Member since:
June 9, 2006

It's Time For A Rob-athon...Please Give!

June 09, 2008 10:14 AM EDT

views: 181 | comments: 127

Can I get a drum roll, please. Let's roll those numbers on the tote board. ***$0,000,018*** Welcome to the 2008 Annual Rob-athon...a Gather-thon here in Gatherlande, if you will, where every little bit helps. Papa needs a brand new leg...and your donations make a difference. During our Rob-athon, we'll be visited by many stars shining from coast to coast with some surprise international guests dropping by, too. Give the gift of love...Give it up ladies and gentlemen...Can we hear it for the love in the house? Help Rob walk. It's 'Three Points For Prosthetics!' We need your help in raising points to be converted into cash.

Or, you can simply donate your gift cards and dollar bills...and cookies!!! Our comment lines are open and waiting for your response. Please give freely.
We're here at the Vasser Apartments, high on the third floor with a balcony view overlooking Rochester's famed Park Avenue and it's cafe strip. The sidewalks are abuzz with people...all here for a common cause...to raise money for Rob. They have their loose change ready for when I pass the tin cup through the crowd while hobbling on my crutches; pantleg pinned up so I don't trip. Every little bit helps. Your donation could be the one that makes a difference. *Looks pathetically at the people of Gatherlande*
Sunday was a slow(er) day on Gather...and in the Rob household. I only picked up about 450 E-mails...added on to the 1,600 from the prior two days; a couple thousand of them I've gone through. I was going through an 'Owie time' with myself and couldn't do much until my pain pills kicked in. I ended up posting in the morning, but I was done outside of making some comments and post visits here and there. To make a long story even longer like only I can, I did it to myself. I couldn't find anyone to install my air conditioner and temperatures in the mid-90's were on the way. My apartment runs 10 - 15 degrees hotter. I needed my air or I'd melt. I have an old 1980's model that used to cool the bottom eight rooms of my parent's 14 room home. It weights about 100 pounds...and let's not forget, Rob only has one leg now. It took me all day thinking about how I was going to get that sucker into the kitchen window it sat below. Oh, I could have had building maintenance come in and lift it up...for $50. Kiss mine! I could hire a bottle collector off the street to do it for ten. I'm not about to pay...if I can help it. I came up with an idea!

What do a kitchen chair, a walker, a micro-nuker stand and several belts that hold your pants up have in common? They got my place as cold as a meat locker...and strained my shoulder. I wasn't about to let anything stop me. That unit WAS going in that window! Belts around the air conditioner...and around my neck and shoulder. Lift to chair while bracing myself with the walker. Re-position belts around AC and my neck and shoulder. Brace body against wall. Using arms now, too, lift unit onto micro-nuker stand...on wheels. Push cart up to window. Yank and haul air conditioner off stand and in place...kind of...in window and close window on unit to hold in place. Cut cardboard to 'board' up window on either side. Run cord around behind refrigerator, plug in...and we have cool. Now, I've got to sweep the floor and put everything back on top of the fridge and inside the two tier micro stand (the nuker is on the counter, so a huge, decorative stone bowl and some candlesticks go on top). It's now about 11:30...and I started this project at 9:00. I worked my scrawny tail off! There was lots of tugging and straining to lift that AC unit. I attempted many times before I was able to move it around.
I felt the pain start in around my late dinner time the next night...right on schedule...24 hours after I used it rather roughly. I took a couple pain pills hoping to stave off an uncomfortable night. It didn't work. The only position I could at least halfway doze was laying directly on my shoulder. When I finally gave up and got out of bed around 5:30 Sunday morning; it was killing me. I was dying. I can be a wussy at times, but this really hurt. I could hardly support myself on my walker and just barely made it to the potty. There was almost a puddle on the floor...and I don't have a pet I can blame it on. I ate three more pain pills (the dosage is one) and skipped making coffee. I couldn't have carried my mug if I could just barely haul my body to my computer chair. I wasn't able to lift my arm on its own. I had to use my left hand to raise my right arm to the keyboard. This is nonsense. I'm not about to try and type like this all day. Damn pain pills...they're not doing a thing.

I need a cocktail to wash them down with.
I knew it wouldn't be long. The pain intensified ten fold and I even let out a couple of moans. Yah, yah, yah...call me a wimp. I am when it gets so bad I can't do anything. Call me obsessed, but I've thought about what I'd do if I injured a hand or arm. I like to think ahead...since I have to use those body parts to move my methods of mobility...the walker or crutches. How the hell was I going to get around and to the stores? Basically, I'm screwed! Here Sunday was to be day #60 in a row I had gone out for at least one walk; some day, a couple; as many as four in one day so far. There was just no way I could support myself to walk on crutches with a bum shoulder not to mention attempt going down and then back up those stairs; which, even on a good day, are still somehwat of a struggle. The, finally, those little blue pills kicked in and the pain started to deaden. It didn't go away, mind you, but it made things more tolerable to deal with.
In a couple hours, I was making coffee. A couple hours after that, I was raring to go! Sure, my shoulder still bothered me and was a bit tender, but I haven't let missing a leg stop me, so I'm not about to let my 'owie' on my arm be the thing that puts an end to all my efforts.

I WOULD make Day #60. I winced a few times on the way down the stairs with both crutches propped under my bad arm as I went step by step. I wobbled a little while walking. I weebled, too, but I didn't fall down. I got a couple bottles of Diet Dew, some macaroni salad to add tuna to later for dinner, some smokes (damn tax has the el cheepo brand at $5.50 a pack now) and the Sunday paper. I did my coupons and shopping lists, but oddly enough, a clown like me never reads the 'funnies'. (But I save them to use as wrapping paper for birthdays.)
I was feeling a little less pain and after my walk; I figured I'd better take it real easy because I knew I already aggravated the situation by going out and working it. Hey, no pain; no gain, right? My grocery lady called and wanted to know if I needed anything. Ummm, no...and if I do, I'll try to get as much of it as I can myself so i get the right things. I'll use her for when In need 6 or 7 pounds of burger or chicken breast or some can and jar products; things that are too heavy for me to carry. It was a chill out kind of day. I needed it, but at least I didn't break my string and got my daily excerise in despite my boo boo.

Strong like bull. I am a Taurus after all.
I knew it wasn't going to be a gainful day for me on Gather...one post in the morning, less volume of people on overall. Must be Gather's three point promotion wore everyone out the first two days it hit. I decided I really wasn't being a point ho, either. I'm not posting tons of games and questions, pictures and videos; just a couple articles here and there. Maybe I'm a point slut instead; just get some when I want it and can make a few bucks, too. I was growing tired of trying to stay on top of things. I only picked up $3, about 200 points...1,150 points so far. That's a total of $18 in three days. Maybe I'll pick up $45 for the week...less than a buck an hour. I've also added 10 new connections with people requesting to join my network...and I lost one when a member left Gather. My total stands at 1,094. Even though Gather's three point promotion is in full swing, membership continues to grow at TRIPLE PLAY - THREE FOR YOU AND ME.

As of this morning, my group membership stands at 352; six more than the total membership of Rob Appell - Gather's "Head" PRO, Esther S's. group dedicated to me. (Most of the members of that group didn't know who I was from a bag of beans when they joined as evident by the fact I was only connected to about 10% of the members prior to the time they signed up.)
That's why we need you to look deep into your hearts today, my friends. They boy tries, but he still needs your help. Papa needs a brand new leg. Make those numbers rise. With Gather giving three points for each one earned, here's a chance for you to make those points for prosthetics work. Just give it up and make miracles happen. See little Robbie walk again. Don't forget, Robbie needs to keep his strentgh up to move those crutches. Donate your cookies as well. Send in a dozen or two...homemade are the best.

Or drop a loose cookie or two into the collection plate when it's passed around. Speaking of cookies, I've been checking things out at my cookie post and I may have to break things down into categories if I hold a cookie contest. People want brownies and bars included. Also, since three basic types of cookie are leading as favorite; maybe each one of them deserves its own category. Then, there's holiday entries along with diabetic/sugar-free and gluten-free...and no bake. I feel like I'm judging a kennel club dog show...best in breeder and overall grand champion. Tryng to influence the judge is allowed by sending me advance samples of your wares, though I promise not to be bias. *Wink, wink*
As we get ready to take a break back to your local stations; keep that response coming in. Operators are standing by to receive your comments. Remember, Papa needs a brand new leg...and cookies! Help Rob out now. One more time before we break away...drum roll. Let's change those numbers...the sky's the limit. ***$0,000,019***

view all photos

You need the latest Adobe Flash Player.
Install the player now