Talking BS - Brando's BIOS flash

[Wildcat_drvr]

Thumbs Up to ya Brando as they say in the Movie Bizz. "Break A Leg"

[BSS_Sniper]

Originally Posted by brando

I just heard that I will be going into hospital next month to undergo a procedure known as Deep Brain Stimulation. A surgical team will bolt a metal halo to my skull and scan my brain using several different methods to produce a stereotactic image. On the next day they will implant two micro-electrodes deep in the two areas that have been observed to regulate pain signals and then wake me up and switch me on.
Hopefully; well, many things
1) they're not running their computers on Vista
2) I don't wake up to a BSOD
3) it does something to alleviate this sensation of having my hand immersed in a chip-fryer! It's twelve years now and I've about had enough. It's bad and made even worse as it's felt in the hand and arm that I no longer have.

Pain as we mostly know is part of the body's involuntary defences. Put your hand in a chip-fryer and you'll pull it out again pdq as soon as you feel pain. Various mechanisms kick in as the body tries to escape: adrenalin surges, like when people will shift weights that they could never lift in normal circumstances, and natural endorphins flood the system to reduce pain and increase survival chances. It's a common theme of agricultural accidents. Last one around here was a guy who drove 20 miles with his severed arm still in the bale of hay that the machine had been making when he got trapped!

I won't go on. It's a pretty desperate situation and I'm willing to undergo this radical, leading-edge intervention if there's half a chance of receiving some relief that might make living easier. Even if I could stop using the drugs that turn my memory into a colander it would be positive.

It's funny to think that I might be running a dual-core brain if I make it back from this tricky mission. It's more alarming to think that I might not come back at all.

So I came here to say 'au revoir' to the people that I've flown with, argued at, and generally spent time enjoying IL2 with. I especially want to thank Oleg for the inspiration that set him off on producing what must be the best combat prop-sim ever made and all the unselfish time he's put in to support it, and the same thanks goes to the whole dev team that brought it about. Maybe someone here will pass that sentiment on for me?

I hope I make it back in better shape than I'm leaving. It's been fun all the way from the day I bought IL2 Sturmovik and I'd dearly like to be around for the rest of the ride.

Go well people

Brando

My brother has been dealing with this for the past several years. He finally had the surgery you're speaking of and they finally cut the nerves to stop that pain.

[Insuber]

Brando,

All my sympathy, human proximity and best wishes for your surgery. Come back soon and healthy!

Regards,
Insuber

[BadAim]

You are in my prayers, both for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery.

[Wolf_Rider]

Best of luck ol' son...
try traditional Chinese acupuncture

[brando]

Thank you for all the support and good wishes. It's hard to define why, but I shall feel more confident knowing that a group of people are thinking kindly of me as I, er, fly off into uncharted territory.

The scary element concerning brain surgery is hard to shake off. While we can see the brain as a kind of super CPU, with people in my situation suffering from a 'broken switch' or two, it's also the container for the entity who calls himself Brando. He has his peculiarities but I've grown used to him over the last 58 years And I don't want to have to learn to fly all over again!

Thanks too for the advice about treatments. You may be sure that I have explored all sorts of therapies in my search. For the (perhaps irrational) reason mentioned above, this really is a place of last resort for me.
I am indeed an advocate of traditional Chinese acupuncture and I have received much benefit from it over the years, but sadly there is no part of the technique that can touch the core problem of severed nerves. I will certainly look to have a session though, to firm myself for the stay in hospital, and I appreciate the reminder.

I really laughed about the sponge baths! My wife is a nurse, and also a university lecturer in Nursing, and you can be certain that she'll be turning on her 'Matron's eye' if any pretty young nurses turn up carrying sponges. She has the ability to arch one eyebrow, she does a good impression of Spock from Star Trek, and it's almost as scary as brain surgery!

I hope to be around in Hyperlobby over the festive season. I'll be scaling back after then, primarily to get my body clock aligned with GMT rather than transatlantic time. Valda will be emailing Pedro to keep him up-to-date with progress when the time comes.

Thank you all

B

[GF_Mastiff]

41 years of as I'm of currently. I also have had surgery or 2 and wish you the best and you should be fine with todays technical advancements in brain surgery.

[Divine-Wind]

I don't blame you, Brando... I'd be scared pantless at the thought of people poking around my grey matter.

[Billy885]

God be with you Brando and you will be in my prayers.

If Pedro passes info on to me I will be sure to keep you all posted here in this thread.

[JG6_Express]

Looking for your speedy recovery and return so we can fly more Co'ops together again m8.

~S~