| Author | Message | ||
     Crusty |
The Turtle Pin A couple of years ago, I had major heart surgery. My aortic valve was replaced by a stainless steel and carbon mechanical valve. It took me a few months to recover from it. For three months, I had to sleep in a recliner; I couldn’t even sleep in a bed. During that time, a friend on one of the motorcycle forums that I hang out on had a step mother who had some sort of extremely painful nerve disease (I’ve forgotten the name of the Syndrome). He had posted about it, and asked people on the forum to send her get well cards. Having been hospitalized recently, I was very aware of the healing properties that cards can have, so every couple of days, I’d walk down to the drug store and pick up a humorous card to send her. I’d try to write something funny inside each one, and send them off. It was something that helped me get out of myself and it gave me reasons to walk (my Cardiologist wanted me to walk a lot). I’d walk down to the CVS, or I’d walk up to the Post Office to mail the cards. Mark’s step mom Judy was hospitalized for quite a while, then she was facing a long slow recuperation at home, so I eventually bought one of every funny get well card at the CVS, and I was looking in other locations for new cards. One of the cards was in the shape of a turtle that had a gauze bandage wrapped around its shell. I guess Judy got a real kick out of it. A week or two after I sent it, I got a letter from Judy’s daughter telling me how much my cards were helping, and she had seen a pin in a local store of a turtle holding an American flag, so she sent it to me . I put that pin on my riding jacket, but it kept spinning around, so I used some strong cement to hold it in place. That pin was a symbol to me; no matter how down I felt, I had done something to help someone, and I could feel pride in that. A few months ago, I got a new jacket. I bought the one I’ve been wanting for years, but couldn’t justify because of the price, an Aerostich Darien jacket. It was a reward I gave myself for enduring two Procedures and a series of treatments for Bladder Cancer. I removed the pin from the old jacket and put it on the new, but I was in a hurry to go somewhere and I didn’t have time to cement it in place. I would do that when I got back home. When I got back, the pin was gone. I was pretty sad about losing it, and gave myself endless grief, but there was no evading the fact that it was gone. A month or so later, I had a flash of Inspiration. I went to Ebay and typed in “Turtle holding flag pin” Among the various pins that came up was the pin I was looking for. Not only was it the right pin, it was cheap, so I immediately bought one. A couple of days later, it arrived in my mailbox. I had a bit of fear that it would be different in some noticeable way from the original, but it was identical. I put the pin on my jacket, grabbed the tube of Shoe Goo and made sure that the pin wasn’t going to fall off. As an extra measure of security, I ordered a second pin from the same Ebay seller, and put it in a safe place in case I ever need to come up with another replacement. You know, it’s a silly little pin, but to me, it’s a priceless symbol and I’m proud to have it on my riding jacket. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
She asks about you every time I go home. Hope you can make it to the WV Buell Rally next year so she can give you a hug! Thanks again for taking the time. It meant the world to her and my family. Guillain-Barre' syndrome was evilness that almost got her http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain%E2%80%93Barr %C3%A9_syndrome | ||
| Pwnzor |
That's a great story. Lately, I'm just logging in here to read your posts. | ||
| Etennuly |
This is just another piece of the awesomeness of this BadWeB. Thank you ALL.....again!  | ||
| Cycleaddict |
to keep your pin backs from falling off i fill the entire "back" with silicone sealant ,make sure you fill all the knooks around the squeeze ears lock johnsons .i usually do a whole bunch of pin backs at a time. | ||
| Rde48 |
Thanks Crusty, well for being Crusty... And giving us all a bit of inspiration when we need it most. | ||
| Bienhoabob |
My local Harley shop sells pin backers that eliminate the squeeze ears. They are little round cylinders that fit over the pin and an allen screw holds them in place. They work very well. If you can't find them, I'll run up to the shop and send them to you. Bob |
