back to the range!

[Sundogg1911]

This year I had to drop my membership to my local range. :( My Wife has been off work because of a back injury for over 5 years and the bills were really piling up. I have a good job and make pretty good money, but after losing Her income
Paying the mortgage turned into a real struggle. After 4 major operations in 5 years, She won Her permenant disability hearing! Although She would much rather go back to work (She had a career as a medical biller) We are finally going to be able to catch up on bills and stock up on food again. I will never take things like my membership to the local range for granted again! If it wasn't for side work, my family Her family, and a few close friends I think we'd be living in the street. I was almost to the point of selling the Harleys and gun collection. I am so looking forward to taking a vacation day, loading up the truck and heading to the range for an entire day. My wife can't shoot the big bore pistols and revolvers any more, but She is looking forward to shooting Her Hi-Power, 38, and hi-point carbine again. With the time away from shooting I probably have about 10,000 rounds cast and loaded for various calibers. I thank God for my family and friends that helped me through the rough times, but can really sympathize with people that have gone through something like this that had no help. It has really been a struggle! Thank you to my friends that have helped me through this! Lets hit the Range! :drinks: Afterwards the drinks are on me!

[madcaster]

Sundog1911,
It doesn't take much to really affect a person's life in such a dramatic way.Another driver who doesn't look for other drivers and causes a wreck,an freak accident,tornado or patch of black ice...
Do you have a .44?

[Bret4207]

Good news! Just be thankful you live in a time and country that HAS a disability program. Oddly, a friend got shot and our Workers Comp board told him it was a hazard to be be expected with police work and refused his case. Glad things worked out better for you.

[BluesBear]

I went through the same thing when I broke my back in 2004.
After I spent almost six months in a nursing home I came home and had to exist on $300 per month state disability. Being single made it extremely rough.
If it hadn't been for a few great friends I would have been homeless.
All of my casting equipment was in my mini-storage which was auctioned off while I was in the nursing home.
I lost almost a dozen guns in the pawn shops just trying to live.

It took over two years and one good lawyer to finally get my Social Security disability.
The catch is they pay you the back benefits they own you on three payments spaced six months apart.
Still it's nice to finally have my head above water.

The guys at my local range were really great. Since I hadn't been able to shoot for seven months they gave me a free two year family membership. It felt great last December to actually be able to pay to renew it for another year.
And with June's check I'll be casting again.

It's been three years of ups and downs but now I feel that every day above dirt is a good day. :drinks:

[Sundogg1911]

I ended up selling off a few of my 1911's (a Springfield loaded, and a Colt) and most of my collection of Pocket autos (kept the NAA Guardian, Seecamp, and a matching pair of pearl handled Ravens that I got for my Wife because She liked the looks of the little "Paperweights") I still have over 30 handguns and my rifles So I did a lot better then other people that I know. Lucky for me I have a side biz. and was able to stay afloat fixing computers and setting up some small office networks, and casting bullets for some friends when the computer biz. got slow.
We still haven't quite caught up, but we're close. I'm really looking forward to cutting back on side work and enjoying the summer. :-)

[piwo]

SWMBO has had two back surgeries and the loss of her income for extended periods would definitely put us on the brink. She's a dental hygienist and all that bending and leaning over working in ill fitting chairs and being a contortionist to get peoples teeth cleaned has led to the same L5S1 trauma. Many hygienists have the same fate over time. She's not permanently disabled and works now, but she's one bulging disc from being unable to move again and be in chronic pain. And that pain can change a person into someone almost unrecognizable over time. I’m glad things are turning to your favor again and wish her nothing but the best!

How ‘NEAR” Pittsburg are you? I go to Bellaire Ohio, New Springfield and Bordeman to visit family as Bellaire is where my dad grew up and his side of the family all live there. Bellaire’s just across the Ohio river from Wheeling.

Good luck, and good shooting!

[Ricochet]

Oddly, a friend got shot and our Workers Comp board told him it was a hazard to be be expected with police work and refused his case.
Now THAT is one of the worst I've heard! :evil:

[scrapcan]

Tpr. Bret and Ricochet,

That is a load of you know what. I think things need to change. Don't know how to make it happen, but things need to change.

[Sundogg1911]

PIWO, I'm in Upper Burrell (New Kensington mailing address) it's about 20 miles NE of "the Burgh"
My Wife received Her check for back pay yesterday (Thank God) and June starts Her monthly checks so I am starting to feel a giant weight being lifted off of my shoulders. The check was enough to clear up all of my bills and stuff about 10 grand in my savings. It's funny....I emailed the president of my gun club about becoming a member in good standing before I called the bank about catching up on the mortgage. Tpr. Bret. that is the worst think i've heard! the close second is a friend of mine that I work with got called to active duty in Iraq (for a second tour) when He got back His Supervisor demoted Him for not giving enough notice!
What an A$$! but I found our yesterday that the Supervisor has now been knocked down a peg and put on night turn and my Buddy is back to His old job as a tech. It was the Control Freak Supervisor, not the company. (Thank God!)

[chevyiron420]

sundogg1911, im glad things are looking up for you! i do know the feeling. when things fell apart for our family we lost our home of 16 years and alot of things but my wife and i hung in there. we lost alot of guns to the pawn shop so we could buy food. thank god we had them. i cant work anynore and my wife is taking care of me. im one lucky guy to have a woman like her.-phil

[RU shooter]

Upper Burrell ! I used to live in Bell Twp. on the other side of Beaver Run dam my parents still do. What range did /do you shoot at?

[1hole]

TPR - [QUOTE.., a friend got shot and our Workers Comp board told him it was a hazard to be be expected with police work and refused his case. ]

That's worse than odd, it is criminally stupid and flat wrong! Send him to an attorney, you friend can't lose this. It makes me angry they seek to shaft him.

Why? Well, consider this, if WC chowder heads turned down every claim based on an inherant hazard of any job there would be virtually NO Workman's Comp claims accepted at all! Very few work related injuries occur due to factors outside hazards inherant in the work! Fact is, it really doesn't matter if his injury was common to the work, if it resulted as an "on the job injury" his claim is valid, period. That type injury is exactly what WC insurance is meant to cover and he's damn sure entitled to it, by law,

In fact, in some states he may be entitled to punitive damages if he has suffered financial injury due to them denying his obviously valid claim! So, again, have him get an attorney. A good one, a mean one, one who is willing to play dirty. John Edwards comes to mind but others will do.

[nighthunter]

Just about 4 years ago we received the news that my wife had cancer. She is diagnosed with multiple myeloma (sp). There is no cure. She went through stem cell collections, chemotherapy and 2 bone marrow transplants. I was a mess mentally before the treatments ended. My employer was very decent with me and gave me time off at an instants notice when needed. My wifes employer was a different story. When she tried to go back to work she was informed that " she had quit ". The really good news is that she is in remission and she has an excellent doctor in Pittsburgh. I would have been willing to give up every thing I owned for her to get better. Sure .... money was lost and things got behind ... but I thank GOD every day that I still have her. We have been married for 36 years and I'm not ready to go it alone.
Nighthunter

[leftiye]

All, The thing with the workman's comp and the officer that got shot may be industry standard. I worked at our State Prison for twenty years. One of my friends was injured by a wacko who should have been in mental ward. He'd been released into population by an airhead social worker. They told my friend the same thing. "You accepted that risk when you took the job." All the fun you can stand!

[DLCTEX]

It may be an industry standard, and it seems to be with insurance companies, but the insurance policy is a contract and is binding. They need to be taken to court every time until they find it is cheaper to pay what is due. Too many people just accept it and roll over. My recent experience has made me determined to fight such injustices, they made me mad enough that I was willing to risk losing it all rather than acccept the injustice(I won). There are lawyers willing to take most any case on a contingency basis, and the rates are negotiable, mine went from 30% to 20%. If they won't negotiate, they're not hungry enough, keep looking. Dale

[gregg]

Just about 4 years ago we received the news that my wife had cancer. She is diagnosed with multiple myeloma (sp). There is no cure. She went through stem cell collections, chemotherapy and 2 bone marrow transplants. I was a mess mentally before the treatments ended. My employer was very decent with me and gave me time off at an instants notice when needed. My wifes employer was a different story. When she tried to go back to work she was informed that " she had quit ". The really good news is that she is in remission and she has an excellent doctor in Pittsburgh. I would have been willing to give up every thing I owned for her to get better. Sure .... money was lost and things got behind ... but I thank GOD every day that I still have her. We have been married for 36 years and I'm not ready to go it alone.
Nighthunter
I hear you.
Lost my wife 5.5 years ago to cancer. We fought it 3 years. Had bought a Cafe
year and half before the cancer. A dream of the wife's. Had to close Cafe and eat the loses. Sold Cafe year later. then 6 months after Wife died got it back. Then sold it
year later. Lost alot of money on it but it was spread out over time. So after doc bills, travel and all had to rebuy house and retirment fund back and pay other bills. Good Lord and a old Dark Blue 86 Ford Van E-150 302 CI got us thru it all. Van still sets
at home. 251,000 miles on it now. Should take it to the junk yard. Still runs good.
In fact we had a drive last weekend for old times sake. Old girl Hauled our kids growing up for good times and bad. Then health problems for grand kids and to help them. Then haul wife with out going down. Then oldest boy had it a year at college .Like I said should be in the junk yard but I cannot let it go . Just a rusty pice of junk now. We bought it new in 86.
Any way we lost the battle but she was worth every dime and every bit of the time.
Just feel like we did not get to play our game out to the end like we had planed.
Like we got cut short.
gregg

[BluesBear]

I've worked several jobs where their insurance clearly stated you were not covered if you were a full or part-time law enforcement officer. I guess they figure it's a dangerous profession (well DUH) and that you should be covered under your departmental insurance.
This is why some departments frown on side work.
I was lucky to be with a department that had insurance coverage you even if you were working a side job.

[Lloyd Smale]

I sure am happy for you that you are finally getting the mess straightend out. God has a way of testing you but i truely beleive he knows who the good guys are and eventually takes care of them!! I feel for you with the range problem. Ive been fourtunate all my life to live in a rural area and have allways had my own range. Its been on other peoples property and ive had to pack up and move a few times but ive got a beautiful setup about a 1/4 mile from my house right now that even has a heated shooting shack for the winter. My own ppc range, a steel target range and a 200 yard rifle range. Its on private property and even has a locking gate going in that very few people have a key for. The owner of the property has left it to me as to who gets a key.