANY
ONLY THIRTY CANS OF BEER
IT MUST HAVE BEEN THAT LAST SHOT
THAT PUT ME UNDER HERE

CHORUS:
IT'S THE SECOND WEEK OF DEER CAMP
AND ALL THE GUYS ARE HERE
WE DRINK PLAY CARDS AND SHOOT THE BULL
BUT NEVER SHOOT NO DEER
THE ONLY TIME WE LEAVE THE CAMP
IS WHEN WE GO FOR BEER
THE SECOND WEEK OF DEER CAMP
IS THE GREATEST TIME OF YEAR

I REMEMBER PLAYING POKER
THAT WEASEL MUSTA WON
HE'S WEARING MY NEW SWAMPERS
AND SLEEPING WITH MY GUN

HE'S SNORING LIKE A CHAIN SAW
THE CAMP SMELLS LIKE A DUMP
SOMEONE'S DIRTY UNDERWEAR
IS HANGING ON THE PUMP

MUKKUS IN THE WOOD BOX
EENERS PASSED OUT ON THE STOVE
HIS FLANNEL SHIRT IS SMOKING
I WONDER IF HE KNOWS

CHORUS

VITOS CRAWLING THROUGH THE DOOR
I THINK HE GOT FROSTBITE
HE PASSED OUT IN THE OUTHOUSE
AND HE'S BEEN THERE SINCE LAST NIGHT

THEN GOOFUS STUMBLES THROUGH THE DOOR
HE SAYS HE GOT A BUCK
HE WAS COMING FROM THE WAYSIDE
AND HE KILLED IT WITH HIS TRUCK

THEN MUUSTI CRACKS A BEER AND SAYS
ITS TIME TO CELEBRATE
GOOFUS GOT THE FIRST BUCK
SINCE 1968