After almost two years of suffering from the residual effects of diabetes- Mike has finally decided to get back to living. When we first moved here over twenty years ago, we converted one of the old barns into his shop. I could never get him out of it which was fine because he was busy building custom knives.

But with the ravages of diabetes on his nerve endings- Mike’s hands no longer work like they should. Surgeries that were supposed to correct the problem, turned out to make things worse. Months ago, Mike decided to sell his knife equipment and we listed on Craigslist and his passion was gone in days.

But he has decided to finally fight back and yesterday finished his first project in years. He had help with it from a good friend but it just feels so wonderful to see him working in his shop again.

Here is his first chair- he made it to fit his large frame, but I have put it for sale in the shop where I work- just to see if it will sell. I think it will be a real boost to him if it does.

Today, he wants to build three more and is already out there working and it isn’t even 7:00 a.m.!

I am on my way in a few to take Riley to the vet. THey will have to sedate this barn kitty and explore why his paw is so massive. I think there is an abscess cooking- that is what it looks like to me, but every time I try to touch his leg- he gets cranky. Poor kitty- I am hoping it isn’t broken, but we need to address the problem and get him back to where he can walk again. I heard him crying this morning from inside the house. He hates to be confined. He’s in the intro cage right now.

Anyway- here is the chair Mike built-

Riley was sedated and his paw was clipped. The whole paw was in the process of turning blue as he does have an abscess cooking. We couldn’t find the entry wound, so the vet gave him a strong antibiotic shot and gave me some clinidrops to give him. I was a bit concerned when I was waiting for the vet to come into the room. Riley was alternately head-bumping me so hard he almost knocked me off my feet- then seconds later, he would turn around and growl at me. I wasn’t sure if he was going to bite me or not- I couldn’t read his signals other than he was in a great deal of pain and he still wanted me to comfort him.