This is what I was trying to tell "apollo" about taking his rechamber job..... the start of the 125 plus posts & all the mud slinging.

Late Sunday night I was in the emergency room with Dee, and here it is 2 am and I just got back from another trip to the hospital with her. This time it was for a broken hip from a fall she took this evening, and surgery will be either tomorrow or very shortly after that.

Now..... IF I had taken apollo's job and guesstimated a delivery time, he would have been on me like stink on a dung pile because he didn't get his work back when I said.

I know the situation here and how tenuous things are from one minute to the next. One minute she was enjoying one of the best days she has had in over a year. The next minute I am picking her up off the ground and carrying her into the house. What tomorrow brings is another story.

She has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, aka C.O.P.D., and going under for surgery is extremely risky in the first place. IF she makes it through this, we are no doubt looking at an extensive and difficult recovery time, during which I am not likely to get into the shop much at all. Filling parts orders is about all I will be able to do, and there may very well be some delays.

Your thoughts, prayers, and God's grace brought her through the last crisis one year and three months ago. It gave us time we really needed, and it has been a real blessing.

I humbly ask that you bury any ill will here among you and in peace and harmony keep Dee in your thoughts and prayers for the next few crucial days.

It is only when these tribulations are over that I can even think of getting back on track.

Bury the hatchet in the ground instead of each others' backs, gentlemen. There are issues far greater than any of us as individuals.

And to those wonderful folks for which this is simply "preaching to the choir," thank you so much for being the people you are.

God Bless.

Mike Bellm

Bless you and yours.

Mike, sorry to hear the bad news. You should not assume that if you had given me a estimated date of completion that I would be on your case if it didn't happen. I fully understand your situation and totally agree that your wife should be your top priority. I have never indicated anything differently. I'm actually a very patient person and would have understood if you did not meet an estimated date. I never asked for a specific date, only an explanation of you statement of "not too long". To some people this could mean 6 months and to others it could mean a year. I don't think that I was unreasonable in asking for an explanation of what it meant to you. Plus it would have still been just a estimated guess and I understood that to begin with. Anyway, I think enough has been said on that issue so I will leave it be.
I truly hope that your wife gets to feeling better so that you and Dee can enjoy as many good days together as possible. I'm past the misunderstanding that we had and I hope you can get past it as well. I apologize for the offensive nature that I took and I hope that can be water under the bridge.

Mike Hope all goes well and god bless

Mike, you and Dee are in our thoughts and prayers. God Bless both of you!! Russ

MIKE BELLM:

We all understand you are in a crisis. We know you are having family sickness. We understand that you cannot make an estimated delivery time. There is no one that expects you to make a date and stick to it on the money.

But just like I said about all the custom guys including you is (and this doesn't mean you are a bad guy) that most start taking in more work than they can resonably get out in a time frame that is understandable.

I also mentioned that the barrel I have from you when you went by Dennis you quoted 2 months. It took nine. When I called at the end of each month there was a new excuse each time.

Did I expect you to deliver in exactly 2 months? No. But nine? No.

I don't have anything against you that I don't have against any other shop that does the same thing.

All this got blown out of proportion because everyone came to your defense like we were not simpathetic with your situation.

Did you really need all the support by your cronies in this? You could have easily said let me take care of this guys as I am a big boy and really don't need your help but I appreciate your thought.

When you or anyone else is a one man shop you need to try to only schedule work that can reasonably gotten out and should allow for bumps in the nights to come along. Have you not had any bumps in the road of the custom work travels? I already know the answer to that question so you don't have to answer it.

Don't understand sickness? Yes I do my Dad has COPD. Enphysema as it is called. Emergency room trips? yes. Can he walk very far no. Rarely up to my house which is next door. On oxygen? Yes. Only at night though because he is too proud to use it in the day even though it is rough on him without it.

Do I think we are the only ones with sickness and does it get me down at times and testy? Yes. But whenever we get that way watch the St Judes telethon and look at the kids dying of cancer. Visit the local hospital. Especially the childrens ward. Visit the local cemetaries where we all will reside someday. We're not the only ones with problems. Any time you think that do as I suggested.

Remember we all have opinions and sometimes they get out of hand like this mess did but hopefully we learn from things like this and can move on even though I am looked upon now as somekind of pervert or something because of the names that the suposedly mature followers of your gave me.

Well I am not going to lose any sleep over it as I look at these forums as entertainment only. I am glad I can help give the establishment some entertainment and some way to vent their frustrations and disdane for people who don't have the exact same opinion as theirs.

Have a good day and hope everything works out for both you and your wife. Remember I don't dislike you no matter what the "Good Ole Boys" think I just dislike the business practices that some of the shops have.
But we are all at their mercy when they let their greed over load their behinds and it causes them to get farther behind in delivery times and we are left hanging with a deposit in the smiths hand and no product in ours even though we have waited and waited and waited and waited and waited after hearing this excuse that excuse and every other excuse know to man.

Lets move on.

Mike, I will be lifting your wife and yourself up before the Lord.

Mike,

All the best for you and Dee. You will ever be in my prayers.

God Bless!

$bob$

Oh my Lord Mike, I am so sorrry to hear about the new complications. Man that really sucks, like things weren't bad enough before.

Is Dee looking at a total hip replacement ? If so I can relate. In 1975 I had my right hip dislocated, and just put back in place. This past Monday I had a meeting with a Orthopedic Specialist. I was told I had two options, either live with the pain or get a total hip replacement. Obviously Dee does not have that option. I have been reading up on the subject, and if indeed Dee will be having a total hip replacement, yes you are in for a long tough road.

I wish you both the best, and please know I will be thinking of you guys.

Larry

Mike-
I am so sorry to hear of Dee's additional complications. Rest assured that you and Dee will remain in the prayers of myself and my family.

Mike;

Take care of Dee, You are correct that your family is number ONE.

Those of us that understood your post in the first place, will remain your understanding friends forever.

Karin and I will continue to remember you and Dee in our prayers.

Dennis & Karin Keefer

Mike,

We are praying for you and Dee.

God Bless.

David Hea

My prayers are with you and Dee and hope for a speedy recovery.

Mike,
My best goes out to Dee and you, you are both in this sailor's prayers. I hope that all goes as well as it can given the circumstances. I also note the point you had about burying the hatchet; all too often we shooters and hunters turn on each another. Guys if we don't stick together better your kids, grandkids, etc, won't have guns or hunting to worry about.
Too many of us provide all the tools to our adversaries to play divide and conquer. Watch as the election, UN conference on gun control and whatever else the Antis can spin into the media will be used against us. Stick together, help each other out and bury the hatchet.
Again, best wishes to you and Dee and don't sweat the little stuff...and don't worry, I've got your six.

regards from the fleet,
Gene

Mike, My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your wife. I can sympathize with your situation, and hope that all turns out well. My wife was diagnosed with cancer approximately three years ago and I saw her go through two surgeries, radioactive medicine treatment and countless exams and the tension of waiting for results. Luckily, she has a good prognosis now. You are doing the right thing in focusing on what's important, but you know that. No reasonable person will complain about waiting for pending purchases from you.

Mike, Both of you will be in our prayers. Best of luck to Dee on the hip operation.

I just lost my close friend and boss of 5 years who I moved to TN to work for. I am glad I took the option of coming up here to be able to spend the last 90 days with him. Now to make it thru the 10 months till the family can move up here with me.

God Bless,
Ken

Just a quick note to say thanks to all and to report in.

Surgery went great, no problems at all, and Dee is doing great today, more bionic than ever with three new long screws holding the top of the hip ball on.

"All things work together for good," the good of intrinsic worth. I'll leave it at that.

Thanks to all for your thoughts and prayers! To some it may seem foolish, but to many it is "where it's at."

"apollo," apology accepted. We all live and learn.

Ref. custom folks letting their mouths overload their digestive tracts, been there done that as noted, and thus I don't do it now. Live and learn. All I can say in this regard is repetitious..... if you don't like the delays, show us how it should be done. It is easy to make demands of others, but doing better yourself is another matter. Show us how it should be done.

Got orders to pack.

All the best,
Mike

Mike
Glad to hear both Dee & you are doing better. I hope she has a quick recovery!
Rich Jake