Hang in there Mike! God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.

Eight years ago I was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease. It like 
wise has no treatment, no cure, and is always fatal. I was bummed out 
for about a year, but then the tests started to came back with the same 
numbers. The disease has not progressed in me, and nobody knows why.

Shortly afterward I learned of the oldtools list and took an interest. 
I do not attribute the remission to the oldtools list, but the list 
sure helped take my mind off my troubles.

I hope it will do the same for you.  Keep on keepin' on!

On Jun 8, 2006, at 9:44 AM, Michael Rogen wrote:
>
> It is terminal and there are no drugs to take in fact there isn’t even 
> a
> single test to confirm that one actually has the disease.  So after 
> finding
> out this wonderful news I went into the hospital and went through a 5 
> day
> infusion process that just made me worse.  Last year I went on another 
> home
> infusion program this one for a month and I developed an infection and
> became septic and almost died.  But a funny thing started to happen. 
>  About
> a year ago I stopped degenerating.  My legs stopped getting weaker, my 
> hands
> which have been affected the most also stopped getting worse.  In a 
> nutshell
> the disease was halted.  Last week my doctor said that I was the first
> patient that he has ever diagnosed with ALS and then had to change the
> diagnosis.  We were all pretty happy.  But, (there is always a but), 
> but the
> question still remains – what do I have?  The long and short answers 
> are, we
> just don’t know!

>  Jim Thompson, the old millrat in Riverside, CA.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi.  First of all I am 47 years old and was born and raised in Brooklyn, New
York.  I have a wife - oh I mean SWMBO, whose name is Marcy.  We have been
married for ten years.  And then there is my 8 year old son Zeke, who has
been the main reason that I am able to write this bio today.  It was the
thought of not seeing him grow up that made me realize what is really
important to me.  Even at 8 he encourages me to keep trying to do things
when I want to quit.  I never thought that I would be around long enough to
bother with a bio.  I thought that I wouldn't have to write one of these
things because I was told that I probably wouldn't be alive or would have
difficulty doing things from a wheelchair!  I'll make this short.  About two
years ago I was diagnosed with ALS or as its better known "Lou Gehrig's
disease.  For those of you who don't know what ALS is, here is a brief
summary.
 
It is a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurological disease that
attacks the nerve cells (neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary
muscles.  In ALS, both the upper motor neurons and the lower motor neurons
degenerate or die, ceasing to send messages to muscles. Unable to function,
the muscles gradually weaken, waste away, and twitch. Eventually the ability
of the brain to start and control voluntary movement is lost.  Individuals
with ALS lose their strength and the ability to move their arms, legs, and
body. When muscles in the diaphragm and chest wall fail, individuals lose
the ability to breathe without ventilatory support.  The disease does not
affect a person's ability to see, smell, taste, hear, or recognize touch,
and it does not usually impair a person's thinking or other cognitive
abilities
 
It is terminal and there are no drugs to take in fact there isn't even a
single test to confirm that one actually has the disease.  So after finding
out this wonderful news I went into the hospital and went through a 5 day
infusion process that just made me worse.  Last year I went on another home
infusion program this one for a month and I developed an infection and
became septic and almost died.  But a funny thing started to happen.  About
a year ago I stopped degenerating.  My legs stopped getting weaker, my hands
which have been affected the most also stopped getting worse.  In a nutshell
the disease was halted.  Last week my doctor said that I was the first
patient that he has ever diagnosed with ALS and then had to change the
diagnosis.  We were all pretty happy.  But, (there is always a but), but the
question still remains % what do I have?  The long and short answers are, we
just don't know!
 
So while all this has been going on (I also lost my job) I thought that I
would begin to do some woodworking again.  It didn't matter that it has been
over 30 years since I touched any tools.  Nor did it matter that the disease
left the fine motor skills in my hands almost useless. As my son would keep
telling me "Just try DaDa try".  Now with words of encouragement like that,
how could I not try.  So I kept trying to do little things and learn about
them at the same time.  I realized that I didn't know much about hand tools
and what I did know was hampered by my hands.  It has all been very
frustrating but at the same time it has been very exciting.  Learning from
the beginning, the right way is fine with me.  Now that I have a little more
time left. I'm in no hurry at all.  And I hope to do some projects with my
son helping me out.
As far as tools go, I am pretty well stocked.  For now.  I need to thank
some Galoots for their help in this matter.  Sandy Moss has been extremely
helpful.  Is there a nicer man out there?  Also Walt Q., and Mr. Blood and
Gore himself, Tom Bruce, Mr. Hock, and most of all Christopher Schwarz from
Popular Woodworking and the great new "Woodworking" magazine.  He has been
very generous with his knowledge and his time.  In fact every time I read an
email I am always happy to see people share their knowledge.  It is a very
rare commodity these days.
 
Michael Rogen

Michael Rogen
(H) 914.763.1941
(C) 914.649.9631

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Michael!

Welcome to the porch!  I can't think of a finer bunch to spend the
time with and discuss the skills and art of woodworking.  My sister
has had a long battle with MS, but she perseveres and is living a
fulfilling life.  Don't give up.

Regards,

Dwight

On 6/8/06, Michael Rogen  wrote:
> Hi. First of all I am 47 years old and was born and raised in Brooklyn, New
> York. I have a wife - oh I mean SWMBO, whose name is Marcy. We have been
> married for ten years. And then there is my 8 year old son Zeke, who has
> been the main reason that I am able to write this bio today. It was the
> thought of not seeing him grow up that made me realize what is really
> important to me. Even at 8 he encourages me to keep trying to do things
> when I want to quit. I never thought that I would be around long enough to
> bother with a bio. I thought that I wouldn't have to write one of these
> things because I was told that I probably wouldn't be alive or would have
> difficulty doing things from a wheelchair! I'll make this short. About two
> years ago I was diagnosed with ALS or as its better known "Lou Gehrig's
> disease. For those of you who don't know what ALS is, here is a brief
> summary.
>
> It is a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurological disease that
> attacks the nerve cells (neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary
> muscles. In ALS, both the upper motor neurons and the lower motor neurons
> degenerate or die, ceasing to send messages to muscles. Unable to function,
> the muscles gradually weaken, waste away, and twitch. Eventually the ability
> of the brain to start and control voluntary movement is lost. Individuals
> with ALS lose their strength and the ability to move their arms, legs, and
> body. When muscles in the diaphragm and chest wall fail, individuals lose
> the ability to breathe without ventilatory support. The disease does not
> affect a person's ability to see, smell, taste, hear, or recognize touch,
> and it does not usually impair a person's thinking or other cognitive
> abilities
>
> It is terminal and there are no drugs to take in fact there isn't even a
> single test to confirm that one actually has the disease. So after finding
> out this wonderful news I went into the hospital and went through a 5 day
> infusion process that just made me worse. Last year I went on another home
> infusion program this one for a month and I developed an infection and
> became septic and almost died. But a funny thing started to happen. About
> a year ago I stopped degenerating. My legs stopped getting weaker, my hands
> which have been affected the most also stopped getting worse. In a nutshell
> the disease was halted. Last week my doctor said that I was the first
> patient that he has ever diagnosed with ALS and then had to change the
> diagnosis. We were all pretty happy. But, (there is always a but), but the
> question still remains – what do I have? The long and short answers are, we
> just don't know!
>
> So while all this has been going on (I also lost my job) I thought that I
> would begin to do some woodworking again. It didn't matter that it has been
> over 30 years since I touched any tools. Nor did it matter that the disease
> left the fine motor skills in my hands almost useless. As my son would keep
> telling me "Just try DaDa try". Now with words of encouragement like that,
> how could I not try. So I kept trying to do little things and learn about
> them at the same time. I realized that I didn't know much about hand tools
> and what I did know was hampered by my hands. It has all been very
> frustrating but at the same time it has been very exciting. Learning from
> the beginning, the right way is fine with me. Now that I have a little more
> time left. I'm in no hurry at all. And I hope to do some projects with my
> son helping me out.
> As far as tools go, I am pretty well stocked. For now. I need to thank
> some Galoots for their help in this matter. Sandy Moss has been extremely
> helpful. Is there a nicer man out there? Also Walt Q., and Mr. Blood and
> Gore himself, Tom Bruce, Mr. Hock, and most of all Christopher Schwarz from
> Popular Woodworking and the great new "Woodworking" magazine. He has been
> very generous with his knowledge and his time. In fact every time I read an
> email I am always happy to see people share their knowledge. It is a very
> rare commodity these days.
>
> Michael Rogen
>
>
> Michael Rogen
> (H) 914.763.1941
> (C) 914.649.9631
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael,

Glad to see you here. It's all about family, and I'd like to say that these
guys are about the best extended family around....

welcome

walt Q

Brass City Records
489 Meadow St
Waterbury CT 06702
203-574-7805
http://pages.cthome.net/bcrgraphics/toolindex.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------