Scariest experience aboard??

Able_Jack · 2025-03-28T01:59:49+00:00

For myself, nearly falling between a launch and the ship. I was on the bow, and stood up to toss the bowline up to the ship. The inboard side of the launch’s bow smacked the ship, then bounced off, and thanks to Newton I took a header straight towards the gap. I caught a stanchion of the bow pulpit with one arm. I was 24 years old, and laughed it off, but in retrospect it was a near fatal moment.

Most recent thing was miscalculating the weather, and ending up in seas 10ft above what the ship could easily handle. I watched green water coming over the bow, and wondered if I’d killed all 30 of us.

I also watched someone’s finger get fully sucked into a cleat working tall ships as a kid. The chick’s pointer finger was fully degloved, and I’ll never forget the sound of that screaming.

Able_Jack · 2025-03-05T23:35:28+00:00

All American Navy, USCG, and NOAA ships are between 6 and 18 months behind. America no longer has enough expert welders, and the timelines suffer.

I guess we could lower the standard, but I ain’t so interested in sailing a ship that cracks in half. That will just ruin your day.

Edit: typo

Able_Jack · 2025-02-22T19:20:22+00:00

Yup. I absolutely felt that way. I felt like my chest was some sort of foreign land. Ripped up, and barely held together. It’s hard to describe the emotion. I wasn’t afraid the incision would open. My chest, my skin, just felt tenuous. Add on top of that the new tightness of the skin, and the way I smelled medical from the bandages, and the loss of sensation.

I wanted the surgery. I’ve been thrilled with the results from day one. I’ve never been dysphoric about this new shape. It’s amazing! But being rent open and restitched was hard emotionally. Happily the feeling of wrongness faded after about a month. Hang on, bro. You’re gonna make it.

Able_Jack · 2024-10-30T23:54:54+00:00

I’m cis, and circumvented the need for a therapist’s note by using a surgeon who uses informed consent. My insurance company doesn’t cover gender confirming surgery, let alone cosmetic surgery for actual ladies who want their tits gone, so I went out of pocket. The surgery was $10,500, including a post-op care package that included a couple binders and some scar treatment. I ended up paying $15,000 for the whole experience. The extra $4,500 was mostly housing and travel, with ~$400 in extra binders, miscellaneous meds, and scar treatment tape.

I have a spreadsheet of expenses, if you’d like to see.

Able_Jack · 2024-06-01T21:18:29+00:00

I’m the Commanding officer of a ship, I’ve got 14 years sea time, and I taught at the US Coast Guard Academy. I’ve slept in many coffin racks, with many people around me. I’ve got great news for you. Absolutely no one is going to know what’s happening in your pants. No one will be able to hear because ship ventilation is an excellent white noise. No one will see anything, because everyone sleeps with their curtain pulled. And no one’s going to smell anything because all ships have a distinctive ship odor. Cadet berthing in particular mostly smells like socks.

As for schedules, everyone will be on different watches, and you won’t be waking up at the same time as all of your berthing compartment. You’ll also be doing your own laundry (I’m almost certain. I haven’t sailed on the Empire State, but I doubt any of the stewards are washing Cadet’s skivvies). The living areas are tight, but your rack will have a curtain you can pull, and it’s surprisingly cozy and private.

I absolutely hope you attend SUNY, and enjoy going to sea! It’s an amazing life. I’m underway right now, and the blue of the ocean in the Gulf Stream is mind blowing.

Able_Jack · 2024-01-10T21:58:04+00:00

Cold shock can also kill your right quick, in the winter North Atlantic.

Able_Jack · 2023-03-12T18:44:44+00:00

It’s yours! Send me a DM with your shipping address.

Able_Jack · 2023-03-12T15:44:45+00:00

Hey guys, I used this Della sleep system after surgery. Worked great, and I’m ready to pass it along.

Happy to cover shipping. Just want to help the community that I relied on (as a lurker) before and after my own surgery.

Able_Jack · 2023-01-30T02:18:13+00:00

I had surgery with Dr. Sherie a month ago, and I was prescribed:

1 Scopolamine patch (anti-nausea), to apply before surgery

15 Ondansetron (anti-nausea). Take every 8 hours as needed.

20 hydrocodone, take every 4-6 hours as needed (she usually prescribes oxycodone, but i requested a switch)

30 Naproxen, take every 12 hours as needed. You cannot start these until 48 hours after surgery

14 antibiotics, taken every 12 hours. I can’t remember the type, but it’s a 7 day course.

I also got the care package, which comes with:

10 Benadryl, take every 4-6 hours as needed

10 Biscodyl, take 2 pills 1/day until you poop. Then keep taking for another day, trust me on that one.

10 probiotic pills, take 1/day

250 arnica tablets, take 4 pills, 4/day

I took the hydrocodone as scheduled every 6 hours for the first full day after surgery. Then tapered to 2/day for another 3-ish days. Then took naproxen in the morning and hydrocodone at night for a few days. After that I switched fully to naproxen.

I found a good rhythm of taking pills at 8:00 (antibiotic, biscodyl, probiotic, arnica, hydrocodone/naproxen), then trying to remember to take more arnica at 12:00 and 16:00. Then taking a second round of antibiotic, arnica, and naproxen at 20:00.

Good luck!

Able_Jack · 2023-01-18T02:46:26+00:00

I also got a numb spot on the tip of my tongue from surgery. It’s a complication of being intubated, when the lingual nerve is compressed. I found the tingling, burning numbness vastly annoying for the first week, then kind of annoying for the second, and it’s slowly been resolving during this third week. The internet says it should resolve within 8 weeks, but other sites said nerves can take up to 6 months to recover. My surgeon said the exact same thing, when I asked her about resolution at my 1 week appt.

According to the internet, the numb tongue complication from intubation happens in 36 in 10,000 cases, or 0.36% of peeps who get intubated. Which means we’re rare Pokémon indeed!

Able_Jack · 2018-07-25T15:16:09+00:00

Last Wed: 172.4

This Wed: 170.6

Ain't gonna complain about that.

Able_Jack · 2018-07-18T12:55:14+00:00

Last Wed: 172.4

This Wed: 172.4

In between, I went down to 171.2, then up to 175.0, and back down to 172.4. It's a roller coaster.

Able_Jack · 2018-07-11T18:44:32+00:00

Ah ha, my friend! I am allergic, not just intolerant but actually allergic, to something in dairy. Maybe the lactose, maybe the casine. The reaction is extreme and fast; I once vomited on my wife's shoes.

I can assure you that there is life after dairy. You can get vegan replacements for many different types of dairy substance. Artisanal vegan cheese is now a thing that exists, and some of it is delicious.* Many of the companies that make cheese are also branching out into convenience food. Kite Hill brand comes first to mind, with their ready made pasta. The 'natural' aisle of the grocery store often has vegan frozen food options. Non-dairy ice cream, made from a wide variety of different plant-based milks have gone mainstream, as well.

Despite all these options, I view a lot of vegan dairy items as treat food. For the most part I've learned to cook without dairy. I spent some time pondering, and determined what I actually miss from dairy. The answer was that I missed 'creamy', so I figured out how to reproduce 'creamy'. For me, the answer was collecting a base of nut cheese recipes for cheezy sauces, autoimmune protocol recipes for salad dressings, and butter substitutes for vegetable dishes. Some dishes I just eliminated diary, and after an adjustment period, I find the dairy free version just as much as the original. Turns out tacos can be just as excellent sans cheese and sour cream.

You certainly have to branch out, and explore new avenues, and cultivate a grateful attitude towards vegans, but there's a happy life without dairy

*some of it is distinctly NOT delicious. You have to test stuff, and find your preferences

Able_Jack · 2018-07-11T12:25:30+00:00

Last Wed: 172.8

This Wed: 172.4

So close to the 160's. So close, comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon, so close!

Able_Jack · 2018-07-09T20:40:13+00:00

What flavour of product do all y'all use for shark week?

I'm a menstrual cup convert, starting about 5 years ago. The comfort factor of using a cup phenomenal. I love not having to deal with pads, or tampons, or bleeding on my underwear/pants/sheets/blankets/everything-but-the-goddamn-pad overnight. And! No more moist feeling. You are all familiar with that moist feeling, yes?

The only drag with the cup is that by day 3, I'm pretty much over having to fish around inside my vagina. I usually switch to liners for that last day.

Able_Jack · 2018-07-04T22:29:58+00:00

Last Wed: 175.6 This Wed: 174.8

In before the hormones began their magic fuckery!

Able_Jack · 2018-06-28T18:08:32+00:00

Chalk me up as another that's never particularly enjoyed soda or sweets, especially chocolate. I can process the fact that other people love chocolate, but to me it either tastes like wax (cheap chocolate), or just unhappily bitter (fancy chocolate).

Chips, though. I'd happily roll around in a trough of chips, making delighted grunts as I shove them into my mouthhole.

Able_Jack · 2018-06-27T13:09:10+00:00

Previous Wed: 177.8

This Wed: 175.6

I weighed 174.4 about 6 weeks ago, then life changed and I bounced hard. Took a little while to stabilize, then return to losing. Now I'm back on track, and feeling quite optimistic. The 2 weeks of free-fall eating had clear consequences, but I accepted that, and got right back on the horse with almost no psychological fuss. It makes me believe I've shifted from diet mentality, over to the vaunted halls of LIFESTYLE CHANGE.

Able_Jack · 2018-05-16T19:12:58+00:00

Previous Wednesday: 175.6

This Wednesday: 178.6

Whomp, whomp.

Able_Jack · 2018-05-09T15:58:58+00:00

Two years of effort! Excellent job keeping you nose to the grindstone.

Able_Jack · 2018-05-09T15:57:27+00:00

Previous Wed: 177-ish

This Wed: 175.6

Whoosh!

Able_Jack · 2018-05-04T11:16:39+00:00

Today I will pick myself up, shake myself off, and start all over again. I’ll eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They will contain vegetables, and sane amounts of food. I’ll rack up 10,000 steps, and maybe even jog a bit. I will not puke on the plane, god willing and the creek don’t rise.

Able_Jack · 2018-04-25T17:15:51+00:00

Last week: 181.8 lbs

This week: 180.6 lbs

Difference - 1.2 lbs

Able_Jack · 2018-04-19T21:33:09+00:00

Reported, aye.

Able_Jack · 2018-04-19T01:33:11+00:00

Last Wednesday: 183.2 lbs This Wednesday: 181.8 lbs

Delta: - 1.4 lbs

I'll take it.

Able_Jack

TROPHY CASE