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Message started by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 09:47:30

Title: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 09:47:30

Howdy y'all. How's the thumper world doing?

A little background for those who joined recently as well as for those legendary old timers on this forum who may not remember- I had a pair of strokes almost 4 years ago that screwed up my vision, balance, coordination, strength and swallowing. And i wasnt even 40! Had to sell the bikes and doubted I would ever ride again. I seemed to have fallen off the face of the planet. At least my world seemed that way.

Well, after tons of physical therapy and treatment I'm on two wheels again!

I hope everyone is doing well and finds their new year happy.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by Serowbot on 01/01/13 at 10:00:52

:)... nice to have you back,.. and on 2 wheels... ;)...

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 10:04:20

Thanks. You still keeping everyone in line?

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by raydawg on 01/01/13 at 10:15:59

Mercy, what a major pothole to scoot around.....
DJ, if its not too personal, can you lend us some facts about this awful episode in your life that might have contributed to it. I ask not out of titillation, but I turn 60 in two weeks and Lord knows I'm still dragging some awful habits around that could contribute to the detriment of this spry hunk of burning love I still sport....yes, lying and exaggeration are two of them :o

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/01/13 at 10:31:33

WOW!,, Sorry for the bummer times but glad ya made it back./.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by verslagen1 on 01/01/13 at 10:39:56

What a wonderful b'day present to me!

DJ so glad to see you here!

:o :o :o... Happy B'Day, Versy!... :-?... -Serow

It was yesterday :( -V1

;D

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by hexnut on 01/01/13 at 10:44:51

gone fishing

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 11:05:11

Raydawg: Quick background first- a year after Desert Storm I left the Army at age 22. Went to college and majored in Polysomnography, the technical aspect of diagnosing and treating sleep disorders, as well as neurology and computer science. I spent my career building and running sleep disorders centers, building and running neurodiagnostic labs and most recently building and running collegiate programs in both fields. I was kind of a pioneer through each and every stage. Ironically, I was diagnosed with some sleep disorders myself including sleep apnea. I've been a faithful CPAP user since 1999. Faithful cause I had repeatedly seen the effects of untreated sleep apnea both acute emergencies as well as chronic problems. Faithful except for one night back in 2009 when I fell asleep in the recliner instead of in bed with my CPAP. Woke up at 5am. Woke up and, because of my training, knew exactly what happened. Managed to crawl upstairs somehow, woke my wife up and said, "Call 911. I've had a stroke". :-X

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 11:18:56

My head was throbbing 10x worse than the worst headache I've ever had. I couldn't stand. When I managed to my body went sideways until I hit a wall. I felt like those weather reporters who do live broadcasts as the eye wall of a hurricane is making landfall. Bright light was painful. It was a single event but I stroked in two different, unrelated areas of my brain. Docs still can't explain that one. I was 38 years old. ER docs didn't want to believe it was stroke because of my age and that fact that I was able to converse with them in accurate, effective medical lingo. Duh! I had been trained to do so! We're it an identical presentation but my age was 60 or older the ER docs would have immediately diagnosed stroke with complete and total confidence.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 11:22:30

In the hospital my regular doc came to see me. We were also friends outside of the workplace. I was drugged up for the headache but he instantly recognized all the stuff that was wrong with me and got the ball rolling on the diagnostic imaging and subsequent treatment. But by that time I was no longer a candidate for TPA (what most lay people know as the clot-busting drug that has to be given within a narrow period of time known as the "golden window" after stroke onset). However, later discussions with my neurologist revealed that I wouldn't have been a candidate for TPA regardless.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 11:44:31

BTW, I apologize for posting all this in the RSD section but I wanted to answer Raydawg's question and it's kinda the way the thread evolved.

Don't whip me I'll do better next time. ;)

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by raydawg on 01/01/13 at 11:45:40

WOW....one wise and smart hombre. Thanks for the insight, I love my catnap in my recliner but I have awaken many times with grasping or snoring myself awake....no more, I'm going horizonal or not at all!

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by verslagen1 on 01/01/13 at 11:47:54

4A474F4341404A4447432E0 wrote:

BTW, I apologize for posting all this in the RSD section but I wanted to answer Raydawg's question and it's kinda the way the thread evolved.

Don't whip me I'll do better next time. ;)

No problem, it can be fixed.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by ALfromN.H. on 01/01/13 at 12:49:32

Welcome back Jim. What are you riding now? did you get another savage or sumpin else?

AL

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by Boule’tard on 01/01/13 at 13:09:34

Congratulations on getting your riding years back! You'd gotten robbed of that at such a young age. I am glad to hear you are well enough to ride again. Also curious as to what you picked for a new ride.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 13:26:57

Thanks, guys. Yep, this is still the coolest motorcycle forum out there.

5B5658580C3A0 wrote:

Welcome back Jim. What are you riding now? did you get another savage or sumpin else?

AL

This little scooter. An '04 Kawa Mean Streak 1600. Dynotuned hypercharger, PCIII USB and Cobra slash cuts.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/meanstreak1600_zpsd149fde8.jpg

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/01/13 at 16:46:21

You Do know that shop pics & stuff like that are allowable here, right?

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by Boule’tard on 01/01/13 at 16:51:54

[smiley=shocked.gif] Back in black (da da dunt,,, da da dunt...)
Careful with that beast!

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 17:40:15

5E4147405D5A6B5B6B53414D06340 wrote:

You Do know that shop pics & stuff like that are allowable here, right?

You mean like this?

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/organizedshelves_zps03026677.jpg

:D

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by LANCER on 01/01/13 at 19:17:44

Dude, it is so good to hear from you again. I thought after we left your place with the Black Shadow in the truck that you must have lost the fight since all comm with you went black after that.
You must be feeling a heck of a lot better now days with that big bike you have there.
Bless you dude ! Ride safe.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/01/13 at 22:40:28

0D000F0204135356610 wrote:

Thanks. My world kinda ended around that time. Job gone. Body not working right. License medically taken away due to vision problems and post-stroke seizures that are common while the brain is trying to heal. Had to prove vision was better and seizure free to get my driving privileges back. The world came crashing down. Life was people taking me to doctor appointments, therapy, medications and sleeping. I had to use an electric scooter for nearly 2 years to get around.

I feel I finally got "over the hump" this past summer as far as having a somewhat normal life. This fall I was able to catch up on stuff around the house. Now I got time and energy for hobbies.

Docs around here kinda see me as a miracle. Knowing what I know I tend to agree.

I owe abolutely everything to my wife. She has been simply amazing through it all. God blessed me with her.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by LANCER on 01/02/13 at 02:58:31

0409010D0F0E040A090D600 wrote:

[quote author=0D000F0204135356610 link=1357062451/15#19 date=1357096664]Dude, it is so good to hear from you again. I thought after we left your place with the Black Shadow in the truck that you must have lost the fight since all comm with you went black after that.
You must be feeling a heck of a lot better now days with that big bike you have there.
Bless you dude ! Ride safe.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by LANCER on 01/02/13 at 03:00:05

So does the Meanstreak pull a bit harder than the LS650 ? ? ;D

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/02/13 at 08:01:52

202D222F293E7E7B4C0 wrote:

So does the Meanstreak pull a bit harder than the LS650 ? ? ;D

Let's put it this way. These are the grips that came on the bike:
http://images.motorcycle-superstore.com/ProductImages/OG/0000_Pro_One_Chrome_Spike_Head_Grips_Ball-Milled.jpg

Now, you'll notice this is the absolute worst grip design. No friction enancing rubber. Just slick metal. Still worse, they narrrow in the middle where the "meat" of your grip should be. Purely just for looks. Well, I rode it for a few days with those grips. The first time I decided to gun it to see what it would do I was coming out of a curve and just straightened up. I was in 2nd.

Twist... oh crap, hands slipping... butt puckering! :o :o :o :o

Didn't try that again. The grips scared the hell out of me cause there was, well, no grip.

Ah, the first step in another mod journey. There's always some degree of necessity in each and every mod.

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by kimchris1 on 01/02/13 at 10:10:48

Welcome back and so nice to hear your recovery
is going great.
Nice little scooter you got there.
Determination and will has alot to do with ones
recovery as well as a good loved one.
Hugs to you and your wife. Glad your back. :) kim

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by John_D FSO on 01/04/13 at 01:44:37

Welcome back Jim, great to seeya on here! :D

Title: Re: Diamond Jim is back!
Post by diamond jim on 01/04/13 at 06:36:10

Thanks Kim and John. And thanks to all the cool people on this site.