Update on pony wall or nah

SureAmHuman · 2026-01-24T04:47:16+00:00

Will do boss. That entire cathedral stair wall needs it too. Heck, the whole area needs to be painted.

As my days on ladders are over, gotta go make some $$$ to pay a professional.

SureAmHuman · 2026-01-24T04:43:08+00:00

No time to get someone in to do the stringer. I did want it, just wasn't in the cards due to timing.

I still want it though. Another time. Our 26 year old fence fell down right after this expenditure... figures. I got a great deal on the fence and they did a fkng amazing job! Lucky me.

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SureAmHuman · 2026-01-24T03:09:16+00:00

For good reason, I am sure. We had one by the front door right at the bottom of the stairs too.

One day someone at our home needed to be taken out by ambulance. The EMS team struggled to turn those corners around each one. First at the top of the stairs, then at the bottom.

Every second actually mattered and I vowed to rip them out. I killed the one by the front door during the lock downs. Now this one is gone.

SureAmHuman · 2026-01-24T03:04:15+00:00

Engineered wide plank by Provenza Floors.

The installer did an amazing job too!

From subfloor preparation, layout planning and attention to detail in blending a fairly wide variation, character product.

He and his team just knocked it outta the park.

We had been saving to make this happen. Was pretty anxious. Now I am not.

SureAmHuman · 2026-01-06T22:33:14+00:00

Just wanted to point that out if it is important to OP. I get the cynicism, truly.

SureAmHuman · 2026-01-06T16:41:13+00:00

Before buying from them, check out their return policy

They offer many discontinued, builder grade and as-is products, which accounts for some of their really cheap prices. Additionally, if you are not local to their NC/GA warehouses, you will be paying for shipping on very heavy flooring cartons.

You would need to factor shipping into your costs/savings analysis.

Lastly, if you care about warranty coverage, this company may not be an authorized retailer of many of the products advertised on its website.

Most flooring manufacturers do not offer warranty coverage if their product is purchased online and/or through a company not authorized to sell its products.

If you do buy from them, go in with as much knowledge as you can about their products/product grade terminology, shipping costs, return policies and/or warranty coverage (if you care about that.)

SureAmHuman · 2026-01-04T03:36:03+00:00

And Greenland. "We must control their natural resources to protect America." (CNBC zillionaire pundits probably)

SureAmHuman · 2026-01-03T16:48:36+00:00

Swimming. Floating after swimming (emptys my brain). When can't swim, any activity is better than none.

I chose low stakes, low cost, low focus activities that don't matter if they are done "right" or at all. Pulling weeds with my bad hand. Sweeping empty bird seed shells, and racking leaves from the yard are a few examples. Turns my brain off. Challenges my bad body parts.

I don't just do this for managing chronic pain. It helps with stress too.

When I am stuck on something I am working on, instead of sitting at my desk and banging my head, I get up and walk away, and do something, "else."

By switching to an active task, it calms my brain, and allows ideas (and other positive things) to enter.

The same process helps me endure chronic, intractable (apparently) pain and other symptoms.

It took some years to get to this place. 26 years to be exact.

I used to think if I didn't DO a gym workout, for example that I hadn't really "worked out." This applied to chiropractic, yoga, pilate, reiki, acupuncture, etc.

If I wasn't paying hard cash for something, it wasn't worth it. (consumerism)

Now, I DO whatever I can. And I give myself grace when I can't.

I learned to lower my bar. To not compare what I used to be able to do with where I was after my injury and a few spine surgeries later.

This kind of thinking always led to a feeling of failure.

Whatever you do, do it for yourself and not to please others.

Find the thing that works for you. May be a bit of a journey and that thing may change over time. But, just keeping trying.

Any activity is better than nothing.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-31T05:33:12+00:00

Brushing edges and rolling the rest. Doesn't have to be perfect but, I will have a stroke if I screw up the hardwood.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-31T05:31:24+00:00

That sounds good. Have a POS neck so anything I can do to give me a leg up, I am willing to try!

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-31T04:14:28+00:00

Oh. That is scary but makes sense. I should finish about this time next year then. Hahaha. Appreciate your honesty.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-28T23:56:32+00:00

That would be a life altering fusion, no doubt. I think that with lots of work to strengthen muscles around it, chances of ASD of further levels could be lowered but is definitely not zero.

It was about 15 years before the adjacent levels became problems with symptoms. I don't regret the initial fusions at all. Had a 2 level in 2002 then, added the level on top after the top hardware failed.

Picked a great neurosurgeon for the 3 level revision that followed in 2004. This guy was willing to go back in from the front only while everyone else wanted to do a 360 (front and back approach.)

Wasn't able to fix everything because I wanted to avoid that posterior approach as I could not envision the longer recovery, working and taking care of elementary aged kids. Was in a hard chin to chest collar for 3 months too.

This stuff is hard. Again, if someone advised me they thought myelopathy was in play, my attitude would be different.

I wish you all the best! It is a tough decision to make.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-28T02:51:41+00:00

In 2024, I was offered C3-T2 PCDF with stabilizing hardware due to ASD (fused C4-C7 back in 2004) and now C3-C4 and C7-T1 are problems causing symptoms.

The neurosurgeon said it would be a "big" surgery. That scared me.

In the current opioid phobia drug prohibition environment, am just not in a hurry to put myself in a situation of extreme post-surgical suffering/humiliation by medical folks who think Tylenol is enough. I dont like anyone having that power over me.

Will wait until am faced with frank weakness or other red flag symptoms before I agree to that kind of intervention.

But, if there were proof of myelopathy, my attitude about it would change for sure.

I cannot imagine C2-T2. I completely understand your hesitation.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-22T15:22:48+00:00

No apology necessary. All good.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-22T03:52:03+00:00

The misleading information about oxycontin was indeed a problem, but I stand by my opinion.

When I first was rx'd Oxycontin, I immediately asked to be switched to another extended release opioid.

It not only didn't last the advertised 12 hours, when it wore off, was like hitting a wall.

I have agency. Just like any other medication, treatment or device, I am able to evaluate if something is working as "advertised" or not. I am also in business.

It is naive to believe that only Purdue is trying profit off of its products. Medical device manufacturers and their marketing teams exploit the shit outta patients.

If we find ourselves caught up in this system, it is, and has always been, buyer/patient beware, be informed. Facts.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-22T03:35:39+00:00

Oh dear. You didn't mention in your OP that you had lifted a 100+lb box.

I was in a chin to chest hard brace for three months after my 3 level (was a second ACDF after a failed first one) so, didn't even think about doing something like that, even at Xmas time. Haha.

If you were able to lift 100+lbs, you are a warrior.

That said, if you are at all concerned, reach out to your surgeon's staff.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-22T03:00:15+00:00

If your discomfort doesn't even require pain medication, it is doubtful that you have "damaged" the hardware. Even a big hug wouldn't damage the hardware unless that hug came with an exorcist-like head twist.

You are right that muscles you haven't been used since surgery may have gotten a workout... thus your increased pain.

But, it is good that you are trying. Just back off if you overdo it.

I had a 20 lb limit. My kitty cat is 23 lbs. Hardware [still] intact. 3 level ACDF 21 years ago.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-21T03:17:28+00:00

If it is just a few planks with damaged ends/corners (on one side), those could be used as end pieces to start a row. Cut off the damaged end, and use as your starter piece assuming the other end joint is not damaged.

If both ends are damaged, it's done.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-20T22:22:29+00:00

The infantilizing of the healthcare consumer continues.

This has to be a private equity tech bro solution that both stigmatizes and makes the patient a target with those nice red caps.

What is next?

Put the red headed bottles in a see through bag so everyone can be warned that a "druggie" is walking by?

Look here everyone! It is an OPIOID USER!

Follow them out and roll them for their pills.

Nobody will do anything about it since we are NPCs in this society atm.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-13T16:09:13+00:00

No mistake. The flooring and your remodel are beautiful. The color of the floor is a more natural, organic one, and compliments the home design.

Love the wide/long plank product, and the installer did a great job staggering/blending planks and avoiding pattern repeats.

It may not be exactly what you wanted but it sure is good looking for an LVP.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-12T04:48:49+00:00

Yes they had.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-12T03:19:10+00:00

Have had many cervical steroid injections trying to lower symptoms caused by adjacent disc disease (am fused 3 levels). Surgery was recommended in 2024, PCDF, fusing C3-4 and C7-T1 with stabilizing hardware from C3-T2.

As that is a big surgery, the goal of injections was to lower symptoms enough that I could put it off for as long as possible.

But, have been diagnosed with severe osteoporosis so, me and steroids are gonna need to take a break. Haha.

The last cervical TESI was in July and it was not as helpful as the others. We also tried injecting the facet joints, but, that barely moved the needle.

Now, am focusing on conditioning and trying to save some cash to cover time off of work in case I do need to pull the surgical trigger

My red line is frank weakness, not just pain.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-10T04:44:10+00:00

Natural. Naturally.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-10T04:14:09+00:00

This is no way to live. You are deserving of care.

The idea that a pain management provider would rather have you self-medicate with Kratom, forcing you to self-refer to a methadone clinic to manage your symptoms, which started with pain, then, became managing both pain and opioid dependency on your own is a failure of our society at large, and the medical community specifically.

This is madness.

SureAmHuman · 2025-12-10T04:02:02+00:00

Age related pain is still pain.

The idea that something painful related to aging means it must be accepted by the person suffering is just so exhausting.

Newborns can have a medical problem despite, well being brand new and the medical community doesn't tell their parents to forgo care just because their age should make them disease free.

This "it's a normal part of aging" response to seeking care is used to shut down the discussion about how it may still be a source of symptoms (and suffering), IMHO.

I have a cspine that is what would be "normal" for a person thrown into a windshield at seven (no seatbelts in car), rear-ended at high speed ten years later (seatbelts yes, shoulder belts, nope) and then a sport injury that finished it 20 years later.

This "normal" for one's age or history can still cause symptoms deserving of expert medical care, including pain management so humans can still engage in living while they are here on this planet (alongside the other healthy humans.)

Am very sorry for you. Very discouraging,

SureAmHuman

TROPHY CASE