Why hasn't Greg updated in almost 6 months?

Life challenges!

 After my last post in January, H-Pylori reared it's ugly self back to life. I guess we didn't kill it completely the first time around and I had to go through the 14 day treatment all over again- not fun. Then in February, the cellulitus reoccurred on the right side of my face. Another 10 day regimen of antibiotics followed to kill this bug.

 March 5th things got worse. I developed non-epileptic myoclonus (full body jerking) associated with my sleep apnea and severe anxiety attacks. More drugs (ugh) to control them yet now I'm pretty much a shut in because I don't know when they'll happen.
 I had a sleep study in April that showed my sleep apnea had become much worse. I had an appointment with my ENT mid-April and he found my turbinates had returned to their previous swollen state and were severely restricting my breathing. I had the reduction procedure 2 weeks later and can now breathe freely. However, I had to wait a month to heal before I could for the follow-up sleep study.
 I was able to make it to work up until last week when things got so bad I couldn't function. Driving is OUT! I can make it about a mile when the anxiety and jerking begin (had to have the car towed home once do to this).
 I'm been on medical leave since May 24th and will be on short term disability until August 23 to get these problems resolved. I'm hoping with the CPAP machine (keeps me breathing at night) that the other problems will correct themselves.

So, in a nut shell, that's why I haven't updated or spoken with anyone for quite some time. I dislike having to bore everyone with my issues and the inevitable sympathies that follow. I'm keeping a positive attitude and hoping for the best.

Life challenges will never cease.

The shelves were bare!

I hoofed it up to Publix in search of edibles. A normal 10 minute walk took about 25 with dodging all the ice. When I got there I found many things stripped bare. More proof of the panic mode Atlantans fall into when they hear the word ice!

Atlanta Ice Idiots

The street is completely frozen yet this idiot MUST get out. The guys pushed him and got him up the hill after which he slid down and hit a parked car (sorry no footage of that but I'm not that stupid to walk on ice to get the pics).

The Contessa is back!

After 141 days of separation, the Contessa is back home and looking great. The shop did a great job and honored the price they quoted even though the work done was worth much more.

                                It's good to have her home.

The Contessa Update!

The Contessa is still in the shop getting fixed. The guy is giving me a HUGE break on the cost of the repair in exchange for my patience. I'm hoping she'll be back next week.
Now, the bad part. The 8 time convicted felon that stole her is out of jail due to over-crowding.He is considered a "non-violent" criminal.  He spent a total of 60 days of his sentence in jail. I called and wrote the Assistant District Attorney, the District Attorney and even wrote to the judge that sentence him seeking an explanation. None of them responded. What am I to do you ask? I'm going to the media.

Fulton County has been under a federal order to reduce over-crowding at it's jail since 2003. They have done nothing. No new facilities built. No arraignments to transfer convicts to less populated prisons. There have been many media stories of millions of tax dollar waste in all parts of the county government. This is the angle I'm going for when sue the county for damages. If they had done their job and kept the thief in jail on his prior conviction, The Contessa would never have been stolen.  The media will help expose the thief's past and the failure on the county's part to protect it citizens. I will use this information when I go to court. If I win, I will take the money and get out of this hell hole of a city. Where to move I don't know. I know one thing for sure though, it will be north of the Mason-Dixie line.

Life's challenges never cease.

The Trial for The Contessa

The trial for the thief that stole The Contessa was June 29 and I'm very happy with the results. It was actually his arraignment to decide if we would proceed to trial. He plead guilty to the charges. After hearing that I was the 8th car theft victim of this guy, my blood began to boil. The thief , age 57, went on to say that he had had a difficult life with his drug addiction and asked for leniency and drug treatment. He said he didn't have any money- he worked in exchange for rent and $100 a week. Tough life? I don't think so buddy!
 Armed with the before and after photos, I presented my side of the case. The judge looked at the pictures and $14K repair estimate and listened. After explaining that after taxes, rent, utilities and $700 a month in medical payments, I live on about $75 a week-25% less than the criminal. That's when the whole case took an interesting twist.
The public defender questioned the amount of damage and the cost being that The Contessa is a 28 tear old car and it wasn't worth that much. The judge snapped "You've destroyed a classic car! Look what you've done (passing the pictures to the public defender and defendant). You've ruined this man's car that he's cared for for years because of your actions. You have cases going back 11 years of car thefts causing your victims great hardship. In each and every case, you were ordered to complete drug treatment provided by the court at no cost to you. Looking at you history, each and every time you were released you went for treatment one time and never returned. Mr Lewis (the defendant)- today you will learn. 20 years with 15 to serve". The public defender countered that the sentence was excessive. The judge shot back with a bit of a snarl "Shall we make it 25? Mr. Lewis' trail of victims ends today. In addition, I'm ordering that Mr. Lewis pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $14,255.86 for that damages he caused".  The gavel fell  and it was over.
Although I will probably never see a dime from this guy, it's a comfort to know that he will spend the next 15 years regretting that I showed up in court and fought back.

The Contessa is home. Even though her body is damaged, she still pops right off and drives wonderfully. The search for parts has begun in earnest to one day bring her back to her former glory.

The Contessa stolen-AGAIN!!

I arrived at work on Thursday at 1;20pm. I clocked in, got my water bottle and headed to the floor. I no more than got to my department when one of the lot men came running through the store screaming "Where's Greg! They're stealing his car!". We have APD officers in the store and he heard Tony screaming. He knew my car -she is unique- and called it in right away. What the idiot that stole my car didn't realize was that the brake lock I use (it's like The Club except it locks the brake pedal to the floor) meant he couldn't stop the car. He nearly hit to pedestrians who also called it in. He didn't get far before crashing through a chain link fence at the Goodyear Service Center (where I've had a lot of work done), jumped out of the still moving car and took off leaving the Contessa to crash into the building. The police were on him immediately and cuffed him. The police brought me to the scene where I was able to read him a very controlled riot act (too many witnesses for me to say what I really wanted to).
I had her battered body towed home and mourned her injuries. She goes into the shop Monday for repairs.

I was able to block the thief's appeal for bond meaning he'll sit in jail for at LEAST 2 weeks before he faces arraignment- where I will be again to block his release. I'll update with more info when available.

Life's challenges never cease.
Full pics at http://s684.photobucket.com/albums/vv207/graugorama/Car%20Theft%206%203%202010/