What's been going on in Joel's life! (updated pictures!)

bombtrack07 · Post by **bombtrack07** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:34 pm

Okay so the past MONTH has sucked a big black hairy donkey dick for me. Starting on September 18th, my g/f (Amanda) and I headed down to her parents house in Hinesville, GA. While we were booking down I16 at 80mph at around 8.30pm, my speedo decided to stop working. Several hours later (about 1.15am I believe) we arrive at Amanda's brother Jason's house. THANK YOU to (I think) neonslg09 (if not, then someone shoot me a pm) for keeping me company until Jason got there (not you Diablo0 lol) We finally get towed back to my house (and garage) on September 20th (when we were supposed to come back home) and it turns out, the intermediate shaft tried to exit the transmission while we were passing exit 111 on I16 in south Georgia.

Needless to say, Our trip SUCKED ASS.

The day after we finally got back home (we live about 6-7 hours north from her parents) my mama was diagnosed with STAGE-4 LUNG CANCER. My mama is a LIFELONG non-smoker and non-drinker. This shit happened out of no-where. The doctor said that her case is in the TOP 10 rarest lung cancer cases out there. She is in her mid-40's and a LIFELONG non-smoker (she grew up watching her daddy smoke and drink) and developed lung cancer from seemingly no-where.

I was drunk as piss the next 2 days. My mama is one of the sweetest, nicest, honest-to-god goodest people that exist. This news tore me a new asshole. I could deal with the car being f-ed up, but my mama? C'mon. You don't screw with someone's parents like that.

So for the next several days, we're doing alright. My mama's a fighter. Like Chuck Liddell, only with a vagina lol. She's lost most of her hair, like most people with cancer. She's taking the chemo and radiation treatments and is progressing very well. All is doing good.

Then on October 10th (last weekend) some motherfucker decided to shoot my dog in the front left leg. I was the one who heard the gunshot and found the dog in the field. It fucked me up pretty good cos I rode in the back of the truck with Dean (the dog) to the animal hospital and carried him inside. The bullet didn't sever the bone completely, but is still stuck in the muscle. The vet doc said he would do better by healing himself than opting for surgery so that's what we're doing right now. I hope that whoever shot my dog gets some karma heading his way soon.

Getting the SRT-4 started has been no easy trip. Turns out, it was the 2 bolts that hold the carrier bearing that backed out and caused my trouble. Two 10-cent bolts. That is depressing. The splines got mushed down a lil bit on the intermediate shaft and we finally got them filed down enough to fit in the ring gear in the transmission. I filled all the fluids and started the little red rocket (the car, you perverts) and took it down the road this morning. The only thing that doesn't work correctly is the speedometer (because the gear has been "apple-cored") It cost me about $40 for a new vehicle speed sensor (hooray for work accounts!) and the car will be working fine.

ALL PRAYERS AND WELL-WISHING FOR MY MAMA IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:41 pm

Prayers are there for your family!

Glad you got your wheels back, should be a little more help.

JeffM · Post by **JeffM** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:42 pm

Man, that sucks. I hope your mom gets better and that your luck turns around for you.

NickKo · Post by **NickKo** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:50 pm

From the way you tell your story, you sound like a 'fighter'..... I mean that in a good way.

You could have let all this bad news drive you off the deep end, into cynicism and despair, etc. .... It *sounds* like you are holding up well.

No doubt, this all hurts..... It sounds like you might be going through a 'time of trouble' which will last a season or two.
Fortunately, it's not permanent..... but buckle down and get ready for a rough ride, until the sun breaks out....

Speaking from experience, because I know.
I lost my own father to cancer, when I was 24 yrs.old, and it was the most miserable time of my life..... Not JUST because of that, but because of all the 'peripheral bullshit' that comes with it. ( medical debts, creditors, job sucked, and trying to go to school full-time, too... etc.)

- Nick

Haganracing · Post by **Haganracing** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:24 pm

Wow dude, that’s horrible!

My prayers are with your family and especially with your mom in this rough time.

I really do hope Karma is after that person who shot your dog. Who would do such a thing

Hope to hear good news in your next post man.

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:45 pm

My prayers are with you also......

Pocahontas · Post by **Pocahontas** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:51 pm

I cannot believe the severity of everything that has happened to you! My prayers are with your Mom and your family!

v95 · Post by **v95** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 7:30 pm

I'm really sorry to hear all this, this is not looking to be a bright end of 2009.

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 8:46 pm

I wish your mother the best. But a bit of factual information here, second hand smoke is seemingly more harmful than first hand smoke in clinical studies. Her father's smoking when she was younger could have started the damage that has progressed to the stage you see it at now.

I hope everything works out for you, you have my thoughts

bombtrack07 · Post by **bombtrack07** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:26 pm

Everyone, THANK YOU for the kind words.

Mama isn't giving up without a fight. She is walking every day and building her strength as much as she can. Daddy was beside himself in the hospital but he is doing better as the days go by. I've never seen him like he was then; he was a whole different person to me.

Crystal, the doctors discussed the fact that mama's daddy smoked and say that it more or less contributed to her condition today. She isn't upset or mad, she just looks forward to each day.

THANK YOU EVERYONE

New pics:

This awaited me when i changed my trans fluid prior to the ill-fated trip to Hinesville. Notice the lack of fluid.

Here's the bumper off awaiting transport back home.

Here she is back home.

Here is the problem. You shouldn't see the silver to the right of the axle seal (the 2 little black holes in the middle of the picture.)

The next day, with the wheel off.

My cousin accidentally bent the oil cooler and it's leaking like a bitch.

Here's the hole that the intermediate shaft tried to slide out of.

And here is how she sits as of today. Notice the abundance of tools and leaves.

She ran fine the past couple of days, but the speedo only works in reverse (which is crazy) and the fuel gauge floats but those 2 issues will be worked out.