Hi, it's been a long time - Posted (2024 Views)
Forum Moderator
AnonJr
Posts: 5768
5768
I randomly started wondering how things were going here, it's been so long...
I stopped doing any serious programming when I quit working at the hospital due to serious depression and burnout in December 2017. These days, the only programming related stuff I do is make some occasional Minecraft resource packs, and manage a couple Jekyll websites. Sadly forums just aren't the draw they used to be.
I've since moved and now my day job is now repairing and refurbishing stringed instruments. I love working on guitars, but since I'm the new guy again I mostly work on keeping the company's rental fleet in order... lots of violins, violas, and cellos. And occasionally upright basses.
I'm almost recovered from a very ... interesting ... couple years. End of September 2022 I went to the local emergency room for what I thought was a bad med withdrawal since I was changing depression meds... and woke up in the Duke ICU being told I had Acute Leukemia. Short version is I very nearly died. I was so far along my left lung was starting to collapse, I had 52 brain bleeds (2 major, 50 minor), and blood factors that the ER physician didn't think could look that bad.
It's a miracle I'm here. As a man of faith, I truly believe it's a miracle. Despite the brain bleeds, none impinged on my grey matter - they had to do multiple rounds of CT just to confirm because they couldn't believe it. It was a rough road of chemo, radiation, and marrow transplant.
I've been back to work since this past October, and I feel mostly back these days. Since the transplant means my immune system is a clean slate, so I've had to go through the full immunization series again. blackeye The second series I had this past Wednesday really knocked me down, but I've only got one more to go in August. Hopefully this coming February (2 years post-transplant) things will be good enough I can get off the last anti-rejection med (which is also a low-grade oral chemo, and not fun).
Happy to be here, and just randomly though of you guys and wanted to know how things are going with you.
Edit: I was doing some live streaming on Twitch that I hope to get back to soon, and I usually post the vids later on YouTube.
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Posted
Forum Admin
HuwR
Posts: 20611
20611
Hi there AnonJr,
I think we are all getting old bigsmile I've had a rogh few years myself, was diagnosed with Empysema and lung cancer in 2019, had a right upper lobectomy to remove the nodules in my right lung and am now on a regular regime of CT scans. Fingers crossed there has been no recurrence in right lung and the nodules in left lung have been stable so far so no plans on more surgery at the moment. Emphysema just gets slowly worse and nothing they can really do about that as it is a progressive degenerative condition.
Coding is the only thing that keeps me going TBH, I'm currently working on updating the forum to use the latest .NET core code, it's almost done. I've also been working with an open source CMS product called Umbraco for which I have been the grateful recipient of an MVP award for the last two years.
Currently planning on retiring to the south coast of Spain as the warmth and sea air is better for my health.
Hope all goes well for you.
Cheers
Huw
Posted
Forum Moderator
AnonJr
Posts: 5768
5768
Ouch, that has been rough. Very familiar with emphysema, my step-father is dealing with it now.
Glad to see things moving to .NET Core, I like that it's more properly cross-platform even if I'm not really doing any dev work these days.
South coast of Spain sounds good. How's the food? tongue
Posted
Forum Admin
HuwR
Posts: 20611
20611
Posted
Forum Moderator
AnonJr
Posts: 5768
5768
Mmmm, sounds good. Though I'm supposed to limit sun exposure now (can trigger Graft v Host Disease in marrow transplant patients)... maybe a small place in the English countryside.
Posted
Forum Admin
HuwR
Posts: 20611
20611
Mmmm, sounds good. Though I'm supposed to limit sun exposure now (can trigger Graft v Host Disease in marrow transplant patients)... maybe a small place in the English countryside.Originally posted by AnonJr

That would be fine as long as you don't mind lots of rain bigsmile
Posted
Advanced Member
Etymon
Posts: 2396
2396
Sorry to hear about your health you guys. Thank you for the updates!
I'm doing pretty well with my health. Nothing outstanding to report other than I am officially disabled now, but I was disabled when I first met you two. It's just "official" now.
I, too, have gotten away from coding. I recently installed a SimpleMachines forum "because it was supposed to be done with a one click installer", but, alas, I had to go old school and do it manually. The skills I learned at Snitz paid off once again! I'm still not into PHP code. Stubborn I guess. Not much of a true blue coder either. I haven't even officially delved into .NET.
I recently got divorced after 26 years. I think being married had quite a bit to do with why I had stopped coding. My ex-wife used to lament that she only saw the back of my head during when she was awake, so I got out of the habit. Plus, after Gremlin passed away, that further caused me to move away from the coding. He was my web host for 17 years.
I still enjoy the memories I had with coding here. Snitz was my get away from it all paradise when it came to just plunking away on the computer. I know. Sad isn't it? Well, as Anon put it, depression hit me too - much to do with my living situation. I think of coding on Snitz from time to time. If I have anything to remember of it, I enjoyed the escape it provided for me!
Meanwhile, I have been meaning to ask ... you guys, in particular, of anyone, perhaps ... MODS ... do either of you have a hidden vault of MODS - I mean ... as far back as you have them? I am thinking of returning to nostalgia just to have some fun now that I am single again? Thoughts?
Posted
Development Team Leader
Classicmotorcycling
Posts: 2085
2085
Hi All,

I have not been around for a while either. Got told in December that I was not allowed to drive for at least 6 months after having a seizure and spending a bit of time in hospital, which is rather annoying and boring for me.
I have not been doing much in the way of coding (dabble every now and then in it), just been doing the odd form for customers at work as they did not want to give their customers access to enter their pickups in to their systems or give them more options than they could handle.. They did not care about the security aspect of it, and only wanted a public form for their customers stores, so their issue I guess.

I still have a couple of (Snitz) forums running, but lucky to get 10 messages a year combined and that is because the sport has declined here in Australia with a heap of infighting between the governing bodies and the car brand is no longer around for the other one.
Cheers,

David Greening
Posted
Advanced Member
Etymon
Posts: 2396
2396
I remember that - at least the car brand site. Memory lane!
https://web.archive.org/web/20050730074936/http://www.jeepaholics.com/support/default.asp

My ex-wife had seizures for a few years. Stress was part of the problem.
Thanks for the update. :)

Posted
Support Moderator
Podge
Posts: 3776
3776

Hey guys.
Happy New Year and I hope you all have a healthy and happy 2025.
Posted
Advanced Member
Etymon
Posts: 2396
2396
Hey, thanks, Podge! So far, it has been a Happy New Year. I am more than happy to keep surfing that wave of "Happy", and I'll gladly make room for "Healthy" too! :D Thank you for the blessings!
Have a Happy New Year too!
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