Home at Last to a Big Surprise
Anyone reading this Blog will hopefully understand that I have been having a very rough time of things lately, The PEG insertion was not as it was expected, everyone had told me that it’s fine and totally painless, but for me this was far from the case.
I ended up with an Abscess inside my stomach due to the PEG being inserted and also having it fitted too tight, and the amount of pain has been mind numbing and the worst pain that I have ever felt.
Finally after loads of Antibiotic’s I have been evicted from the Hospital, I think they are trying to get rid of people before the Covid shit kicks off again.
My present condition is somewhat fragile, getting vertical or laying down does not hurt, but it is very uncomfortable.
I have been sent home with loads of pills, Bandages, and various dressings and syringes.
Walking is very strange to me, I can only cope with about 20 yards at a time before having to sit down. Back hurts, but I presume this is because I am fighting against using my stomach muscles.
I am so grateful to be home, especially with Christmas looming around the corner, not that we actually do much for Christmas.
Anyway….
“The Supprise”
I came home to four packages inside the porch, although I did not totally recognise what they were, the name on the side brought a smile to my face, so much more was to come…
Each of the four boxes were labelled “Yaesu Musen” a name any radio ham will recognise instantly, each box is mint, and I knew that they were old stuff because Yaesu don’t label their boxes this way any more.
No notes or information was provided with the four boxes, but each box was un-damaged in any way.
Even though I was very intrigued I was in no way fit enough to play with what ever was in the boxes, I needed rest and was told that each box will be taken up in due time.
Once upstairs I was too knackered to even think and was taken to bed to get some sleep.
”The Next Day…”
Once awake and feeling a little better after some toast, I started barking ‘nice.’ Orders to have the boxes brought up and placed on the bed.
With every box that was opened I was beaming from ear to ear, not only were the boxes in mint condition nut even the packaging and everything that came out of the boxes was also not just Mint, but was beyond mint, someone has been very nice to me, someone who obviously reads my Blog or knows my interest in Vacuum Tube Radios and this has been on the wish list for a very long time, although I never hoped for anything near as good a quality as this.
“Everything is Mint”, not a scratch or mark anywhere, someone has lovingly looked after this, I have never seen this old kit in this sort of condition ever, it’s perfect, and even though I am not fit enough to play yet, I am certainly looking forward to getting this on a bench.
And finally the “Beast”, and not a scratch or mark to be seen, it really is the best example I have ever seen.
This has been the best surprise that I have ever had, I have been so low of late, not able to work due to the discomfort and pain that has taken over my life of late, and I still have the worst to come when and if I get to Liverpool.
I have had a not so fun time with the local Ham Radio community, I sadly for me cut all ties with every ham that I knew, and in just the last few years I have lost good friends and Hams that wee once friends.
Over the years I have trusted many and been bitten so many times, I’ve swapped good equipment for rubbish and lost out so many times, I’ve sold good radios for peanuts to so called friends that you never hear from again, basically saying that I have basically met some Hams that I wish I hadn’t trusted, others I regarded as very good friends, but then they hurt you so bad that you find it hard to forgive, one in particular in a very sad way I have missed, but if life tells us anything, we grow by every mistake that we make, it’s others that loose out, I have tried to stay upbeat throughout the last 10-15 years, I have managed to settle into a good hobbie which is restoring old valve based equipment, the joy of taking a heap of rust with missing parts and totally restoring that to something perfect and shiny is such a great feeling.
I am trying to rebuild my Ham Radio shack but the task is very slow when you don’t earn anything, thanks to the government being stupid and Ilness things have been a little hard over the years.
So when things like this happen, you cannot believe what this means to someone like me, kindness and generosity is not what I have grown to expect from locals, so whoever this is, you are deep in my thoughts and it will be cherished and used once I am mobile again.
So there are still some good Hams out there, I have been very lucky to remember some good Hams that I have known since moving to the Isle of Man, sadly all but a few have gone silent key, but all of them have and will not only be remembered but cherished as well.
Todah is a day that I will never forget, this gift is something I will never forget.
