Church, Greek Orthodox, Orthodox Colleges Ortho

 

dox Seminaries, Orthodox the True Church,

Charlie Knight
and
his milestones for

December 05    to  December 11, 2010

contact him by
email at ni_ck@ymail.com or ceknight@student.stcc.edu     or
U.S. mail at 32 Byers Street, Apt. # 101, Springfield, MA 01105
if you can offer help or assistance in any way.

I am writing this on a day near the Sunday following the week I am speaking about.


Church was fine but I was tired, so afraid I would not get up in time. I stayed and read some after the "coffee hour" and went over to the church and sat in the choir loft to read. Soon the Westfield University Band was asking us to rehears carols with them early and we did. The community choral I was a part of did ok and the University's performers were excellent. Monday we had a lodge meeting and I got minutes ready for that from memory. Tuesday I was so tiered. Wednesday I went to See Dr. McGovern and I ned to get more cream for the sores that occurred somehow on my butt. Then to put up posters about the Arise for Social Justice OpenHouse. We did a polling of the Tenants Union Officers and found that if I had the meeting we most probably would not have a quorum. Hence it was put off until Thursday and I went down to help in the tearing down of the soffit in the stoa of the Greek Cultural center. Bob Maurice, treasurer of Amity Lodge, came and picked me up and took me to the restaurant where we were having the Christmas Party for Amity lodge, and I gave the blessing as Chaplain of that lodge and they presented me with a surprise gift and I brought greetings from our Grand Master as I seemed to be the only grand lodge officer in the room. Thursday we had the Tenants Union meeting and oh was it chaotic. But stuff got done and one person will check how many people want to come to a dinner that someone is offering to have here. Another couple will head up a Christmas Party at a different date. We agreed to have the Birthday Party as planned on the 4th Wednesday. AND four people will check with the various floors and ask why they do not come to the meetings. Some complained, we are told, that Tenants Union officers are not at events like the Thanksgiving Dinner and sometimes not at the Birthday Party. We told folks that we can't be at everything we sponsor and that the Thanksgiving Dinner was NOT a Tenants Union activity. That was a private thing amongst some tenants and an employee of Home City Housing and some of us did not want to attend it as it was not our activity and others just had other places to go. I reminded people that I was elected as President of the Tenants Union. That does not mean that I try and run things or act like a south American dictator that calls himself el Presidente. I merely preside over the Tenants Union and especially its meetings. I really think it is unrealistic to think you are going to get over 50% of the people in the building out for a meeting when national statistics say you should be happy with a 10 percent response. So far there are no dues and so it is hard to make anyone join something like that by coming to meetings. This meeting was difficult because the elected Treasurer was not in control of himself. He spoke out of order and was basically incoherent part of the time and very belligerent. I did not inforce the rules of order that much because if I did almost every person there would have been out of order. I think some people are trying to wait for a moment to speak and then when they do have the floor they talk about something not related to our discussion without warning us of this. Friday I spent writing up what we did and reports and posters that the Secretary should be doing. A friend of the secretary took notes but the Secretary did not offer to write them. I think some officers do not want to be a part of the Tenants Union if it means work and maybe folks "on their backs" about something. Saturday I went over to Bob Maurice's home and I held the bags as he raked up some leaves before the snow falls. Then we went to get some images made for the website I will help him put them up on and then got changed for the night. Bob got dressed up as I did and he drove me to Worcester to the Lodge Christmas Party there. I was so thankful he was willing to drive me there as the Grand Master was there, the Grand Warden, Grand Chaplain, Grand Conductor, etc. A good deal of the board of the Oddfellows and Rebekahs were present. Bob and I brought toys for the Toys for Tots program and written wishes for a good Holiday Season from Amity Lodge and Springfield Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows underthe jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. We had a great meal and a nice singer provided the entertainment and Mary, President of the Rebekah Assembly of Massachusetts joined her in singing as we all saing the 12 days of Christmas. It was a nice night and I think we are both very glad we went.

Next week is Church, then Amherst Lodge meeting and then a Grand Lodge official visitation, Doctors, something every day. So I might not get this up until the week afterwards. Thanks for yoru prayers.

I feel like the caged screws in my back are moving. I wonder what will happen to the spinal cord if they break apart? I am scared.

 

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I think the folding bicycle I got was an expensive bicycle but I have ruined any value it had by scratching it so when I tried to get off of the train tracks. If you click on this link it will tell you a bit about this happening.

Please continue to pray. My back and especially my neck muscles often hurt, but the pain in the hands is decreasing. But after the accident my arms hurt and my neck again. The professionals still say I need hearing aids in both ears. I am happy with the way the 2nd opinion Doctor is proceeding, cautiously and by getting lots of empirical information before a decision is made .I am under MassHealth paying for my MediCare so I have experienced first hand what "ObamaCare" would be like. As I said, it hurts, but then relieving the pain is not a priority when you are not an important person. I was happy NOFA thought they could use me. I can not seem to even volunteer, no one seems to want to use me .

God is healing that spine and I might not need another operation.

I will take buses and hitch hike if need be to get to the family home and start throwing out things out. But in reality, I might not be able to do any of that this fall.

I often feel I have not made the right decisions most of the time. I just does not feel good to think you are a called a worthless nobody by many people and the inference is that can not contribute much at all to life and the "society" is taking care of your minimal needs until you finally hurry up and die. That review of my life is so depressing. It seems that every time I have had an opportunity to make a decision, I have made the wrong one. People seem to say I make the wrong decisions BUT if I do follow their advice, and it turns out wrong, I am still blamed for doing so anyway. When I came back from Grand Lodge I was told that regardless of what some people may think, the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, I.O.O.F., sees a value in me and I should focus upon that positive expectation. I just do now know what to do. I will be away from Saturday anyway through maybe Tuesday of next week. I am hoping to get my stuff out of Alice's home which she is trying to sell. I am despairing as I don't think I can do that. I seem to be so strangely ill.

 

Glendi was our Greek Festival at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, which I was not help at for a third year in a row. I hate being old and sick.

My lodge (Springfield # 235, I.O.O.F.) has asked me to be Secretary for another year. So I know what I am doing for the 1st and 3rd Mondays this year.

I think one needs to rely on GOD and test the advice you are given and then go forwards;"full speed ahead"!  I would like to attend Grange, but can't get there.

I think back on the Cathedral of the Pines I went with Ray Laborde and his wife Pauline to and the "Steak Roast" I went to at Amherst Lodge at one of their members large back yard in the country. I do like the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the good works of beneficence that they do..

The Bible Reading Guide that it seemed God prompted me to assemble for the Orthodox Study Bible is in a PDF format for people to look at, perhaps others would enjoy keeping up with it.

 

Blessings,

charlie, nektarios ippotis

 

The info. below is still sort of ok.

I have made a tri-fold resume like a brochure, my doctor said no work for at lest the next 3-6 months, ouch. It was last year, October 18th, when many donated to the Western Massachusetts Arthritis Foundation Walk. My back hurts, my neck hurts, I just plain hurt. I hope people will donate also again this coming fall.

Soon I am helping in the Relay for Life of the American Cancer Society. We had meetings on it this week on the PTK induction ceremony next week but I did not go.


 

What follows are the new information about my injuries and the progress from my NeuroSurgeon! I am in great pain and have difficulty doing many things.
I said last before that I would probably take them down from here. Now I will keep them up a little longer so you can see what I am having difficulty in healing from.

about central cordd syndrom and new findings         Old Medical News        spine and ares that is screwed together

Click on the images above to go to links to more information

I saw my primary care physician and she showed me my x-rays.  I got the discs out I was given to sent to the 2nd opion doctor and took screeen shots of them.
I will put it in that space below to try and show you what is happening to me.

.
x-ray image showing screws in t3, t4, t6, t7, and t8  t-5 was burst on impactThese are some of the things I have found.  The screws come in from the back, and the extra skin must be to hide the ends of the screws.

You can see the screws in the  image to  the left.

There is no image at t5 as the vertebrae burst.

Looking to the right you see the screws and the long wire or plastic that goes through the screws and tries to  hold my back in place.

Note that at T4 both of these wires are joined together.

I am so sick as I write this.

I will tell you more later.
close-up of xray shown screws in back as seen through the body from the front

The new medicines are helping the pain in the left had some, but moving it and exercising it seems to be the best thing. I thank God for my current Primary Care Doctor and for the "Second Opinion Surgeon" that said I could ride a bicycle and be more active if I was careful.. But after the July accident I have not done so. I hurt a lot in my shoulders arms.
Thank GOD for any and all improvements. Especially I thank God I can walk and do some things. I am told that because of the vertebra injured, medically, they did not even expect me to walk.

I pray this fall and the coming winter are full of blessings for you and yours.

My email is ni_ck@ymail.com or the college at
ceknight@student.stcc.edu
as I hope to be able to take at least one course in the Spring.

The telephone number in Springfield is (413) 732-7077 or you can write to me there at 32 Byers Street, Apartment # 101, Springfield, MA 01105-1221.
It looks like I will be there throughout the winter this year.
I feel so much worse in many ways than I did when I was in the Rehab. Hospital.
Often have to rest up all day in order to go to a meeting at night for 2 hours and then I am so tired I am glad to get to bed.
But sleep does not come with the Narcolepsy, so I am up and then back to bed all night long.
I feel so rotten and worthless because I came to Springfield trying to get work and could not do so
and now I have to spend over 20 times the cost of repairs to tear down the family home.
I feel so rotten and worthless and it is no wonder no gal wants to even
be an escort with me to a free meal. Thanks for your prayers.

I feel I have let down God and humanity.
It is no fun feeling that you are
just worthless.