Headaches!!!

Well, I've ben home now for nearly 3 weeks and there's not a lot to write about besides the headaches that have engulfed my life. 

I have been to my local Dr. and have an appointment with a specialist/neurologist the last week in August.  I told her that the end of August seems like a lifetime away for me right now, and her office staff said they are going to check into finding something sooner.  I have also checked on this myself without any success in finding anything sooner.
My Dr. was also able to write some new prescriptions for the medications that have had some positive effects for me in the past.  She also prescribed an injectable Sumatriptan (a shot in the thigh) which has shown to be effective on some cluster headache patients.  I have yet to see how effective they'll be on my headaches.

I am hopeful that I am on the downward slope, as far as this round of headaches go.
2 days ago, I had an extremely good day, waking up refreshed and feeling anxious to get some work done in the shop.  Days like that have been few & far between, so I relished this one.  I did end up having a very productive day and made the mistake of enjoying a cold beer after dinner that evening.  Alcohol of any kind is a known "trigger" for almost all cluster headache patients.  
I haven't had any alcohol at all since this latest "cluster" of headaches started, because I am/was well aware of it being a "trigger".
It didn't take long at all for me to get a severe headache.  If I was physically capable of kicking myself in the ass for having that beer, I probably would've.
I was awakened on 2 other occasions throughout the night with very painful headaches.

Normally after a bad day or night, like the one I suffered through that night, I am a waste of human flesh the next day.  I'm so exhausted, have NO motivation, and it is literally very, very difficult for me to accomplish anything.
Well, the day after these headaches was no exception.  I had a dull headache all day up until about 5:00 in the afternoon, at which time I started snapping green beans, podding sweet peas, and getting fresh broccoli ready to blanche & freeze.  I did end up getting something done that day (yesterday) so it was not an entire day lost.

Today, I am again feeling pretty darn good.  I went into Pipestone because there's a local rendezvouz going on, and I expected a person to be there, whom I could buy some sumac from for pipe stems.  He was there and I bought all the good stem material he had.

They were also selling Indian taco's at the Indian Center, so I went there for lunch...  The taco's were outstanding & I left there comfortably filled.
I saw my mother-in-law at the Indian Center and she looked good.  She said she's been feeling a little ill this past week. (probably due to the excessive heat)  I encouraged her to drink lots and lots of water & she assured me that she is/was.  It was good to see her again....and good to see her enjoying the company of friends and family at the Center.

We have an ambulance fundraiser/pork tenderloin feed at the park tonight, so in a couple of hours, I will go down there to help.  Today/tonight should be a good test for me as to whether I can take being outside for an extended period of time.  If not, I'll be taking one of those injections and seeing if it has a positive effect.

On another note, I did make it down to Inwood, IA for a day last week to work on my motorcycle with my brother.  I once again have my primary mode of transportation back and feel good about that.  It felt great to get back on the bike & feel the wind through my hair.  Thanks again to Dave for all of his help with the bike!  I wish I knew 1/2 of what he knew when it comes to mechanical issues!

I've had a tough time getting on top of all the weeds in our large garden after being gone the month of June, but when it's not too hot, I'll try to clean 1 row at a time.  It's been extremely hot here lately so I've been losing a little ground on the weed front....  We are however enjoying lots of great fresh vegetables out of the garden on a daily basis.  (sweet peas, green beans, onions, green peppers, jalapeno's, banana peppers, radishes, and soon we should be enjoying tomato's)
My brother says that as long as you plant enough of everything, you got a pretty good chance of having some success with the garden, even if you're not the greatest gardener.  :)

On good days, I try to get lots of work done on pipe orders.  We were losing ground daily, but we're close to having things in a manageable position again.  One thing nice about our little business is that even when we're on vacation, or if one of us isn't feeling well, the orders and the $$$ keep coming in.  That alleviates any stress on the financial front anyways....
Our customers have been extremely understanding of my headache situation also, and seem to be OK with waiting for their orders a little longer than they normally would.

My daughter, Kala is going to be visiting us again this coming week, along with our grandson, Jackson.... (who we don't get to see nearly as frequently as the other 3 grandchildren) so we're really looking forward to that!  When Kala comes around, we also see JD a little more frequently....as well as Heather's family....   It's so nice to have them all around.... (even though I sometimes act like I'm in agony to my wife, when she tells me that Heather's 3 grandkids are coming)  :)
I act (to my wife) like they're little terrorists & I can hardly take the stress....   lol
I'm just teasing her though and in reality, I actually love it when they come over!

That being said....There are occasions where... I'd like to smack that naughtiest one!  :)
I know that anybody who knows Heather's family... knows exactly who I'm talkin' about....   lol

Someday soon, I'll have to figure out how to put pictures on this blog....
When I do....I'll introduce you all to the entire family....

Home....Sweet Home...

I ended up sleeping really good that Thursday night in Lusk...and as it turned out, it was a good thing that I got a motel room.  I found out we were in severe thunderstorm watches and/or warnings most of the night.  I slept through everything!

I woke up probably around 10:00 and just laid around for another hour.  I then thought I better get cleaned up and get all my stuff together so that when Riley did get to Lusk, we wouldn't have to waste much time getting on the road again. 

I gave Riley a call around noon or so and he told me that he was in Rapid City....so that told me he'd be in Lusk sometime around 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon.  I didn't mind a bit, as I was still recuperating from the headache the day before.  I ended up going back to sleep and set my phone alarm for 2:30.  
I had everything packed and ready to go before I napped, so all we'd have to do when Riley got here was load the bike onto the back of the pickup.

Riley showed up around 3:30 or so I think...and we didn't waste any time.  Rich (The guy who'd helped me the day before) told me to stop by the shop where he worked and he'd help us load up the bike.  We did that, and I'd say within 1/2 hour or so, we were on the way....

I was a little concerned about getting a headache in the truck and warned Riley of what he might expect if I did...   After talking to my wife about this the other day, I began to realize how uncomfortable people may be when they see me experience a painful headache.

After being back home, and going out to eat twice....and having to leave the restaurant both times, before we could enjoy the meal... I told her that I understood how frustrating the whole headache thing is for her....    As I've explained before the whole headache thing makes life completely different for me...but it also affects her.
Christine explained to me that she wasn't so much frustrated by the inconvenience, but she was more scared....when she sees me in pain...and she can't do anything for it...and she wonders if she should call the ambulance.... 
I guess that makes perfect sense and it helped me to understand what others might see, when they see me having a headache.
That's one reason it's been so nice to be home.  When I get a headache, I can retreat to my "headache room" which is one of our guest rooms in the basement of our home.  It's nice and cool....and dark...and quiet..and about one of the best places for me to be when one comes on...  It's also in a place where other people can't hear me moan & groan, etc....

The ride home with Riley went really good.  He was tired...so I offered to drive for awhile from Newcastle, WY and he accepted.  He was able to get some much needed sleep.  We also had plenty of time to visit....and that helped make the trip easier...for both of us probably. 
He tried getting some dirt on his dad from me... :)  (since he knew we went to high school together) but I really didn't have any dirt to share with him....   lol
His dad & I didn't live real close together so we didn't spend a terrible lot of time together in high school.

We stopped to eat somewhere between Rapid City & Chamberlain....  I felt a headache might be imminent, so he ended up driving the rest of the way home.  I took one of my pills when I felt the headache coming on, and it was effective.  The headache never got really bad...

I think we arrived in Inwood, IA around 2:30 AM or so, and my sister/brother-in-law were kind enough to borrow me a car, and even have it waiting at Riley's house, so I could head straight home from there.

My brother Dave was going to worry about getting the bike unloaded with Riley and his dad the next day.

There are many people to thank for all the help given, & prayers offered on my behalf.  At the risk of forgetting someone, I need to especially thank my brother Dave for all the help with the motorcycle, Kala & Scott in KC for allowing me to spend 2 days while I wasn't feeling well, Rich in WY for the help given after a bad headache, (& help w/ the motorcycle) Riley for being willing to drive nearly 300 miles extra to help a guy in need, Sharon & Craig for allowing me to use a vehicle, (which I still have access to) my mom & dad for their unwavering prayers, and especially my wife for allowing me to go on an adventure like I did....and being her usual supporting self.  There are also others that helped me along the way....and many others that were praying for me the entire trip, especially after the headaches became persistant and bad.....  I sincerely appreciate everyones help & prayers!

I made the 45 mile trip home and was welcomed by my wife around 3:30 or 4:00 AM.  Home....Sweet Home...  It's great to be back...and enjoying family again....

When I've been feeling good enough, I've been working hard at trying to catch up on orders that came in while I was gone, and that have continued to come in since I've been back home.
I've had good days & bad with the headaches, but I'm surviving them....and they say that, "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger" so I should be mighty strong by winter...if this keeps up.

In all honesty, it is sometimes hard to deal with, but I know that eventually they'll go away....& I'm looking so forward to that....  In the meantime I do sincerely appreciate all the thoughts & prayers...

I have yet to make it to the new casino in Larchwood to play poker, but am looking forward to doing that soon.  I'll let you all know my thoughts on the room....and whether or not I'll be a regular visitor, after checking it out for myself....

One last note about getting home....  I mentioned to my wife how much I was missing her home cooking...  I told her that I had only had 2 home cooked meals the entire month of June....   To which she replied....  "That's one more than I had."   :)
Summer's usually pretty busy, so we do eat out quite a bit....but I DO miss that home-cookin' and I've been able to enjoy some since I've been home.
Life is good!

The Dream Turns Into A Nightmare....

After getting a great nights sleep in Fort Collins, I met my buddy, Rod for breakfast at Denny's.  We enjoyed a very nice visit talking about poker, family &kids, God, & other things...  I enjoy visiting with Rod as we seem to have a lot in common and have also experienced some similar challenges in life.  We met in either Reno or Las Vegas (at the poker table) about 15 years ago I suppose...and since then, our wives have had the opportunity to meet & visit also.... 

I suppose we ate and visited for about an hour.  He left to go play poker from there and I left for the 2nd leg of my journey home.  I was hoping to put a bunch of miles on again on Thursday, with my sights set on Rapid City, SD (or somewhere near there) as a stopping place.

I had mentioned, on Wednesday night, to my brother Dave (the bike mechanic) that I was starting to hear a noise coming from the bike.  We decided that it probably was the roller and/or cam and would have to be looked at when I got home.  He did bring up the idea of checking into it while I was on the road, if I could find a place, but I wasn't real concerned about it, because the last time I had this same problem on the bike, it rode fine for quite awhile before I had to get it fixed.

I got quite a few miles in before I had to stop for gas.  It was a good start to the day, however the noise on my bike, upon leaving town, was getting a little louder and more noticeable... 
I pulled out of Torrington, WY after putting on my leathers and helmet, due to an ominous dark cloud in the direction that I was going to be heading.

About 2 miles out of town, it started to rain, so I was glad I had prepared for it.  I stayed dry for the most part and it wasn't too cold, so it was pretty easy to put up with.  I rode through the rain for about 1/2 hour or so and by that time the clouds had moved to the East of where I was it.

The noise on my bike was getting noticeably louder and it was beginning to concern me a bit.  I was pretty much in the middle of nowhere between Torrington and Newcastle, WY.  There is a little town called "Lusk" which I knew was coming up....and I decided I better stop there to assess the bike.  Upon arriving, I made a call to my wife, Christine...to let her know where I was, visit, etc...and to Dave...(the mechanic) to discuss bike issues.  We pretty much decided there weren't any/many options and the only sensible one was to get as far as I could on the bike.  Rapid City, SD would be the closest place where I could have somebody look at it.  I told him I'd call him later to let him know where I was at & how things were going.

I no more got off the phone with David and I felt a headache coming on.  It came on very fast and very hard...  It turned out to be an exceptionally bad headache, and I laid out on a sidewalk, in the shade, with my coat as a pillow, on the North side of a gas station where I'd stopped.  Not unlike when I have had bad headaches before, I ended up falling asleep as soon as the pain got to a tolerable level.  (which seemed like forever that day) I knew I had laid there for awhile...when I woke up.
I looked at my phone to see how long ago I had talked to my brother.  Turned out I had laid there for a little over 3 hours.  The day seemed like it was pretty much shot... (It was about 5:00 PM by the time I woke up) and I hadn't hardly gotten any miles on.  I was exhausted from the headache but was determined to at least get to Newcastle, WY yet that evening.

Well, I went less than 1 mile and my bike was making noise...and it was a-grindin'... and in an instant, I had no power, in any gear.  I coasted to the side of the road and ended up pulling onto a side street in Lusk.  I was near a city park and thought I would probably end up throwin' my tent up and sleeping there that night and work on my other problems in the morning.  I did walk to the park (as there was a little kids baseball game going on) and asked a couple of people if they knew anyone in town that worked on bikes. 

No one did, so I started walking back to my bike (1/2 block away) to reassess that situation.  About that time, I noticed a guy unloading a dirt bike off the back of his pickup...in his backyard.  I walked over and asked him if there was anyone who could/would work on bikes in town and he thought there might be one guy... (a friend of his) who could take a look at it, but it turned out his friend wasn't comfortable tearing into a Harley.

I was still in major recovery mode from my headache. I asked Rich if I could push the bike over to his front yard.  I just felt that it would be safer there than anywhere else.  I asked Rich if there was any motels in town.  There was one and Rich would eventually drive me to it with most of the stuff off of the bike.  I really appreciated this guy's help that day...  He went above & beyond what anyone could've expected, trying to find someone to look at the bike...and eventually hauling me to the motel.  I ended up leaving Rich with some "going out to eat money" for him, his pregnant wife, and 2 children when I eventually did get out of Lusk.  I had a hard time getting him to accept the $$, but I wasn't about to give in.  I SO appreciated his help on Thursday.  In the exhausted state I was in that day, I can't even imagine having to walk to that motel, carrying as much of my items that I could.

Upon getting my stuff in the motel room, and securing that room for the next 2 nights, I collapsed on bed, to shut my eyes, even if it was only for a little while.  I then made a call to Dave, to let him know that I was only about 4 blocks from where I originally called him from...and my bike was about a mile in the other direction, and it was unrideable.

David must be simply awesome at networking, because he knows about a million people....and about that many people seem to also know him....  He got on his blackberry...and I'll be darned if he didn't come up with a young local IA guy, who was going to be leaving for Rapid City that very night, (like at 2:00 AM) to deliver a motorcycle that he'd sold to the HD dealership there.  Riley was his name...(and turns out his dad & I were in the same grade in high school) and he agreed to go the extra 150 miles or so to Lusk and come and get me the next day.

It was probably about 11 or 12:00 by the time I got to sleep that night....but I slept good!  I don't know if I've ever had my energy so depleted....due to the headache....and then the misfortune with the motorcycle.  I also knew someone was going to be coming to pick me up, to make what would hopefully be, the last leg home, at some point on Friday.

This story's getting a little longer than I anticipated, so I'm going to stretch it out over one more blog post.  In the next day or two, I'll tell you about the rest of the trip home....and what I've been up to since getting here.

The Ride Home: A Biker's Dream? or.....A Biker's Nightmare?

Well, I headed out of Vegas on Wednesday morning about 5:00 AM just as it was getting light out.  I wanted to be well on my way before it got super hot out.  The week prior to my leaving, it was not uncommon at all for the temps to be reaching 115 to 120 degrees daily.

I did chalk up another win or two before I left town and ended up the Vegas portion of the trip financially ahead.... but not by much.  I certainly would not call the trip a success from that standpoint.  The trip was probably unlike any I've ever had, in that I had some very large wins and some very large losses.  I just had a real problem stringing any of those large wins together.  It seemed like if I would have 2 good days in a row, then I'd have a real big loss the next day that would wipe out the profits from those days...and that's kind of how the entire 2-1/2 weeks in Vegas went.

I really enjoyed the motorcycling both to & from Las Vegas and will probably do it again next year if it works.  If all goes well, it will be on a little newer motorcycle though....  :)

I made really good time that Wednesday that I left, averaging over 125 miles between stops for most of the day.  My first bout with a headache was in Green River Utah.  It was starting to get pretty warm out and it was also extremely windy, so riding the bike was somewhat of a chore by that time.  I ended up going into a gas station/Arby's, ordering a sandwich, and finding a booth where I could stretch out a bit. I believe I was there for about an hour before I felt good enough to get back on the bike. I then rode to Grand Junction, CO and stopped for gas and had a root beer float which really hit the spot.

Got back on the bike and started working my way through the Rocky Mountains.  It was a gorgeous ride and could be any motorcyclists dream.  If you can imagine some of the best riding out in the Black Hills with the roads that go up and down and around hills/mountains and then multiply it by about 10.  Riding through the mountains was basically a good 300+ miles of winding roads with spectacular scenery. 

I got quite a ways through the mountains and started getting another headache.  This one turned out to be a pretty bad one.  I stopped at a rest area, drank a couple of waters, and....laid myself out on a slab of cement under a nearby tree and fought my way through the headache.  I believe I was laying there for about an hour and a half.  When I get a bad one, I will lose track of time. Sometimes, I can faintly remember talking to someone... (If that happens) but rarely can remember what that person told me...or what we talked about.
A typical bad headache will leave me completely and utterly exhausted and once the headache gets to a bearable point, I will usually fall asleep.  That's what happened at this rest area.

Upon waking up, I was tired, but had my sights on getting through the mountains and making it to the Denver area.

It was still very warm out, but I did go ahead and put my leather jacket on, because I was getting pretty high in the mountains and I knew it could cool off fast.  Well, it did....  Not long into the ride, it started to rain.  I was glad I had put my jacket on.  It wasn't a super hard rain or anything, but it was a cold rain, and my jeans were soon soaking wet....and I was cold...  but I was kind of stubborn too...
I knew I was near the summit and once on the other side, the weather could easily be much more bearable....so I kept going.

It didn't take long and I'll be darned if it didn't start to snow!  It was snowing enough that there was a little bit of slush on the road, but as long one was careful, there shouldn't be a problem.  I rode through snow for about an hour or so...before it pretty much stopped.  I pulled over...and I was super cold... 
My jeans were wet and my teeth were chattering....  I pulled out my chaps after I was somewhat warmed up and dressed for the remaining 50 miles or so that I thought I needed to go to get to Denver.

I finally did make it to Denver and stopped at a restaurant and had a french dip sandwich....
They had wi-fi, so I took my computer in and checked emails, etc...
Also, at this time I gave a poker friend of mine a call.  He's from Fort Collins, CO and we made a breakfast appointment in Fort Collins.  So, I decided to get back on the road for another hour or so and go to Fort Collins. 

Before I left Denver, I was behind a vehicle and noticed that my head light wasn't working.  So, I had to stop and tear that apart....and did get the light working again.

I think I pulled into Fort Collins around midnight or so and was very fortunate to get a room.  I had called a motel from Denver and they had told me they were full, but when I went by the place, there wasn't a "no vacancy" sign out, so I stopped.  The kid in charge told me that he had 1 room left...
It ended up to be a room that someone had been in for 2 days...and had paid for 3 days....
They had left early and the room was clean.
However, he couldn't get the computer to accept another guest, because according to the computer the room wasn't available.
It took a little time, but I wasn't about to give up so easily...  I ended up giving this kid $25.00 cash and told him I didn't care what he did with it....as long as he gave me a key to the room.  I assured him, I was just there to sleep and guaranteed that I wouldn't do any damage/steal anything, etc....
He took me up on the deal and I had a place to sleep.

I had gone nearly 850 miles that first day, had survived 2 headaches, had ridden through extreme weather conditions, (heat, wind, snow, & cold) and was very happy to shower & crawl into a warm bed.

The next day would prove to be just as challenging....the major difference being that I would go less than 200 miles...and find myself on a motorcycle that wouldn't move....  :)

I'll blog about that within the next few days....and let you all know what I've been up to since I've been home....

The Roller Coaster Ride Continues....

Well, I've now been in Vegas for 2 weeks.  It has been a true roller coaster ride.  I've had big wins, but I've also had big losses.  Each time it seems like I break through with a nice win or two, I've followed it up with a big loss.

Last night I played 40-80 Hold-em and ended up losing about $2500 which isn't a huge loss for that limit....but it ended up putting me a little down for the trip.  Financially, the trip hasn't been a success, but I'm still glad that I decided to come out for a few weeks.  I still feel very good about the way I've been playing.  Like I told my wife, with the way I've been running, instead of being stuck a little bit, I probably could've easily been stuck 10 grand....

What I've described is somewhat typical for every poker player.  You simply don't win all the time, no matter how good you are.  You need to be prepared for the down-turns like I've had lately...and in fact, you should be prepared for much worse results, because they'll invariably come.

I'm looking forward to an extended good run though also....   Those periods of time happen also, especially if you can keep playing good, disciplined, poker....

I have not been able to put in the hours that I'd have liked to the last couple of weeks due to the headaches I've had.  It's pretty important to me that I feel good...refreshed...and anxious to play cards...when I do decide to play.

I had considered playing a 3-day no-limit event at the World Series of Poker this weekend, but have since decided against it.  A couple of things went into that decision....one of them being the financial aspect of this trip...and that I'm no longer ahead, and the other being the headaches that I've suffered through.  It wouldn't be good for me if I got a bad headache during the tournament.  I would have to leave, get a room, and wait for it to pass....

I am going to plan on coming out again in 2012 and I'm going to plan on playing at least 2 or 3 WSOP events.  I will be brushing up on my tournament play between now & then.

I am planning on leaving for home very early this coming Wednesday morning.  I want to get out of here as soon as it's light out (or before) and try to be well on my way before it gets really hot.  I'm having some anxiety about the trip home right now, due to my headaches.  It would be murder to have a bad headache in the middle of the desert, if it's 120 degrees out, like it has been lately.

I am really looking forward to the ride through the CO Rocky Mountains.  It's something I've always wanted to do on my motorcycle and I will finally be doing it in a few days.  Hopefully that will be a fun "roller coaster ride"....without any more motorcycle problems....

As I'm writing this...I can feel my left eye starting to twitch...  It's a sign of another headache coming on...  (2nd one today)  Time for me to crawl into bed and try to find the most comfortable position I can to try and fight my way through another one....

If you're reading this & you're someone who prays....  I could use some intercession....
These headaches suck!

Next blog post will most likely be after I am back home in MN.

Vegas: The Poker Capitol of the World

So, without any more real exciting/entertaining incidents like the one I talked about in my previous blog post, I arrived in Las Vegas a week ago from this past Sunday.  I got myself a little apartment, got settled in, and got my laundry done.  This was the first time I've done laundry in at least 10 years and I was able to get it completed without wrecking anything.  (with the help of a phone call to Christine)

I figured I'd hit the Bellagio card room on Monday, play some hold-em, and find out where the best games and all the action has been in town. 
I found out that the Rio is crazy busy because of the World Series of Poker tournament being held there and the waiting list to get in a game I'd be looking to play in could be (& usually would be) extremely long.
So, I've found myself playing at the Bellagio every session to this point.  They also have a nice wide range of games, varying from $1 & $2 No limit games to $4000/8000 limit games.  Millions of dollars are changing hands on a daily basis!

I can sum up my first week pretty quickly and easily.  I find myself playing extremely good poker, but not running very good for the most part.  I have been able to win every single day, with the exception of one, but up until today couldn't really break through with any real decent wins.

I'm exceptionally happy with the discipline I've showed, after time and time again, getting my big pairs and other big hands drawn out on.  I just keep trying to play the best that I can and hoping the cards will eventually break my way.  I consider myself very fortunate to only have the one loss and to be money ahead for the trip.

Today ended up hopefully being that breakthrough day.  I finally chalked up a nice win that was a little over $2000.00 
Anytime I win over $1000 in a day, I consider it a pretty darn good day.  I just slowly built up my winnings to around $1000 and then got on a nice little rush.  I won another $1250 or so in about 10 minutes....  I then got drawn out on in a couple of hands and went back down to about a $2000 winner for the day.  About that time Christine called to get some information she needed from me to ship a few packages, so I told her I'd play one more round, and if I didn't win any pots, I'd head to my apartment and call her back with that info. (and that's pretty much what happened)

I've thoroughly been enjoying myself, meeting people that I haven't seen in years.  Some of these people didn't even recognize me, until I called them by name.  (I do find that I am unbelievably good at remembering the names of people I haven't seen in over 10 years)  Some of these people are also amazed that I can call them by name.  They kind of remember playing with & seeing me....but don't remember me by name.  My looks have changed a bit, as my hair is much, much, shorter than it used to be & my beard/whiskers have turned from black to gray/white.
I have been asked at by at least 4 people if I was going to.... or if I had played the Senior Tournament at the WSOP.  I guess it's time for me to shave again, because I won't be eligible to play in that for another 5 years!

I attended Grace Valley Church here in Vegas on Sunday and seen more people that I hadn't seen in awhile & that was very enjoyable.  This is a small church that our family was a big part of when we lived here.  I played guiter there on a regular basis and Christine & I also helped out with the youth group.

Since arriving in town, I have experienced several pretty bad headaches, which isn't a good sign for things to come this summer.  I suffer from something that is called "cluster headaches" and they are very sporadic, but when they come, it virtually changes my life completely for the period of time that they last.  I've been very fortunate to not suffer from these headaches for the last 3 years which is the longest I've ever gone.  They keep me from attending family functions & other events, because I simply don't want to get caught in a bad place (where I can't find refuge) with a bad headache.  On one or two occasions, when I have had bad one where I can't find any good place to curl up, I've actually had to go lay down underneath a parked pickup truck, and try to survive until the headache goes away.

The headaches always start behind my left eye and as time passes, they get increasingly painful and longer in duration.  At best, I go 2-3 days without one, and at worst I get 2 or more of them every day/night.  They completely wipe me out.  I can do virtually nothing, but try to find the darkest room, with absolutely no noise, (including background noise from another room) and just suffer through them.  The room cannot be to warm....or to cool.... 
Any of those things (light, sound, temperature) seem to intensify the headache.
Right now, the headaches seem to be lasting about an hour or two.  In the past, as they intensify, they can last up to 3 or 4 hours....and then when I'm finally able to move, I am so tired from fighting it, that I still can get very little if anything done.
The best way for me to describe the headaches, is that it feels like someone sticks their finger in my left eye & rips the eyeball right out my head.  My eye gets all bloodshot and waters to beat heck.  The main thing I can do is to cover my eye to let absolutely no light in, and to try and gently massage the left temple area.

These headaches invariably go away about the time late fall or winter comes.  This leads me to believe it may have something to do with the air I'm breathing....(some type of allergy or something)
I'm thinking that they quit, as soon as we have a good hard freeze.  So, if my headaches persist, I will anxiously be awaiting fall/winter this year.

Back to poker....  I honestly do believe that I'm playing close to the very best poker that I ever have...and I'm looking forward to continuing to do some traveling (hopefully with my wife) and playing more as time passes.  My 2 biggest decisions over the next year or two will be:
(1) Decide if I really want to pursue and concentrate on playing no limit hold-em. (which is really a completely different game that limit poker which I've been playing up to this point) and
(2) Decide if I want to concentrate more on tournaments, and put in the time to figure out how to play them the way you need to play them to win big

I will probably be forced to concentrate and play somewhat on no limit games, because that's what they're offering at the new casino in NW Iowa, that was built close to where I live.

The tournament thing is something completely different & at this point, I really don't know if it's something I'll actively pursue or not.  I have done fairly well in the past in the few tournaments I've played in, but they can also be very frustrating.  The only way you're truly pleased after playing one, is if you win the whole thing.... (That's the way I am anyway) and that doesn't happen very often.
It's so frustrating (and final) to get knocked out of a tournament.  You can't buy back in....  You can't go after someone who put that super bad beat on you....  It just can be frustrating....

It looks like I'll probably leave here this coming Sunday at the earliest....or the Thursday after that, at the latest....and in the meantime, I'm going to be trying to play the very best poker that I can, and to keep building that poker bankroll.  On this trip, I've decided just to concentrate on the live games and maybe next year I'll commit to playing a few WSOP events.  If I decide to do that, I'll be brushing up on my tournament play between now & then....  :)

"Reggie"

I call Reggie to see if he still has the afternoon open to help me change the wheel bearings on the bike.  He had assured me earlier when I'd talked to him that he would have any tool we might need and it's a pretty easy fix, so we shouldn't have any problem.

For those of you who don't know me real well, I am not what you'd call a "Master Mechanic".  I'm always willing (and anxious) to help when someone's working on the bikes, and I relish the mechanical learning opportunities that riding and owning an older Harley present.  That being said, unless it's a pretty simple fix, that I'm somewhat familiar with, I'm not real comfortable unless there's someone there that really does know what they're doing.  (Like both of my brothers, David & Brian)

Back to Reggie....  After making the initial mistake of not throwing that napkin with his phone number away as soon as he left the O'Reilly's parking lot, I give him a call...  He gives me some pretty simple directions to his place about 6 miles away and I limp the bike in that direction.  He tells me that he doesn't have much going on, so he'll be happy to help me fix the bike.

I see his old Chevy and I pull into his yard...  It's lookin' a little spooky so I give him a call again from the from the front yard.  The guy's got 3 gnarly lookin' horses on his little 2 acre plot & they're looking like they might be really happy if they could make their escape....  (Just like I'd be feeling later in the day)  lol
He answers the phone & a minute later I see him at the front door... He says to me.... "C'mon in and grab a chair" and I do...
He's got a 6-pack of beer on the coffee table in front of his couch and he's finishing off the last one....as he explains to me that he hasn't had a 6-pack of beer before 1:00 in the afternoon for a "long time".

I'm thinkin' he'll finish his last beer & we'll get to work on the bike.  He's a talker....and he lets me know all the important people he knows....and all the different types of work he's done...and the different businesses he's run, etc.... and all the while, I can see he probably would have a hard time finding 2 cents in a pinch...  He's layin' on the couch, rubbin' his eyes....and yappin....

1/2 hour later, I see movement on the couch...
I'm thinkin'... "YES!"  let's get this show on the road so I can get outta here....
He stumbles outside and we go around back and get all the tools we'll need.  He's got about 3 other old vehicles back here and he explains to me that he could've had 3 "jobs" today, but his pickup needs the brake pads replaced.

Reggie does help me get the bike jacked up & on blocks, so that the work can be done.... (as he's telling me about all the times he's been stabbed and shot)  We get the front tire off of the bike and Reggie heads for the door of his little pad.  He says to me..., "Well, you're on your own now."

I'm not likin' this.... I'm feelin' pretty darn uncomfortable and as I explained earlier, I'm not the master mechanic that I'm wishing I was right about now....  but with the tire off and the bikes on blocks, there's not really any lookin' back at this point.

I give Dave a call and he starts walking me through the process of changing the wheel bearings....  I'm putting the phone down, while I'm pounding on the bike.... pick the phone up to ask more questions, etc...  I'm really feeling that I wished I'd never have come on the guy's property....  Reggie seems to be getting a little more spooky every time I have interaction with him....

I have to run into the house a few times to ask Reggie if he has this tool....or that tool.... and every time that I open the door after knocking, he wakes up....  He's laying belly-up on his couch getting every last wink of sleep that he can....

I had asked Reggie if he had grease for the wheel bearings and he had assured me on our first phone call that he did.  With the help of David, I eventually get to the point of needing that grease, so I again go wake Reggie up.  He stumbles back into one of the bedrooms and comes out and says.... "I must've used that for somethin' else".  So, I ask him if he'll give me a ride into town to get grease....assuring him that I'll pay for gas.... (Thinkin' to myself that he might have all my money and belongings anyway by the time this is done... )   :)

He tells me that he'll give me a ride....and he needs to buy a C-clamp anyways so that he can finish fixing his brakes.  I immediately offer to buy that for him....for all the "help" he's given me....

Now, maybe part of why I was a little uncomfortable might be that I have a fair amount of cash on me....and I have my computer and expensive camera.... and if this guy had any idea of the value of what was on my person and on my bike.... he'd think he'd hit the lottery....
Probably was a good thing I looked as rough as I did also....
I'm unshaven.... My face is about is dark as a white guy's face can get, from ridin' in the sun every day...and I'm dirty...  I got grease everywhere....   If Reggie was someone that I had been feeling comfortable with... I probably would've had him take a picture of me... (and the bike)  just because I don't look as rough ever....as I looked that day...

The ride into town is quite an adventure in itself...  I'd say about half of the time we were driving on the right side of the road....and the other half we were on the left-side of the road...or somewhere in the middle....   But without fail, he seemed to get back in the right lane whenever he'd see a vehicle coming.  I'm tellin' ya.... If I'd have seen a cop... I'd probably have tried to non-discreetly wave him over...   I'm gettin' more uncomfortable all the time with my new friend....

We safely make it to O'Reilly's, get the stuff we need, and head back to the house...
I call David again and tell him I've got the wheel bearings packed and I'm ready to get the wheel put back together.  I'm wanting him to kind of walk me through it as I'm doing it to make sure it goes back together like it's supposed to.  I also tell him I only have 1 bar left on my phone....so if I lose him...that's why...  I also get the message across to him that I'm very uncomfortable and he WILL be hearing from me if and when I get out of there safely.

David gives me a crash course on getting things put back together correctly, in the event my phone goes dead.  I'm thinkin' I want to save enough juice to at least make a 911 call if I need to...  lol

I gotta give some major kudo's to my brother Dave....
After this was all done, I said to him... "I bet this is the first time you've ever changed the wheel bearings on a bike, via the telephone..."   We had a few good laughs over the whole deal, once I did eventually get out of this guy's place..

So....I do manage to get everything put back together and the wheel turns the way it's supposed to...so things are lookin' up.  I go back into the house to wake Reggie up again and let him know that I would sure appreciate his help getting my bike off the blocks.  This is virtually an impossible task for 1 person.

Reggie briefly sits up on the couch....only to recline back into his belly-up position.  He tells me to go ahead and wash my hands...and grab a glass of lemonade out of the fridge and sit for a bit.  I oblige....and am not surprised to see that the pitcher of lemonade in the fridge...is the ONLY thing in the fridge...  Not even ketchup....   lol

Another 1/2 hour goes by & I'm just chompin' at the bit to get away from this man...
He finally rouses again....and throws his slippers on and heads towards outside.  I follow and I'll be darned if he doesn't head into the back yard.  He starts working on the brakes on another one of his old pickups.  Another 1/2 hour goes by and I finally say to him, "Reggie... I'd sure to like to get on the road, and if you'd just help me get the bike down I can do that..."  He says, "OK..." and continues working on his brakes until they're done.  Now he has to put the wheel back on the truck & thank the good Lord, he needed the jack that I had on the bike.  He realizes this and cussin' under his breath, says, "Well, I guess we better go get that jack".

On the way to the front yard, he stops to feed his starving horses....pets them all.... and says sweet nothings to them.... 

I honestly am starting to get very nervous by this time wondering if I was going to get out of there.  While he's feeding his horses, I go to the bike & gingerly try to start jacking it up, holding the bike up, and removing the blocks....  I was to the point that I would NOT let Reggie walk behind me, because I was afraid I might get the old MN bullhead treatment.  (which is a knock on the head)

I was also getting to the point, with the back tire of the bike on the ground, if I needed to I would start the bike & just give 'er hell and somehow get off those blocks.

About this time Reggie sees me working on getting the blocks out, he comes over and gives the jack a few pumps....  It's all I need to get the remaining blocks out & get both wheels on solid ground again...

I had the bike completely packed up and ready to go before I had alerted Reggie to the fact that I needed help....so that once I got off those blocks, I could make my escape.

I had finally made it to that crucial point....  Reggie started to saunter into the backyard and I hollered over to find out of he wanted me to close the gate behind me...  He told me that I could just leave it open...and then he asks me..., "Oh... you takin' off already?"  I casually said "yeah.... I better get a few miles on yet tonight".....as my heart's racin'...  I thank him for his "hospitality" and start the bike....
I know I'm close now.... lol

I make it to the gate.... open it....ride through.....and I'm home-free!
I had survived the ordeal....  I rode into town, stopped at a gas station & called David again to let him know that I had gotten out alive....   We did have some good laughs....   I sure appreciate him taking the time to help me get through a few interesting incidents on this trip.  He's always willing to help (especially with bike issues) and it's SO nice to have the expertise available of someone like him.....

I ended up driving to Albuquerque and did find a very nice hotel, very attractively priced, (no sarcasm here) and very close to a good poker game.  I decided last night to spend an extra day here just to relax and count my blessings....and that's what I've been doing today... 

That brings us to the present time....  I hope to arrive in Vegas early Sunday....
I will try to keep you posted on the adventures yet to come...    :)