Brown recluse spider bite

[NormandieStill]

Wow. This just veered from drama to drama. An enormous pile of bad luck. Good luck with the rehab. You seem to have the moral fortitude to cope with the situation.

Watch out for those spiders. They seem nasty.

[Wildcats]

Sorry to hear this Eric. It was one of your posts about peach wine that made me want to make some. I hope your rehabilitation goes well. Hopefully you will be back to making fine spirits and wine soon.
My thoughts and prayers are with you sir. I will have a drink in your honor tonight after work.

[MooseMan]

It sounds like you have both been through absolute hell this year Eric.

You're a damn strong and resilient guy, that's for sure, and your wife is one very special woman, I can tell it just from the way you speak about her.

[Saltbush Bill]

Wow......I wasn't expecting to read that........sounds like that damned spider has caused a trip to hell and back

Now for the rehab.
New chapter!
I am now a 63 year old pirate in training.
Arrrrrrrg

That's the attitude that will get you on top of this shit.....keep at it.
Wife definitely sounds a keeper.
Hope the rehab goes well for you.

[GrumbleStill]

Wow, you and Margaret really have been through the wringer this year.
All the best for the rehab mate, I hope it goes as smoothly and painlessly as possible.

[jonnys_spirit]

Wow Eric! Wishing you and the wifey the best man and if you want to i’m sure you can keep stillin as well as other things.

Do you or the docs feel like it was the brown recluse that caused these other issues?

Cheers,
j

[Deplorable]

Damn Eric, that's a story worthy of your own Pirate flag.
Maybe a fiddleback Jolly Roger?
Seriously though, I applaud your resilience.

[Bradster68]

Your a special kind of soldier Eric. I also think we should raise a glass to all the wives who persevere for husbands in need.
They are also soldiers of their own.

[EricTheRed]

Wow Eric! Wishing you and the wifey the best man and if you want to i’m sure you can keep stillin as well as other things.

Do you or the docs feel like it was the brown recluse that caused these other issues?

Cheers,
j

Thanks for all the well wished
And yes we suspect so

[sadie33]

wow, Eric, that's crazy! Sounds like you and Margret have weathered the worst of it! My hat's off to you and my prayers will continue.

Stay strong, my friend.

[quadra]

This has been a hell of a ride Eric! Glad to hear you are moving ahead ! and you and your Margret have the right stuff!

[shadylane]

Wow I don't know what to say.
Other than I'd buy a shit load of permethrin and declare war on the local spiders.

[NZChris]

We have a similar spider problem around here. Our local variety likes to live in gaps around windows, so I use a surface spray to kill the bstds before they come indoors. That has been working well so far and I haven't seen any in the house for years, but I squashed one in the distillery a couple of days ago.

[EricTheRed]

Well - since the last update - things are looking up.
Since the amputation, i have not had to take a single painkiller for the knee. Strongest i have taken is a Bruphen for the odd headache here and there.

Lots of physio to get ready for the new leg and....

Yesterday, Dec 13, 2023 - just over 9 months - i have a leg!

Now ... learn how to walk on it!!! That will be fun. Tricky learning when and how to swing that knee to geometric lock to take a step forward.
I'll get there! Baby steps!

Now i can get back to some stillin'
105 Litres of Maize & Oats clearing (2nd clearing) - will run around christmas
and a vodka/neutral mash on the go (10 kgs oats, 12.5 kg Maize - both ground fine and 7.5 kgs sugar - with YLAY split into 3 x 50 L fermenters)
ingredients for another Maize and Oats whisky ready to go!

ta

[Yummyrum]

Thats great news Eric … if you could call it that . No holding you back .
Damn , Sir you are an inspiration .

Go forth and distill

[Saltbush Bill]

Good shit ......glad to hear your still making progress
progress reports are good ....keep them up.

[Bradster68]

Its news we are all glad to hear.
Best part is your back doing your hobby.

[GrumbleStill]

Great news ETR. Hope the rehab keeps going well, and that the Christmas run tastes as good as it sounds

[Tōtōchtin]

Sat Nam

[Archee72]

Good news

[sadie33]

sounds like things are looking up. I'm sure you'll get the hang of that leg soon and be stillin in no time.

[EricTheRed]

Well - just an update
1st - i am progressing well with being able to walk - inside at home - no crutches needed. On unknown or not smooth surfaces - i still use 1 or 2 sticks
fell in hospital 2 months back after they removed my rather nastily infected gall bladder. Don't want to fall over again - for a 6' guy with one leg - that hurts.

2nd - since April i have been able to drive. Installed a hand control kit into the Prado - so i can do the driving. Nice! Margaret doesn't like long distance driving - so she is also happier!

3rd - i am back to my regular mash routine - am putting one down every month on average - whisky stocks to build up (have 40+ litres aging),, and summer is coming - need to get Vodka and Gin stocks up!

Nice to be able to run the still properly again - and not have to rely too heavily on SWAMBO (Margaret)

So this Pirate in training is getting there!

[Yummyrum]

You’re a fuck’n legend Eric the Red .

Thankyou Sir for the update and being a real inspiration .

[bilgriss]

I am so glad things are still getting better and life returning to normal. I had a knee injury this past year and recovery from surgery made me realize just how vulnerable we all are - your story shows also how adaptable we can be and I too find it inspirational.

[OtisT]

So glad your getting around better and back to stillin Eric. Very inspirational. And it sounds like you have a great partner in Margaret. Take good care of her too.

[MooseMan]

Good to read an update Eric and great to know you are adapting and able to do your thing.

I've recently torn an MCL and thanks to this update and timely reminder that there's always people worst off than you, I now feel like a big girl for whining that it hurts and I can't do the stuff I can usually do.

[Tōtōchtin]

This was a good news read Eric thanks. This reminded me back right after my accident and I was whining that surfing was too hard and painful to get back into. Then I saw a video of that girl who lost her arm to a shark dropping in on a nice wave. That got me out in the water again. You have got me getting ready to drive out to the ranch and work on my still. Thanks for sharing.
Tōtō

[Bradster68]

Awesome news. Good to hear from you

[jonnys_spirit]

Sounds like you’re busier than a one-legged craft distiller!

I hope you’re still laughing too

I was telling my wifey just the other day about your story when she found a brown recluse in her shorts as she shook them out.

Ride it like you stole it man and keep on truckin’

Cheers,
-jonny

[Stonecutter]

Well - just an update

So this Pirate in training is getting there!

Good to hear yerrrrr doing better Eric! crazy how such a little creature can pack such a big punch! Thanks to Margaret for keeping you going.