I'm BAAAaaack!

John Pollman

Member
Messages
1,332
Location
Rochester Hills, MI
Hi all,
I haven't been around in a while. Not doing much woodworking lately, it's getting pretty difficult. I've had a lot going on medically and not doing so well. I was back in Minneapolis for a couple days back in November and they've added a couple new drugs to my treatment plan. I've been having to deal with some side effects of those drugs and things were getting pretty scary for a while, but I think we've figured out which one is causing the problems and we're working on fine tuning dosages to alleviate at least some of the side effects.

I'm trying to finish up a master bath remodel for my neighbor. It's getting close, I have the tile all set and hope to have it all grouted by Saturday. Then just a little drywall touch up and he's going to do the painting. I'll be glad to have this one done, but it's a bittersweet close out. I'm pretty sure that this is the last tile I'll ever set. I've set thousands of square feet of tile in my life, and I really enjoy it. But it's over because I just can't get up and down off the floor anymore. I'm afraid it's time to hang up my tool belt. :(

I hope things work out, but I had an interview yesterday morning with a building materials supplier that is less than three miles from home. They deal mostly with contractors and they need someone for the sales counter. I talked to the head of sales and the owner for about 45 minutes and I think it went very well. About ten minutes into the interview, he looked at me and said "You have very good communications skills" which made me feel pretty good. Then the owner looked at my resume and asked me why I was getting out of the building trades after nineteen years. I told her that I just couldn't do the physical work anymore and needed to make a change. I was straight with them and told them of the condition I'm dealing with. He then said that nothing I told them disqualified me for the position that they're trying to fill. He said that they're looking for my brain, not brawn.

I told them that I can stand for extended periods of time without too much trouble, but getting up and down from a regular chair is what's difficult. He then said that I wouldn't have to stand all the time, that's why they have those counter height chairs I could use. Afterward he said that he will call me one way or another within about a week to ten days.

Keeping fingers crossed!
 
Good to see you back John. You still have a lot to offer from your experience and knowledge even when the doing gets a bit rough so we're always glad to see you around.

Hope the new job turns out, sound like a good fit on both sides.

Keep hanging in there, medical advances keep happening and you just never know, we'll all keep our fingers crossed for you.
 
Good to see you here, John. :thumb: Sounds like you'd be perfect for the building materials job. Places like that need guys who have real world experience with using the products, not just some guy who has memorized the catalog. ;) We'll all be pulling for you.
 
John, good to hear better things are happening for you. Hopefully they continue and you are soon employed. I am sure all of us would prefer to have you across the counter when we come in with a job or a problem. Time is money and experienced people across the counter saves both for the person in the field. Good luck my friend.
 
Hi John great to see you back, and as others have said hope you get the job we know the customers would be happier with a guy like you behind the counter rather than a robot. :)

Let us know how it goes, stay in touch.
 
John,
Without knowing or asking your age, I'm going to offer sympathy for the getting up and down part... I can stand all day without much problem, and can get up and down from a normal chair, (if I don't jump up too quickly - then I'll be dizzy for a couple of seconds), but If I get down on the floor where I need my knees to lift me again, it's a real struggle. I still forget and will drop down into a squat or get down on a knee to look at something on the floor and if I don't have something to pull up with, it's a struggle to get up.

Also like you I've laid lots of tile and find it a fun job, but being down on my knees, it racks me up for day or two....

Good luck on the job...
 
Thank you all!

I'll keep you posted on the job.

Chuck,
I'm fifty (about to turn 51). For a long time I blamed my struggles going up and down stairs on sore knees, which I attributed to all the tile and hardwood I've installed. But a little over three years ago, we found out that I have Late Onset Tay-Sachs. My doctors say that overall, I'm in very good health and good shape. But this disease is causing my quads, triceps, and to some extent my hands to become extremely weak. If I'm sitting on a normal height chair, I can't just stand up without having to lean on something. Stairs are getting extremely difficult. I'm afraid this disease is progressing faster than I had hoped. But I've got to quit thinking about tomorrow, and live for today!
 
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