Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Woodsey]

One more photo I just found. Pardon the dreadful pun, but this is just breathtaking. What a way to live, to survive, to exist.

Check this out.....

http://www.escapeest.com/images/austinist/080418_154IronLungExterior.jpg


PS - I wish I could find a photo of a typical 50's child in leg calipers.

I see pictures of these types of contraptions the whole time at work. Its amazing the sort of stuff they would try and use to keep premature babies breathing with, most of which were not very effective at all, although probably better than nothing. But if your going to develop new ideas they have to come from somewhere.......

[cia260895]

[kinboshi]

Listening to a review on R4 about the new film based on Ian Dury's life, I was reminded - because he was one such sufferer - of polio, aka "poliomyelitis".

It was incredibly rife amongst children in the 1950's, & was sometimes called, I think, infantile paralysis.

Every school class had 3 or 4 kids wearing what I seem to recall were called "calipers", or, less flatteringly, "leg-irons". A search of google images failed to find a reasonable such photo, but it was very common.

Everyone dreaded catching it, it was the most terrible thing, but many kids got over it - if being permanently disabled in one or more limbs was "getting over it" - & lived normal lives.

Adult sufferers in some cases lived the rest of their lives in an artificial respirator, as their chest muscles or lungs were paralysed I suppose, these machines were known as "iron lungs".

Can you imagine spending your life like this?

Polio should now be a thing of the past, mentioned in the history archives alongside Smallpox.  However, human stupidity helped ensure that it didn't happen. 

[RED-DOG]

Abdul (Dealer at DTD) is a victim of polio, but he can still manage to get around with the aid of crutches.

He is, (He tells me quite sincerely) "One of the lucky ones".

[tikay]

Abdul (Dealer at DTD) is a victim of polio, but he can still manage to get around with the aid of crutches.

He is, (He tells me quite sincerely) "One of the lucky ones".

Surviving something so dreadful is only possible, I would guess, if you are as mentally resilient as that.

I can actually think of three poker Dealers who are similarly affected, one used to deal at Walsall, & deals at The Broadway these days I believe.

[RED-DOG]

Abdul (Dealer at DTD) is a victim of polio, but he can still manage to get around with the aid of crutches.

He is, (He tells me quite sincerely) "One of the lucky ones".

Surviving something so dreadful is only possible, I would guess, if you are as mentally resilient as that.

I can actually think of three poker Dealers who are similarly affected, one used to deal at Walsall, & deals at The Broadway these days I believe.

The one from Walsall is Tom "The Fire" Burns. He wasn't a polio victim, he was a HGV driver who crashed into a house. The lorry stopped at the kitchen, Tom continued on down the hall, through the lounge and out into the back garden.

[GreekStein]

Abdul (Dealer at DTD) is a victim of polio, but he can still manage to get around with the aid of crutches.

He is, (He tells me quite sincerely) "One of the lucky ones".

Abdul is one of the nicest dealers there is too. He'll always say hi, ask how you are, never complains etc.

Once saw him slip at the LPC main event , just got up as soon as he could, made no fuss and went to see when he was next on. I've got a lot of time for this guy every time I see him around.

[tikay]

Abdul (Dealer at DTD) is a victim of polio, but he can still manage to get around with the aid of crutches.

He is, (He tells me quite sincerely) "One of the lucky ones".

Surviving something so dreadful is only possible, I would guess, if you are as mentally resilient as that.

I can actually think of three poker Dealers who are similarly affected, one used to deal at Walsall, & deals at The Broadway these days I believe.

The one from Walsall is Tom "The Fire" Burns. He wasn't a polio victim, he was a HGV driver who crashed into a house. The lorry stopped at the kitchen, Tom continued on down the hall, through the lounge and out into the back garden.

!

Yes, that's him. Cheerful soul, too.

[tikay]

I'm not entirely sure where "addiction" & "dependency" differ, but I don't really care for either.

I seem to be totally addicted to or dependent upon.....

The Internet. If I cannot get on it, I fret endlessly. It was only invented in recent times, the last 20 or 30 years, but it almost rules my life now. And whole businesses are based upon it.

Mobile 'Phones. I carry mine everywhere, & get in a tither if I ever go anywhere without it. And yet I lived for nearly 40 years without one.

"Motorway" Coffee. (Costa, Coffee Nation, Red Bean).I reak out in a sweat if I don't have one every 2 hours. From my Hotel to the Coffee Garage is 200 yards, & every yard is painful. I need coffee.

The Times. I HAVE to get The Times every day. I would die if I did not.

Cigarettes. Ugh. Why did I start again? Now I don't want to give up. Come the day, of course, I'll regret it. And yet I can go for ever without a ciggie if it's a non-smoking environment.

Rennies.

[Tractor]

I'm not entirely sure where "addiction" & "dependency" differ, but I don't really care for either.

I seem to be totally addicted to or dependent upon.....

The Internet. If I cannot get on it, I fret endlessly. It was only invented in recent times, the last 20 or 30 years, but it almost rules my life now. And whole businesses are based upon it.

Mobile 'Phones. I carry mine everywhere, & get in a tither if I ever go anywhere without it. And yet I lived for nearly 40 years without one.

"Motorway" Coffee. (Costa, Coffee Nation, Red Bean).I reak out in a sweat if I don't have one every 2 hours. From my Hotel to the Coffee Garage is 200 yards, & every yard is painful. I need coffee.

The Times. I HAVE to get The Times every day. I would die if I did not.

Cigarettes. Ugh. Why did I start again? Now I don't want to give up. Come the day, of course, I'll regret it. And yet I can go for ever without a ciggie if it's a non-smoking environment.

Rennies.

[tikay]

What addictions have I conquered?

Playing poker for "serious" (to me) money. Totally cured, & slightly proud of myself.

Working 24/7

There must be others. I guess I needed a longer list to start with.

Oh to be Steven Tyler or Anthony Keidis.

[Dingdell]

What addictions have I conquered?
Working 24/7

Pardon?

[tikay]

What addictions have I conquered?
Working 24/7

Pardon?

Well, when I say "conquered"......

I was not at work until after 10am today. That's a start, surely? A late start, in fact. And I took 4 hours off on Sunday.

[Dingdell]

What addictions have I conquered?
Working 24/7

Pardon?

Well, when I say "conquered"......

I was not at work until after 10am today. That's a start, surely? A late start, in fact. And I took 4 hours off on Sunday.

"Took 4 hours off on Sunday"

One assumes you did not think about poker, sky or Blonde or talk about poker, Sky or Blonde at any point during those 4 hours then? Perhaps you went for a nice walk in the country, admired the wildlife, got some fresh air, brushed those coffee cobwebs away? Distanced your self from anything vaguely poker, Sky or work related?

That would be time off.... 

[HOLDorFOLD]

I'm not entirely sure where "addiction" & "dependency" differ, but I don't really care for either.

I seem to be totally addicted to or dependent upon.....


"Motorway" Coffee. (Costa, ).I reak out in a sweat if I don't have one every 2 hours. From my Hotel to the Coffee Garage is 200 yards, & every yard is painful. I need coffee.

I am slowly turning into Tikay ..... I know exactly what Costa Service stations I will stopping off at.

Toddington is still the best, Costa, Tuna Melt and Krispy Kremes and toilet all in the petrol station bit