Author
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Topic: Simplifying my life, reducing my space collection
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KSCartist Member Posts: 2896 From: Titusville, FL USA Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 05-30-2013 10:19 AM
My Memorial Day weekend was very interesting and not at all what I expected it to be. I got called into work last Sunday to help clean up a paint spill outside of the store. It was necessarily a struggle to clean it up before it dried and we busted our asses.When I returned home and cleaned up, I started to get a tightness in my chest and sharp pain radiating down my left arm. I took a couple of baby aspirin and Lynn took me to the ER. 48 hours later and after a bunch of tests, I returned home. They can't say with certainty that I did or didn't have a minor infarction - clearly "something" happened. I'll have to follow up with my cardiologist. They told me and I agree to consider this as a "warning shot across the bow" for me to take better care of myself. Thankfully I have a nurse on call 24-7 to make sure I do, my daughter. Unfortunately Lynn and I had to spend the 35th anniversary of our first date in a hospital room. But at least we'll get to spend more anniversaries together. The reason I am sharing this news is because like many of you, I have been thinking about reducing my collection. My grandchildren will probably only be interested in things like the flown patches I helped design. So over the next few weeks and months, I will be posting items for sale in the proper forum. I will endeavor to determine fair value before I post but knowing the cS community, you'll keep me informed as to the true value. In every case I will consider fair offers. I want to be able to focus on my artwork and at this writing, my home office is a mess. Thanks for the words of support and well wishes I have already received from some of you. They truly mean a lot. |
Fra Mauro Member Posts: 1586 From: Bethpage, N.Y. Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 05-30-2013 11:27 AM
Hey Tim, I hope you are feeling better! Please take care of yourself. |
lspooz Member Posts: 384 From: Greensboro, NC USA Registered: Aug 2012
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posted 05-30-2013 11:32 AM
Lynn and I had to spend the 35th anniversary of our first date in a hospital room. But at least we'll get to spend more anniversaries together. This is the key part of your post - enjoy life, and best wishes |
Tykeanaut Member Posts: 2212 From: Worcestershire, England, UK. Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 05-30-2013 12:20 PM
Take care, enjoy life and be happy. |
GACspaceguy Member Posts: 2474 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 05-30-2013 02:26 PM
Tim, contact me if you need any help. |
tedc Member Posts: 123 From: Renton, WA USA Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 05-30-2013 10:10 PM
Thoughts and prayers for continued good health. — Ted |
Rob Joyner Member Posts: 1308 From: GA, USA Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 05-31-2013 12:15 AM
Tim, I hope you're feeling better with each day. And remember...now daughter knows best. Take care! |
garymilgrom Member Posts: 1966 From: Atlanta, GA Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 05-31-2013 06:38 AM
Wishing you all the best Tim as I enjoy your painting "Ahoy Endeavour" which hides the power supply tower on my desk. |
dogcrew5369 Member Posts: 750 From: Statesville, NC Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 05-31-2013 10:44 AM
Take care of yourself and good luck on thinning your collection. Sometimes simplifying your life can make a world of difference. God bless. |
p51 Member Posts: 1642 From: Olympia, WA Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 05-31-2013 11:35 AM
Good luck and God bless. I recently had a medical scare that turned out to be nothing, and survived two aviation accidents in the Army several years back. Things like that really make you think of what's really important. quote: Originally posted by KSCartist: My grandchildren will probably only be interested in things like the flown patches I helped design.
Don't assume this, talk with your family in detail before you do anything. A close friend of mine who had a very distinguished and public military career assumed nobody in his family would want much of his 'junk' and sold a lot off to collectors several years ago. When he passed, his family was crushed that he'd gotten rid of everything thinking nobody wanted his stuff. His son and daughter have jointly been trying to find his academy flight jacket ever since. I tried talking the man out of selling everything off and even bought some of his stuff myself. I wound up selling everything his family wanted back to them, but at my cost.Don't be that guy, your family will resent this down the road if you don't talk with them first. |
JPSastro Member Posts: 170 From: Tucson, Arizona Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 05-31-2013 01:01 PM
I admire your artistic talent and wishing you all the best.I too was having medical issues and all. I just received my diagnosis of stage 4 cancer and the news that it is incurable. Chemo starts soon. So it goes. I to am going to start selling off my space collection, too. They're just things. They just don't seem so important any more. Funny how that works. |
Ken Havekotte Member Posts: 2912 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 05-31-2013 01:22 PM
Tim, Do take good care of yourself. I'll email you soon, meanwhile, hang in there and God Bless! |
FlyBuzz11 Member Posts: 49 From: Fort Worth, Texas Registered: Nov 2012
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posted 05-31-2013 08:37 PM
May God bless you with many more journeys around the sun... |
Mike Z Member Posts: 451 From: Ellicott City, Maryland Registered: Dec 2005
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posted 05-31-2013 08:57 PM
Wow Tim, I sure know what you went through. As you know in 2005 I had a massive and near fatal heart attack that my Cardiologists still say I should not be alive. While I am on the Heart Transplant list I am not waiting for a heart and after my quintuple bypass I keep exercising every day but not like I did in my sports and power lifting days. When you see your Cardiologist see what they suggest you do as far as exercising. Now we are worring about my son needing a kidney transplant very soon. Life is full of "bumps' in the road. Anyway Tim you are in our prayers!! |
mode1charlie Member Posts: 1169 From: Honolulu, HI Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 05-31-2013 11:02 PM
Tim, we met briefly at the ASF Autograph Show last November. Just wanted to say that I am an admirer of your work and wish you all the best in what must be a rather unnerving time. |
J Blackburn Member Posts: 224 From: Riner, Virginia USA Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 06-01-2013 09:22 AM
My thoughts and prayers are with you. Like others on this post have said, ask your family first. When my dad passed away several years ago there were things he got rid of or are missing in action that I would have loved to had. Those things may not have meant much to him but gave me a wealth of memories. Fourteen years later and still to this day me and my mom continue to search for his military dog tags.It may be that one "off the wall patch" that has absolutely no value that a family member may cherish due to a memory associated with it. However, remember this my friend, what you had was just a scare or a wake up call. You still have many many many years left on this big "Aggie Marble" that hangs in the midst of the heavens. Prayers lifting off to you — Jason |
heng44 Member Posts: 3386 From: Netherlands Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 06-02-2013 06:32 AM
Tim, I am sure that we will see many more artworks from you in the future.Take care, my friend! |
Scott Member Posts: 3307 From: Houston, TX Registered: May 2001
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posted 06-02-2013 09:38 AM
Hope you're feeling better soon, Tim. |
Joel Katzowitz Member Posts: 808 From: Marietta GA USA Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 06-02-2013 11:17 AM
I remember your kindness in supplying one of our Georgia Spacegeek get togethers with some of your patches, thank you again.I wish you health and happiness. |
Tom Member Posts: 1597 From: New York Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 06-02-2013 11:55 AM
Tim...if nothing else, an incident like that really puts our priorities in the proper perspective.Feel better and God bless...our thoughts are with you, friend! |
lm5eagle Member Posts: 429 From: Registered: Jul 2007
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posted 06-02-2013 12:09 PM
Tim, please rest and take it easy.I received a email from you and while I was delighted to receive it, it is not indicative of a lightening of the load. So watch yourself carefully as you continue to create all your wonderful artwork. |
ilbasso Member Posts: 1522 From: Greensboro, NC USA Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 06-02-2013 03:53 PM
Tim, do try to take it easy! It's easy for our hobbies and passions to become all-consuming. Even when we think we have our collecting habits under control, they keep sneaking up on us. (I type this while sitting at a desk that's covered with all of the new photos, badges, booklets, and papers that I have yet to scan and file - and that's AFTER I spent the weekend cleaning them up!)Sorry that you had a wake-up call like you did...but fortunately, it was not worse than a wake-up call. Nothing heart-related is routine! We can only be thankful when we catch problems early. I've had too many friends who shared our dear departed Mr. Armstrong's fate of going in for bypass surgery and not coming home again. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. To coin a phrase, "Live long and prosper!" |
mach3valkyrie Member Posts: 719 From: Albany, Oregon Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 06-02-2013 11:25 PM
Tim, one thing that really helped me was getting on blood pressure medication. It helps reduce stress a lot. I'm not much of a pill taker, but the right prescription is well worth it. Take care friend. |
Gonzo Member Posts: 596 From: Lansing, MI, USA Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 06-03-2013 12:14 PM
Tim - don't take this for granted. If you listen to this incident, it happened for a reason and I understand.Almost 2 years ago I returned to Mt. Everest to do the Base Camp Trek for the second time. Unfortunately, on the second day on the trail, I started getting ill. I spent the next week trying to continue the trek and get better, to no avail. I only made it about half way (when I got home I found I had lost 17 pounds in just 14 days). Long story short, I had gotten a bacterial infection. It turned out to be what used to be called dysentery. Bad stuff. Had I gone further, it too could have easily been fatal and they would have shipped me home in a box. The helicopter rescue was enough! But my point is writing this for you is that things like this happen for a reason. What did I get out of it? I learned that there are things that are simply out of our control. Things we simply cannot control and that you must accept that. I have been a much calmer person after accepting and understanding this simple idea, firsthand. So take a long perspective look at what this is supposed to be teaching you. It is there for a reason. Don't waste it. It is a golden opportunity to learn something significant about life and why we are here. And don't thin your collection too far. I agree, your kids and grand kids will cherish these things someday! In the meantime, I too wish you the best and a speedy recovery. As others have said, I too have many of your patches and they are all prizes in my collection. |
KSCartist Member Posts: 2896 From: Titusville, FL USA Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 06-06-2013 09:05 AM
First, I would like to thank everyone for their posts and private emails. You have no idea how much they are appreciated.The testing they did when I was hospitalized can only determine blockages greater than 50% - so if I have any blockage - it's less than that. I saw my cardiologist on Tuesday. IF what sent me to the hospital was caused by heart disease it WILL happen again. (emphasis his) He gave me a script for nitro to carry with me. I hope everyone knows that your advice is taken to heart. Before anything is listed for sale it will have been reviewed by my daughter in consideration for her or my grandsons. I will not enter into this reduction of my collection lightly or in haste - but I do need to get rid of some things that have been boxed away and not even enjoyed in years. I would prefer they go to a fellow collector who can appreciate the significance and history. Thank you to Robert and the cS community again. |
dogcrew5369 Member Posts: 750 From: Statesville, NC Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 06-06-2013 12:36 PM
The best advice I can give is don't take anything for granted in life. I too have found a better appreciation for what I have ever since last Fall when my father was discovered with 4 blockages all 70-100% blocked. He had extensive surgery and quickly recovered to pretty much his old self except better. He's retired now and I hope to get to spend more time with him and my family. Be with your family and enjoy them and yourself. You never know how long God plans to keep us on Earth. I'm on blood pressure and cholesterol medicine and my fathers ordeal has woke me up. Don't waste a minute with trivial things. Carpe diem! |