# B.O.L.O. Harold !



## Palladium (Jul 6, 2020)

Thinking about days in the past. Man i have been hanging around here for about 13 years now! I don't think i had a marriage that lasted that long! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 
We lost Catfish (Tom) Barren (Frank) GSP (Chris) that one still hurts, and i'm sure a few we don't know about! 

Who's heard from Harold??????????????????????


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## Johnny5 (Jul 6, 2020)

Good Lord I didn't realize it's been that long. In some ways it feels like Jean just started the board yesterday, but in other ways it feels like it was a lifetime ago. 
I miss Harold also, but I just can't bring myself to call him. I am sure he's doing fine, messing with all different kinds of projects.


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## jimdoc (Jul 6, 2020)

You can find Harold here where he is a moderator;

https://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/

It shows his last activity there was today, so he is OK.


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## butcher (Jul 6, 2020)

where do the years go? It seems like just yesterday and here we are over a decade later.


If my memory is working ( which it seldom does) it was about a year ago that I heard from Harold and Susan they were doing well then.

There are several Members we do not hear from and I often wonder how they are doing, and I miss them.


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## Palladium (Jul 6, 2020)

RONALD » Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:42 am
Just opened up this email from Harold's wife, it was sent out in the early AM.
On behalf of all of us at The Home Machinist, we wish Harold a speedy recovery.

Home Machinist writings, Induction Furnace, many other project, pale in comparison to ones Health; the number one project for all of us!

Hello Ron,
This is Harold's wife, Susan, writing to you. Harold is spending the night in the hospital. They think he had a slight stroke. He had a weird episode late Friday night, and thought it might be a stroke, so while we were in town today, we went to the ER to get a doctor's opinion. They did some testing this afternoon (Tuesday), and decided that was exactly what happened. The doctor wanted him to stay overnight for more tests tomorrow, and we decided that was a good idea. We were very lucky this first time since there wasn't a lot of damage, so we don't want to push our luck too far.

Anyway, Harold asked me to write to you and let you know what happened. I'll bring him home tomorrow (Wednesday), and I'm sure you'll be hearing from him.

Thanks for being a good friend.
Susan


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## Palladium (Jul 6, 2020)

RONALD » Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:24 pm
The following came in as an email around 4PM CDT my time, Harold is in PDT I believe.

Thanks, Ron. I talked to Harold a while ago, and he sounded fine. A little bored, but fine. They won't let me visit because of the COVID-19 thing, but we talk on the phone a lot. He just called and said the doctor wants him to stay another day so they can monitor his heart, so you won't be hearing from him until Thursday evening. The good news is, he sounds great. Just like the Harold we know and love.

Take care, and thanks to you and your wife for the good wishes.

Susan


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## Palladium (Jul 6, 2020)

Harold_V » Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:38 pm

Thanks, folks, for the good wishes.
I don't mind telling you this has been an interesting experience. I wonder how many people have experienced a stroke and understood that it was what they were experiencing? Not that I knew for sure, but not much else made any sense. I was able to move my right hand only with considerable difficulty, and even then without much control. I have no idea if I was able to speak, as I didn't try. The numbness and inability to move passed within about a minute. It was not a pleasant experience.

When I went to the emergency room, the admitting doctor wondered why I was there. I displayed nothing in the way of loss of function, and could speak much as I always have. The only small marker may have been that I was having a little difficulty when hitting the i letter on the keyboard, picking up the o as well (which still persists, but not as bad), and I discovered I had great difficulty signing my name, although that has been an ongoing deteriorating condition for quite some time, as I have a little arthritis, and I rarely write anymore. I'm used to the keyboard, and touch type (albeit poorly).

I'm doing well, and, with luck, have a few more good days in front of me. My medication has been changed slightly, to ensure that my blood is not thick, but otherwise I should be able to return to normal.

I don't mind telling you that it brought a tear to my eye when I first had to admit that a small portion of my brain had died (in my mind, I don't have enough to spare). That was proven by a CAT scan, followed by an MRI. My heart was monitored for more than 24 hours, my carotid arteries were examined, and an echocardiogram was administered. No real cause for the stroke was determined, in spite of the extended testing. I was heartened to learn that my heart is in reasonably good condition, as my family has its share of heart problems. Watching the echocardiogram was an interesting experience.

I hope to be around for some time to come.

H


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## galenrog (Jul 6, 2020)

I had a small stroke about eight years ago. The day it occurred, I woke up not able to control my right side. Imaging at the hospital that day showed a small bleed on the left side. The next day imaging showed nothing. No one I know ever fully recovers. It took about a week before I could walk unassisted.

Today, when I am fatigued and tired, I may have speech issues, motor control issues with right arm or leg, or any combination. I now hate stairs.

Harold will eventually have a “new normal”. I wish him well and pray that his recovery goes as well as possible.


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## jarlowski1 (Jul 6, 2020)

Getting old is one tough battle. I myself am only in my thirties but I can definitely see the difference from when I was 20. It gets harder and harder to get up in the mornings and boy do look forward to my sleep... I had a CT scan done at my dentist a year or so ago. (Its a new machine built into the X-RAY) and found out that my throat has only about 1/3 of the capacity as a normal person so when I sleep it will close off and not allow me to breathe right ( 1 form of sleep apnea). Any way I wish Harold the best and hope his recovery is quick. Sure do miss his wisdom here on the forum.


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## Shark (Jul 7, 2020)

Knowing what the problem is when having a stroke is scary. I had 11 episodes in which I had problems of either the loss of some motor skills, (speech, use of arms or legs or both or all three, and or passing out) Once while in an MRI machine the day I ended up getting hit really hard. I also still have problems that become more severe the more tired I get. Especially in my legs and arms, and occasionally my eyes. It is a pain to deal with some days, other days go by with out a hitch. The worst is when people ask you questions about things you used to know and now can't even get involved in the conversation from a lack of concentration or can't remember things that used to be second nature. I can still learn new things, but it seems to come at the cost of loosing other things. I don't think we get over a stroke, but learning to live with the aftermath can be done. We just need to stay positive and keep going forward, even if you have to crawl. 

I wish the best for Harold and his family.


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## FrugalRefiner (Jul 7, 2020)

I reached out to Harold via email yesterday and received a reply this morning.

His new house is finished and he's occupying his time now setting up his new shop. He is happy, and we can't ask for much more than that.

Dave


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## martyn111 (Jul 13, 2020)

Really good to hear Harold is recovering well, it would be good to hear from him every now and again, his words of wisdom were my inspiration in getting started on this journey we are all on.


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## Shark (Jul 14, 2020)

Having Harold chip in, even just to say "Hi" would be nice. He had such a simple way of explaining the details of refining that made it so easy to learn.


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## acpeacemaker (Jul 16, 2020)

Bringing up Frank. I used to talk to him off and on quite a bit. But, that one probably hit the hardest for me. Not really any circumstance I've been able to bring it up. However I have to respectfully give the credit that is long overdue. 

After the things that happened with my oldest, the things that happened with my ex trying to have me killed, being homeless for year, having a broken foot in three places, and being completely without anyone stranded in a -15 degree Colorado winter. I found myself on a cliff of shear 10k ft. I contemplated everything and I was done. My mind was in a place so dark i didnt care anymore.

We never talked a lot before that, but he ironically messaged me that night in that very moment. Just to say hi and see how I was doing. He knew something was up but when conversation started, all he did was listen without judgement. 
He talked me out of doing something very stupid and selfish. I'm very greatful for it. He checked on me daily after that when I had no one else. A super compassionate being. My highest regards sir as you left a solid positive footprint in my life. Will never be forgotten.

As many others here, these men left a lot of positive influence on me.

Andrew


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