Hi Grant,
Welcome on the forum
This link to last years meetup/pictures
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OK, for those packing for Argos, I think we have had rain almost every day or so. The near-term forcast is more of the same. Lemler’s mentioned the fairgrounds are a bit messed up by construction of a new building, so expect some wet ground, and possibly mud, and maybe rainy conditions. Prepare for wet, and pray for drying weather. Welcome to Indiana! We will have fun whatever the weather! 
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Hi Mike is the weather cold or warm, right now. I am breaking out the rain gear.
Bob.
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Hi Robert,The last couple of days have been hot, but the forcast for next week looks like lower 70s and possibility of rain on a couple of the days. over all looks like pretty nice weather.
Looking forward to the meetup!! Ron L
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From what I hear, the guys flying into Alabama are heading right into an oven. After that they may like the Indiana weather. TomC
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Hello Mr. Tom
Billy said his air conditioning is down and I have never had air conditioning . 
This 100F realy makes the water melons taste good .
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You guys and all this talk of heat. We don’t even feel like it’s really warm yet. 
Seriously, it’s just a warm spring around here so far. Our foreign friends will be just fine. Besides, I’m sure they rented a car with air conditioning. Lol.
In fact, they’ll probably be so excited to be away from snow and ice that they’ll start considering a move.
Anyway, It looks as if I will be able to make the trip. We borrowed a small rv for the trip so I don’t have to sit in a car seat that long. But also, I have a product report to make and recommend to anyone dealing with pain.
Two days ago I went to see a surgeon and get a surgery date for my back. He says it’s a really easy surgery and that I’m a text book case. Should be an outpatient thing that takes about 6 hours with about 98% success rate. Scheduled for the end of June.
I have been dealing with extreme pain for 2 months. And that is another month away. Knowing that 50% of people who take narcotics for 3 months get addicted, I have been looking for a way around using them. But I have been taking a mixture of hydrocodone, tramadol, codeine, oxy, morphine, and some other stuff for 2 months.
After the appointment we happened to drive by a store called “CBD Store” and went in and got the strongest CBD oil they had. Not real cheap. But I took the recommended dose twice on Wednesday. And then took half again as much Thursday. Now it’s Friday midday.
I have not had any hydrocodone since before the CBD oil.
Now on day 3 I have only taken Ibuprofen with it.
I usually don’t believe in things with this good of a report, but I can’t argue with the facts and my own experience.
I did have a headache on Wednesday night and Thursday. It may have been getting used to the oil, or coming off the narcotics. There seem to be no other side effects at all. Except I don’t like the taste of the stuff. There is certainly no chance of getting high on this stuff. The kind I got does have the traces of THC, they say it makes it work better, but you’d probably have to drink 200 bottles of this stuff to feel any kind of high from it. It kind of reminds me of drinking coca tea in south America. Same leaves they make cocaine from, but it takes several truck loads of leaves to make a small amount of cocaine.
I am feeling more soreness in more places than I was with the narcotics. But it is minor stuff that was masked by the heavy drugs.
I have not been sleeping well for 2 months. And hydrocodone keeps me awake. This stuff let me sleep for about 16 hours Wednesday night. I guess I was making up for lost sleep. What a difference it makes getting good sleep.
Anyway, I can’t say enough about this oil stuff. So far it’s Amazing.! I don’t know if I’ll make it through the day with only ibuprofen, but I’m going to try. We’ll see how it goes.
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CBD Oil is legal and available in Indiana. I have no other opinion of it. If it helps you, GREAT! 
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Billy,
About 30 years ago, I herniated a disc at location L5-S1. I visited two Orthopedic doctors. (The pain was so bad! I couldn’t sit at all. ) One was ready to operate immediately, and the other said I could live with it but I would have to lose the pot belly + 50 #, and start a walking schedule. I decided to lose the weight and walk. It took 9 months to return to almost normal. I think I took one of the pain pills at the very beginning, but I don’t do pills. Before that, I used to jog, and I have not done any jogging since. Also, I used to drive for hours on end without taking any breaks. The recommendation was to stop about every 30 minutes and get out and walk around the car a few times. (Now I have to stop every 30 min., but it is for a different reason.) Getting in and out of bed was very difficult, so I had to roll over (even that hurt) and get to a standing position somehow.
I am now 3/4" shorter, according to the marks on the wall we made when the kids were growing. One theory on pain is that it hurts really bad a first, and then the nerves sort of “get used to it” and stop screaming so loud. Don’t be afraid to ask for help lifting things out of the trunk of a car, such as a 94# bag of Portland Cement, or sacks of feed.
Hang in there! Things can only get better.
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I hope you bring some of those Down South Watermelons to Argos. The ones shipped into the stores in the Northwest have no flavor in them yet.
There is nothing better then eating watermelon on a hot sunny day in the shade and seeing how far you can spit the seeds that you don’t swallow.
Bob
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I second Bob’s comment about bringing up some Alabama Water Melons. I don’t know why, but a guy saw us working in the sun in LA. He came over and offered us an Alabama water melon he had left from a whole trunk full, that he hauled to LA for friends. I have to say, I have NEVER tasted a bad melon, but man, that Alabama melon was out of this world. TomC
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Well, fact is, I feel even better this evening than I did when I wrote that earlier today. Good stuff.
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Hi Billy, put a mattress in the back of the Suburban a let some one drive. When you get to Argos I want to pray over you for a miracle healing of your back problems. In Yeshua Name. You have been doing the Lord’s work a He has seen it.
Bob
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Good morning Billy and Jakob.
I was checking to see if JO and Kristijan made it to Alabama OK
Wayne .
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They are here and had a safe travel. Jakob
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I find ibuprofen good for 99% of what ails me. The little rest, I bear. Good luck, Billy.
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Wonderful advice RayM.
Exactly what I’ve done too.
Some also swear by the inverted whole body spine de-compressor like the Tetter and others.
Hydrotherapy, chiropractor, stretching de-compression are all good for short-term relief.
Long term you do have to strengthen the inner/outer along spine muscles, ligaments and tendons. Acknowledge you will never, ever again be the-kid, or dumb-assed made the injury in the first place anymore. Modify as you say your lifting/bending expectations. Mine, lower back I learned to get down on my knees and sit back onto my heels before lifting.
Learn to live with what you can evolve into.
We actually are very much plastic/mold-able/changeable. Skeletal. Cellular. Neurological. Social. Just like soil. Build it up. Improve it. Remain a life-long work-in-progress.
Best Regards
Steve unruh
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If you can get CBD oil, give that a try. Pills do nothing for my back pain and Ive found CBD oil works. Just dont forget your old and cant operate like you used too; because that oil WIll make you feel like you are 20 years young again.
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Funny you mention that. Last night I was wound up with energy and felt like splitting wood or something.
Wayne, JO and Kristijan made it here fine last evening. They are planning to head to your place tomorrow morning. Kristijan wants to make us his traditional Slovenian venison meal for supper tonight. We just finished a big training day here with a group from University of Alabama, and several from Central America, Congo, Kenya, India…Adding in the Slovenian and Sweedish touch fit right in.
Tom, you are right. Alabama water melons are about the best, but you’re about 5 weeks early for these parts.
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For me, pain is an indicator I need to do something different. I’ve had 3 herniated discs in my lower back for 28 years. If it wasn’t for chiropractors, I’d probably be in a wheelchair. The Dr route wasn’t working. It actually got worse. I, like Steve U, have an inversion table. Amazing. When I hurt, I lay down for an hour or two. If I need to push through, I will take some Ibuprofren.
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