I'm so glad we live in Australia, with decent, readily available healthcare available to most of the nation.
And one more story to discourage the 'she'll be right'' :
How sore do you have to be before you turn to the better half and say youve got a saw kiwi, and am going off to see the doctors? Well, I'd been sore enough to be putting deep heat where you normally would not wish it, hurt to stand, sleep, and on pain meds. Thinking of course it would be god knows what, plus googling as you do, it was  maybe a hernia at best. So off for tests, urine and ultrasound which I hadnt come near since you saw alienesque  images of the kids 20 years ago. Sufficient pressure on the probe thing had me levitating off the bed, yep a hernia, look here (another jump).
A trip to the surgeon, and a few more coughs and squeezes, nup, no hernia, nothing for me to operate on. Youve just badly strained your groin', go and see a sports physio. Did that, happy days, unbelievable difference what  just a few stretches each day can do.

escfalcap
Hi guys. Thanks so much for the kind and insightful words.
Thank goodness we are wired to carry on with life irregardless of the obstacles placed before us.
Worst part is that it will mean time off from working on the toys and I can’t go to Wakefield this coming week and probably into the new year 😢

Hows things working out with this? have you spoke to your surgeon?

Hi Robbie,
Thanks for asking mate. It certainly has been a bit of a whirlwind with tests etc. and a few more in the new year
 
I saw the surgeon a few weeks back and a lot of the tests are related to doing anything else that is required while my chest is open (yuk). All the artery tests (so far) have been perfect so fingers crossed.
 
It is the Mitral valve which is being repaired and unfortunately you just can't go down to your local Supercheap (at least I hope he doesn't) and get one. The stroke was apparently related to blood clotting in an appendage attached to the heart so it will be disconnected/removed apparently (the appendage not the heart).
 
Surgery is Feb 1 and recovery time is 3 months so you poor people may be sick of me by then!
Of course I have to stay covid free and the way NSW is going that may be a task in itself.
 
Oh and by the way the ABC 7.30 Report crew came out last week and spent a day with us, as their doing a show early next year based around the expansion of the tele-stroke service to rural hospitals in NSW. The stroke team at Prince of Wales hospital and UNSW thought I would be a good ambassador (move over Hugh Jackman). If I can weasel a date out of them I'll let you know.
 
Anyway a merry christmas and happy New Year to all you guys. Hope we all find some toy tinkering time, I'm told it does your digestion wonders 
Maybe in a covid free world (or a world free of covid restrictions) we could organise a get together. We are a scattered bunch though. Anyway just putting it out there?
 
Mark

Best wishes Mark.
Hope you recover 100%. Merry Xmas and HMY for a safe 2022.
Bernie

Not sure if I'd trust a Supercheap one much Mark anyway, Repco maybe and  debatable about Autobarn either.
Good to hear that you're booked in, and that so far tests are positive.
Yes, in the meantime no hanging out with loose women or cuddling up to random strangers on the bus, at least without a mask.
 
Definitely tell us when you make the screen debut, bonus points if you can get a few shots in the garage as well.
 
Yes for a catchup, a post op drinks, might be 'Teams' hookup, put a face to the name and see the projects live?
Merry Christmas to all you Fordies.
 

Thanks for the wishes guys, And yes Deano there is a car shot or two. The guys nearly shot their loads when they saw the cars. It was quite funny. So they got some footage of me under the bonnet with a spanner doing F*&^ knows what. I know I'll laugh when I see it.
Mark

BEE VEE
 
Before I sign off, i need to pass on this wonderfully unbelievable drug called PANTOPRAZOLE. Ten years ago, my 30 year stomach pain got so bad 24/7, 

The same drug changed my life.
 
Damn this getting older business.
 
Shaun

Hi All,
Been following the forum on and off over the past couple of months. Good to see the banter continuing.
 
Slowly working on the track car, doing only light tasks so the cardio rehab nurse doesn't wet herself.
Recovery has been slow but positive. Occasional bouts of double vision (would be cool if I was smoking something) and short of breath but apparently common with heart valve surgery.
 
For your info ABC 7:30 show aired the interview on Thursday 7th April. You can catch it on ABC iview.
The RS makes an appearance. Though don't ask me what I was doing under the bonnet!
Unfortunately we are on toward the end of the show (had to make way for Palmer, the sanctimonious turd)
 
On another note the RS was in with my auto electrician whilst I was laid up. The wiring (partly mine) was a bit of a mess and I figured, give it to him to finally finish the thing. Well when I drove it home wasn't I pleasantly surprised. Once warmed up I gave it a boot-full, and holly crap it went an' just kept on 'wenting'.
Before this, it kind of revved out when coming onto boost and forward propulsion ceased though revs didn't. I had always figured it was an actuator issue or the like? Phil Armour who is the Motec guru did the dyno tune and never noticed this?????
Anyway, my elec reckons it was probably a voltage drop somewhere, as some of the sensors run on fairly low voltage and there must have been a loss somewhere. Don't really care at the end of the day I'm just plain
 
The AP gear and the 5 stud alloy hubs that were long awaited finally arrived. Yet to fit up as the whole package is still 'heavy'.
Been working on the fuel system, and fabricating small ancillary bits. And yes Marty that bead roller is a gem!
 
Will look at posting a pic or two soon.
Mark

Glad to hear your recovering well!

Photos of the APs!

Well progress has been slow as I keep getting sidetracked. We made a planned trip to Echuca for the Southern 80. Been on my bucket list since my skiing days on the Hawkesbury river. Given my recent health hiccup I am not putting anything off.

Long story short I am restoring (yes another project) a previous race winner (1976) and seeing what the scene is like since I gave it away many moons ago. These turbo and blown big blocks (many Mercruisers) are absolutely phenomenal. No more V drives, they all run sterndrive legs.
My boat (last pic, as it was before resto) is a long lost Flightcraft Concorde SS. A pure race blueprinted hull, and again another Australian made boat which is no longer. Sound familiar?

I know this is a ford forum so I won’t persist in this vein
I will start a new thread on the track escort build once I get back (promise)
Mark