So suddenly it's a priority. Unfortunately it's been siting uncovered... Yup, that green tarp did not make it back on last time! Last time I jumped it & had the motor running, I could not get the reverser to engage. I had a mechanic come in for this previously & discovered after we got the deck plates up that the piled mouse poo, acorns & litter on the top of the tranny was frozen/physically blocking the crazy linkage (from left hand lever under the steering wheel to right side of the transmission).

I did convince a buddy (retired from town highway dept) to come by. I had the side deck plates off though not the one right center (console to under the seat). But we magaged to break up & remove most of a inch think cake of crap. Since the machine was stone cold, we ajourned for the day. I'm going to soak the linkage with penitrating oil & try jump starting it hopefull tomorrow. I have the block heater plugged in overnight & battery charger (though I expect the ancient batteries will still need to be jumped off the CTD). Getting up on the machine is a struggle with my legs the way they are... Sheila gets upset if she figures out I used a ladder but no one else is going to do it.

If it is operable, I'll be buying batteries. Hopefully I can get help to install these mothers. Sheila, bless her, wants to clear a bunch of trees off the kitchen... the idea is to build an entry addition with a wheelchair ramp... which I'm hoping to avoid using. I'm hoping my cousin can get the trees out.

The MS specialist has taken me off the "DMT" (Disease Modifying Treatment) drugs. It appears that I am too far into the Secondary Progressive for them to be effective... and there is considerable risk to the Tysabri treatment. I am out of options, there is no other DMT left to use.

Edited January 23, 201015 yr by flagmanruss

NO LONGER A LAWN ORNAMENT!I left the backhoe over night with 2 cords... one to the battery charger, other HD cord to the block heater. (I didn't try to start with the 10 year old batteries but figured no point in lugging them too!) I brought the CTD over & jumped started it first try. I had sprayed the linkages with liquid wrench after scraping the crud up yesterday. I had both forward & reverse so I turned it around & moved it back near the barn. The only difficulty was actually me physically getting onto the machine. I started replacing the deck plates. Some of them were difficult to free up, hope they go back easier. Goal for tomorrow: lay deck plates & Never Sieze the bolts. The cover tarp needs to go back on tomorrow as they're predicting rain.Russ

Glad to hear you got the backhoe working again...But sorry to hear your MS is getting you down... I wished I lived closer to ya... I be more than willing to plow and do you dirty work for ya. But alas I'm 3,000 miles away from you...Come one gang I know some people got to live near Russ...

I am not much if any closer than you Mike. Real sorry to hear the MS is getting worse Russ.

Sheila did not want me out there with out supervision... guess she wants to be there if I fall again but I did not give her the pleasure. I propped a short ladder (section cut from an aluminum step ladder) just enough if it's positioned right so I can get up there. So I put the deck plates back down... One had been a bugger to wiggle out but went back no problem. I Never Siezed the bolts & after hand starting, ran them down with an electric wrench. So Sheila helped me put the tarp on it. I'm thinking that the crud buildup which binds the reverser linkage may be made worse by debris washing off the deck if the machine is tipped slightly forward. My thought is to put a bead of calk in the deck center plate where it goes under the console. This would encouage run off to run elsewhere than onto the tranny & this linkage. There's 1/2" gap between the console & the plate. I don't think I need to "calk" it... just build a dam. Since thing has happened before... need to solve this. Next, I'm going to price batteries... see if I can get Dave to come over to put them in. I am very frustrated when I run into MS limitations. Russ

Edited January 24, 201015 yr by flagmanruss

russ, it sounds like you are kicking @ss and taking names. don't let your disability get you down. i know people that have perfect bodies, but their will is so weak that they are as useless as children! my father has MD and has been defying the wheel chair since he was 20. he also gets frustrated when he faces his limitations, but who does not? just remember that life is not over when you are in a chair...but your lifestyle does a little.

I am not used to being this forthright outside a MS group. If one has to have Multiple Sclerosis, it is best if discovered early as the DMTs I mentioned earlier can slow it down. All MS is Progressive but I was entering the later Secondary Progressive stage when I was diagnosed in 2001. I have tried to compensate & work around my limitations... just keep doing the things I love but each year I have lost ground. Simple fact. Sometimes I know what I want to do, but do not realize the obsticles I will encounter. I have done a lot this way but am just running out of tricks to work around. I know life is not fair. We would like it to be... but Gad made no such promise. I have counciled others on this point. Still it is hard to accept another set back personally.