If It Weren;t For Bad Luck....

[SmokinHammer]

The first time I saw an e-cig in person was June or July of 2009. In November, I ordered my first Joye 510 from Jason at ElectroNicStix because I was having some outpatient surgery on the Friday after Thanksgiving. My thinking was that I'd be laid up recouping and could get my nicotine fix without having to go outside. The surgery was to remove some hardware from my heal bone, which I had shattered in a fall in 2006. So that went really good. I sat in my recliner, foot elevated, 510 in hand, and computer on lap. Thanks to all of the fantastic advice and information I found here at Vapor Talk, I was analog free by December 1.

Even when I got back on my feet, and went back to my job as a carpenter (I used to smoke a lot at work.) I had no interest in tobacco cigs at all. There was never a time where I was tempted back towards the dark side. The one thing I did miss was spending time here, interacting with all you fine folks. I'd try to check in every day. Since there's always more to learn I'd at least read a little, and occasionally post a quick comment.

I didn't realize just how much I missed VT until Wednesday morning, when I slipped on some ice, stupidly put my hand down to break my fall, and broke my right wrist. I am convinced that my subconscious made me do it so I could get back in my recliner, back on the computer, and, now equipped with a VP Spade and Janty Stick V3, back to my friends at Vapor Talk.

To help me pass the time, if you respond to this, please include a question for me, any question at all, on any subject. It can be about me personally, or anything else that pops into your head. If I don't know the answer, I'll be sure to make something up. Just please remember, I typed a lot faster with a cast on my foot!

[Brian]

Ouch - sorry man. Ok - hmmmm.

How are you liking that Janty Stick v3?

Are you originally from WI? If not, how did you get there?

[Schizophretard]

That sucks! Sorry about that. How long should your wrist take to heal? With a cast on how long does it take for you to drip and do you have to do it differently? When you itch under your cast do you scratch it with your Spade? How do you feel?

[SmokinHammer]

Ouch - sorry man. Ok - hmmmm. How are you liking that Janty Stick v3? Are you originally from WI? If not, how did you get there?

Thanks Brian. I love the Stick. I think my favorite thing about it is the unconventional look of it. I got it in "iPod white," and the whole end of it glows white when you hit the button. A stranger at the tavern the other night looked at me and said, "how come that light bulb keeps going on in your hand?" I looked him straight in the eye and said, "I'm an idea man." I was happy with the way it vaped right out of the box, and even happier when I got some low bridge 302's (or are these 304's) from Christopher. Battery life and vapor production / throat hit are very similar to that of the Spade. The button has a nice feel, and the built in mini USB connection is an awesome feature. Just plug it in and it's its own pass through, while charging the battery.

As for Wisconsin, yes sir, born and raised right here in Milwaukee. I grew up in a north shore suburb called River Hills, and now live in an area of the city called Riverwest. It's an artsy, bohemian neighborhood with lots of duplexes so there's a great mix of homeowners and college students renting while they attend UWM, which is very close to our home.

[Brian]

Thanks for the info on the V3. Been thinking of getting one for my wife. She couldn't do the 510, couldn't do PG, couldn't do PG on on 302, but I recently had her try VG on a 302 and that seems to be working for her. She's using a Spade with 801 adapter right now, but would like to get her something else. I think she'll like the Janty Stick.

What do you do as a carpenter? Excuse my ignorance, but not sure if that mean you build houses, or make furniture, or something else entirely, or all of the above.

[SmokinHammer]

That sucks! Sorry about that. How long should your wrist take to heal? With a cast on how long does it take for you to drip and do you have to do it differently? When you itch under your cast do you scratch it with your Spade? How do you feel?

Thanks, Schizo! Ah yes... lets talk about the miracles of modern medicine. When I first fell, I knew it was bad because I didn't scream or yell or anything. I tend to make lots of noise for paper cuts and tiny splinters, but this was serious, so I was silent. I sat on the ground for a minute, holding my wrist with my left hand, telling myself I was going to have to look eventually. When I did, it did not look like the wrist I'd been issued. It had an extra little bend in it. The first challenge was to get my keys out of my right pocket with my left hand. That done, I drove myself to the clinic where they took some x-rays and told me it was definitely broken. The good news was that an orthopedic surgeon came to that clinic Wednesday mornings for regular patient visits, so I just had to wait 20 minutes (filling out paperwork left-handed) and I met the surgeon. At 5:00 that afternoon, I was in surgery. In between I went home to clean up as best I could and put on some more comfortable clothes. That's when I was faced with a big problem. I had to take my watch off of my left wrist. I was able to flip up the guard on the metal band's latch by using a butter knife, held in my mouth, but couldn't come up with a trick to squeeze the two little buttons that would allow it to open. I finally just had to grit my teeth and do it with the bad hand, giving it everything I had with the fingers sticking out of the splint, and a couple tears of pain running down my cheeks.

So, here's the miracle part. The next morning (yesterday) with a brand new metal plate and some screws holding the end of my radius together, I already had enough strength and movement in those same digits that I could hold a PV in that hand and drip with my left! Actually, I just tried the Stick right-handed and can hold it and push the button just fine!

I don't really have a cast, it's a bunch of gauze and a splint, with ace bandages and a cushioned velcro sleeve over the top. I'll be in it for four weeks, then physical therapy. I've got plenty of oxycodone (percoset) so, for now, I'm feeling fine! As for the itchy thing... I don't want to think about it.

[Mark]

Hey smokinhammer, Sorry to hear about your bad luck. I've had some myself--slipped on the ice 3 weeks ago and tore a ligament in my knee so I've kinda been laid up myself. If it wasn't for this forum I would have gone crazy by now. So...You want a question...How fast can a european swallow fly? (monty python fans will get that) LOL

[Brian]

Just saw the pic you posted. Is the bottom of the V3 fully rounded, or is there a flat spot so you can stand it upright when not using it?

[SmokinHammer]

Okay, important things first. Mark, are you sure you don't mean African swallow? It's funny you should bring up Monty Python. When I was picking out comfy clothes to wear to the hospital for my surgery, I naturally chose the "I'm Not Dead Yet" t-shirt I bought when my wife and I saw Spamalot in New York a couple years ago.

Brian, as for as the V3, yes, the bottom is completely rounded so there is no way to stand it on end. It is very comfortable to hold in the palm of your hand. Overall length is about 3/8 of an inch shorter than a 510. That, combined with the shape, makes it pretty easy to conceal in the palm of your hand.

As for my carpentry, when I first started, many years ago, I did work on, and then run, crews that built custom homes. Now I work for a small contractor that does a lot of commercial and industrial stuff. I repair and install lots of doors, some wood, and many hollow metal doors in steel frames.

Oops, sorry Mark, I almost forgot about your leg. I hope you're feeling better!

Edited February 26, 2010 by SmokinHammer

[FTJoe]

How fast can a european swallow fly? (monty python fans will get that) LOL

Wasn't it..what is the terminal velocity of a swallow? African or European? I don't know. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[SmokinHammer]

Wasn't it..what is the terminal velocity of a swallow? African or European? I don't know. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I will answer that question in One... Two... ... FIVE! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[FTJoe]

I will answer that question in One... Two... ... FIVE! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Ahhhh - the number you shall count to is....

[nana]

Hey smokinhammer, so sorry to hear about your wrist, but glad to hear you're on the mend now.

I've been trying to think of a question to ask and I keep drawing a blank. I looked at your profile to see if it would give me an idea and that didn't work. I did find out that your bithday is very close to mine (date, not year), so I know you are a Scorpio, so I can't even ask you what your sign is. LOL

Okay, what else are you doing (besides Vapor Talk) to keep yourself entertained? What things are you finding very hard to do? I hurt my elbow last summer and found some of the easiest things to do normally, almost impossible to do anymore. Like brushing my hair.

I'll try to think of a really good question and ask it later.

Take care.

[SmokinHammer]

Okay, what else are you doing (besides Vapor Talk) to keep yourself entertained? What things are you finding very hard to do?

Thanks, Nana. I'm not sure what I'll replace this with on Monday, but I've always been an Olympics geek so I've been watching a ton of the coverage. I won't be doing a lot of cooking any time soon, but my wife just bought me a new edition of Mastering the Art of French Cooking so I'll be reading through that and picking out some recipes to try in the future.

It's pretty hard to type, but not as bad as I thought it would be. So far about the hardest thing I've done is butter some toast (nearly impossible) but I know the big challenges are yet to come. WARNING - Reading the next two sentences may put an unerasable image of me in your head. Anyone who's taken lots of heavy duty pain medication knows how it can throw off your regularity. I'm still waiting for a post-op trip to the throne (seated, that is) and am not sure what kind of left-handed toilet paper skills I possess.

Edited February 27, 2010 by SmokinHammer

[Brian]

I'm still waiting for a post-op trip to the throne (seated, that is) and am not sure what kind of left-handed toilet paper skills I possess.

LMAO! You're right - as soon as I read that there was an instant picture in my head.

[stubear62]

Hey Bro,

I hope your doing alright.

****, falling down and breaking your wrist isn't a good thing, specially if your right handed..

I did the same thing but in high school.

Playing in gym doing softball drills outside. Did a slide into home and landed wrong on my wrist and knew right away that I broke it. Not as bad as having any hardware put inside. Mine was a clean break.

Hope you are feeling better and all is well!!

[SmokinHammer]

Thanks Stu. Strangely, mine was also a clean break, but I guess the technology has changed a lot since you (and I) were in high school. My surgery was outpatient, took about an hour, and as it was explained to me, allows no chance of the bone moving before it sets. This "guarantees" that everything stays where it's supposed to be and I get to physical therapy faster. My surgeon said that 25 or 30 years ago, I would have been put in a cast up to my shoulder! With this lightweight wrap and Velcro splint, I'm free to flex my arm and my fingers, so it's almost like I'm doing PT already.

[Uma]

Bummers about your wrist. Congrats on getting a neat consolation prize, the jantyv3!

Here's a question. Who cried throughout Kim Yu Na's entire performance?

[SmokinHammer]

Here's a question. Who cried throughout Kim Yu Na's entire performance?

I'll have to guess, and I've narrowed it down to two choices... You, or Scott Hamilton.