Thank you... those are very reasonable prices. I want to get one in the shape of the cross. Dan was buried so I thought about what to put in the mini urn... I have no hair and I don't want the dirt that covers his case Instead I chose something alive with power, You see last summer we went to this huge cave, and in the back was a grate that covered an ice pit... I knew what was down there, from family lore... a "walk-in geode", as Dan called it when he got down there and saw. We were both amazed by the crystals which grew from the ceiling and the walls. But vandals had smashed the main foyer to get at the precious crystals in unjustifiable excess. We crawled further down the pit until we were in the very bowels of the earth, and there was a... a hole, an underground fissure - Dan climbed up and slipped through it! If you've ever read Stephen King's Desperation, it was sort of like that - except not evil. Dan went in there and that's when he exclaimed through the icey echoing walls, "it's like a walk in geode"! Well, when it came time to get out of the ice pit, I knew I was going to have problems. I had accidently left my crampons back in Seattle, and the prospect of climbing a steep ice wall without them was daunting. It soon became apparent I wasn't strong enough to exert the required force (about 10 pullups) to get out of there. Dan and my boyfriend were the only two souls with me in the bowels of the earth, and they pulled my butt up out of there, with strong arms. I remember watching Dan shimmy up the ice wall with no problem, just before my miserable attempt. Then I got stuck in the grate, haha, I can still hear him nervously laughing. I had to take my harness off and go back under, crossing over to a bigger hole in the grate like monkey-bars style, with only my own shaking arm muscles and sweaty hands to stop me from plunging into the deep sharp darkeness. That, and Dan's hands reassuringly close through the bars. He helped me out and I crawled through icey mud and water, my precious few prizes digging into my pocketflesh painfully. This whole scary episode took hours, it was real hard for them to pull me out coz I was exhausted from trying with all my might to clamber up this slippery wall and falling. I remember bursting out in the sunlight, so shaky from adrenaline... I knew I could have lost my life, but the two men I loved most were there to save me. I sure wish I could have returned the favor. :( Anyway, Dan came out of there with a piece of the walk in geode, ... it's this little... upright crystal city with a rock base... it has many crystal spires and is breathtakingly beautiful. It was down there covered in dirt and mud deep in the earth, and Dan cleaned it and polished it and set it on his mantle. I took it back when he passed. It is very fragile and the pieces, teh crystal spires come off easily. I'm going to put a few shards in my cross urn. I think it is the place he would want to be. Here is a link that might be useful: Dan's friend's took me to the scene of the accident

My 13 year old granddaughter will be wearing one of these Herbst appliances very soon, but it's not intended to correct an overbite or underbite. She had been experiencing headaches for about the past two years, and for over a year her jaw has been making a loud clicking sound as she opens and closes her mouth causing her pain each time. She was finally taken to a dentist who then referred her to an orthodontist. They thought it may be TMJ, so the doctor ordered an MRI of her jaw area. It was not TMJ. The right side of her jaw isn't even connected, and the clicking noises are coming from left side of her jaw . The orthodontist said he has never seen a case so sever as this in a child before...only saw cases like this with adults who have been in a traumatic auto accident, or who have had a forceful blow to their face. Her mom doesn't recall any such things ever happening as she was growing up. But I do remember when she had a root canal and cap done at the age of 3 or 4 years old. I distinctly recall how she cried in pain for hours afterwards and I couldn't find a way to comfort her. I even drove her back to the dental office where it was performed that same day and they insisted nothing was wrong with her. The orthodontist who just recently requested the MRI be done, said she has a smaller mouth than most others. I have a gut feeling, and from after talking with others about this, that there's a possibility that when they did the root canal procedure it may have partially dislocated her jaw and that her jaw never went back into the normal position as she was growing all these years. The Orthodontist does not guarantee that wearing the Herbst will even solve her problems in the end, which is heart wrenching to even think of. It's even more heartbreaking to know the pain she is going to have to endure wearing this appliance. But worse, if it doesn't work, they said surgery is the next option. I've heard that with surgery nerves will be cut and loss of feeling in the chin area occurs causing the person to always drool. That would be so traumatic for any teenager to have to deal with. This is so difficult to even imagine what might happen in the long run. I just pray that wearing the Herbst will completely correct her condition. Please, if there is anyone else who has had this similar condition, please let me know how your results were with wearing this appliance.

My grandfather learned to play the mandolin around 70 and the piano at 65. He became quite skilled at both. Learning how to read music was challenging to him, it never quite became second nature. However, he could play by ear after only hearing a song once. I was always jealous. I had no problem reading music at the age of 8 but couldn't do that. Finally in my 20s all my practice paid off and I began to be able to play music by ear... However it took me years, whereas he had that skill all along. I think age is merely a number. Embrace your interests-- maybe you will rediscover or find a new passion. And learning new skills as you age counteracts diminishing brain power. As for the hectic schedule, i hope you find a way to squeeze 30 minutes of practice in a day. Playing music is a great way to unwind and destress.

All of you are starting to really anger me. Tracystoke with her post:"yawn ,yawn ,get out and about and sniff smells" is about as disrespectful and rude as it gets. The others nitpicking and thinking they have all the answers and solutions to secrecy's desperate cry for help. I understand that he gives reasons why he can't do certain things that are suggested to him. Why is he being accused of making excuses. I see cold heartless responses and "You are the problem" when met with lack of an instant "Eureka!!!" moment default everyday suggestions that really can not work in his situation. He has and told us he has been diagnosed. He has to battle a mental illness. He is depressed. His home situation is deplorable. Does everyone think he really is possibly lazy, or doesnt want to have a job or bother looking for one, etc. etc. etc.??? HELLOOOOOO! He is reaching out for advice and telling someone with his illness and home situation to go get a job, or stay with someone else, etc. just doesn't cut it. I am sure some of the people mean well. I myself am on disability, with a couple illnesses with no cure. By the way, I also have Narcolepsy. I am stuck in an abusive situation just to keep a roof over my head and not end up homeless. Secrecy, I have a couple suggestions, and will understand if you have difficulties with them. Just try your best. The first good thing you are doing for yourself is asking for help, and sticking to your guns and not dropping off this thread and giving up (at least to as far as I have read). You do sleep so much with depression, let alone any other problems with it. If you can, try to get on several different additional forums such as one for Mental health or depression, looking for work is an insane undertaking at this point in your life. Does everyone really think that if secrecy gets a job how can he actually function with the mental and physical state he is in? Number 1, try to get help with depression, maybe getting medications, help with how to COPE with your home situation. Number 2, try to get from Mental Health doctor a referral to a sleep center to get tested for Narcolepsy. If indeed diagnosed with that too, medicine will do wonders and get you in a regular sleep cycle. If you don't have it, then,you know depression is a big factor. I am not going to guess or diagnose, just adding on to what you have told us. If you try and work with Mental Health, (therapy/meds), learn to cope with home situation (for now, not forever),(through therapy and/or support forums) - ask the people at mental health if you can qualify for their housing. Most Mental Health facilities in just about every town in the US has rooms, group homes, apts. set up for their patients. if they don't, I know they have referrals to agencies that will help. I wish you the best of luck and many blessings for your recovery from the nightmare you have been living in. Do not give up! I have a list of how to help or not help people with chronic illness written by Not Done Living: DON�T assume because I look well that I feel well. Looks can be very deceiving. Many days I look great, but I feel terrible. DON�T tell me you know how I feel. No one knows how anyone else feels. Two people with the same disease may feel totally different. We all have varying thresholds of pain, and pain cannot be measured. DON�T tell me about your great-aunt GERTRUDE and her illness, and how well she managed in spite of it. I am not AUNT GERTRUDE, and I am doing my best. DON�T tell me, "It could be worse". Yes, it could be, but I don�t need to be reminded. DON�T decide what I am capable of doing. Chronic physical illness doesn�t affect the brain. Allow me to decide what activities I can participate in. There may be times I might make the wrong decision, and if I do, I�ll know it soon enough. DON�T be upset that you cannot ease my pain. It won�t do any good for both of us to be miserable. DON�T ask me how I feel unless you really want to know. You may hear a lot more than you are prepared to listen to. DON�T assume because I did a certain activity yesterday that I can do it today. Chronic illness and pain is ever-changing. DON�T tell me about the latest fad �cure�. I want to be cured more than anything, and if there is a legitimate cure out there, my doctor will let me know. DO learn everything you can about the disease. The more you know, the better equipped you will be to know what to expect. DO realize I am angry and frustrated with the disease, not with you. DO let me know you are available to help me when I ask. I�ll be grateful. DO offer me lots of hugs and encouragement. DO understand why I cancel plans at the last minute. I never know from one day to the next how I will feel. Chronic illness is like that. DO continue to invite me to all the activities. Just because I am not able to bike ride along with the gang does not mean I can�t meet you for the picnic at the end of the trail. Please let me decide � If I cancel activities, please do not stop inviting me. I do not deserve to be shut out or forgotten and left alone. Do not give up on my life, I have a hard time doing that myself.