Bad news...good news....

[David Carrico]

Chuck,
I kind of know what you are going through. A lot of your symptoms were the same as mine. My diagnosis was CML Leukemia. My first thought: is it the dyes and glues we use? My cancer doctor looked at the Haz Mat sheets and found nothing. Still makes you wonder. All I can tell you is just take it day by day, stay strong, and it does get better. Prayers going your way my friend.
David Carrico

[ChuckBurrows]

Howdy David - I'm not sure about the cancer per se, but being exposed to toxic chemicals definitely had an effect on my overall health since I also was diagnosed with liver disease several years ago and the doctors then noted that it was most likely caused by the chemicals I had been exposed to while working leather, wood, and metal - even something as seemingly benign as rubbing alcohol affects the liver and other organs within 15 minutes of application....

and again thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers - they help and I am feeling VERY lucky that so far things are looking good - I'll be doing my second chemo on Monday and it will be interesting to see what occurs since so far I am doing pretty darn good considering......

[Mogorilla]

Not to highjack a thread, but yes, please wear gloves and have good ventilation when working with dyes and such.   I am a chemist in real life and years ago I worked for a very large supplier of speciality chemicals. They were very safety oriented, odd for the late 80s to be honest.  It was a summer job and really opened my eyes.  We had what was called a dye room.  In this room all compounds that fell into a dye category were handled/weighed/packaged.   It had been relegated to that function for years and it looked like a pyschedelic nightmare.  There were colors everywhere.   It took more than 20 minutes to get all the safety gear on to work in it.   Including going in on pumped in air.  Many of them, even the natural ones can be nasty.

Hang in there Chuck, we are all pulling for you!

[Dalton Masterson]

Wishing you a speedy recovery Chuck!
DM

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Wishin you well!

OF course you are in my prayers ...

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Wishing you the best, Chuck. Prayers up.

[Johnny McCrae]

My prayers and best wishes for you Chuck. I admire your courage and fine attitude. Hang in there. I've been a survivor since 1999.

I have never forgotten how your Leather working DVD has helped me.

[1961MJS]

Hang in there Chuck

I ordered your video on knife sheathes and it's very helpful.  I'm still bad, but getting a little better. 

Later

[GunClick Rick]

Boy hope you guys get all back to 100 percent,been feelin bad for about two yeas now,i believe it started with food poisning,BP went way up and they put me on BP pills to get it down,then had a reaction to the pills,then came down with the meanest rash i ever seen and the itch was maddening,still haven't got the right pills yet,i'm a 1 percenter that has side effects all the time,then the kids moved to Texas and i am still wondering around like a lost child,raised my grand duaghter since she was six months old up till she was 3 1/2 part time during the week and usually had her with me anyway most of the time,her moma is a worker.Blood test tommorrow,i just don't feel right.

Sorry for goin on here on the leather forum,but Chuck i been watchin you for along time and i can afford to look   Wishing all of us the best!!!
this ain't no fair!

[Oregon Bill]

Chuck, I have enjoyed the benefit of your wisdom in posts and PMs on this and other forums over the years. You have brought so much to the table both in your expertise and your generous willingness to share it that I and many others owe you a large debt. Know that you have my gratitude and my prayers for you and your wife and the team of healers treating you.
Being just a month your junior, I know all too well how the old sack of bones starts heading south. (I'm not looking forward to when the last spinal injection wears off.)
Please feel free to PM me if there is anything I can do.
Bill in central Oregon