When life give you lemons….make lemonade

Tails

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2016
Location
Thomasville
So some of y’all have heard the story from me in person but I’ll put the full story here. Sorry for the long read. This forum really has given me family and without them I would not be here today. I was in a marriage that I wasn’t happy in but life was descent. August of 2020 I went on a trip of a lifetime to help a good friend out. Most of that trip was documented on here. Well when I got home I told my wife I missed her and she informed me she didn’t miss me and wished I had never came home. We tried marital counseling but again it didn’t go well. In May we decided we were going to go our separate ways. We posted the house for sale and within two days we had an awesome offer and sold the house. That’s when life kicked my butt. I tried to get an apartment to find out that due to something on my credit 5 years ago I could not get an apartment. I needed a place to go. I reached out to @Jason W. And he said come stay here. I moved out to his cabin and we began to start working on a plan going forward. Now when my wife and I split, a lot happened in a very very short time. She took my dog that was being trained to be my service animal. Those that met Hershey will tell you, from day 1 he knew how to pull me out of my bad places. At the time my daughter (from previous marriage) was living with us and home schooled. Since I no longer had a house her mom who still had custody pulled her back to her house. Now I lost my daughter and it became hit and miss on when I could see her. As all this was happening I lost my grandfather and my best friend who happened to be my brother unexpectedly. At this point I felt like I had lost everything in my life that kept me grounded.

On July 2nd I realized I had a full plan to end my life. I walked into J&J broken skull garage and told @Jason W. and @josh$$ to take the keys to my Jeep because I had plans to use my winch and hang myself. They asked if I wanted to go talk to someone and took me to Asheville VA. I spent 10 days in the hospital and they put me on medications. I left the hospital feeling like a million bucks. I was ready to get my life back. I left and came back to Fayetteville to start house hunting. Three days after getting released I had realized I wasn’t sleeping well. I had my daughter that day and we went and looked at houses and had an overall good day together. I told her I was tired and took her home early. I got back to the hotel and took my nightly medicine and tried to sleep. I woke up a hour later feeling a type of way I hope to never feel again. I was having convulsions, hallucinations, I saw and talked to the devil that night for real. I couldn’t stop pacing. I would spend every day for the rest of my life in worst combat ever to never feel that way again. I tried to drive from Fayetteville back to Asheville VA to find out what was happening. I was constantly on the phone on this trip with @jeepin' jen, @Mulishajoe, @Keith1138 @Jason W. and a few others not on this forum. They can all vouch for how bad this was. I made it almost to Greensboro where a friend met me and drove me the rest of the way. Once I got to the hospital they realized I had unintentionally overdosed on the medicine. I was taking as directed but my body was not processing it out. I was on Lithium and for anyone that knows anything about it I was way past toxicity and past lethal dosage by .2 they gave me several IV’s to dilute my system and sent me to a hospital in SC.
While at the hospital in SC I was treated so bad I ended up leaving against medical authorization and filed a report on them a few days later. That hospital is now blacklisted from the whole VA network but that’s another story.

I felt like a burden on Jason and reached out to another friend in Greensboro who owns a shop. He contacted a customer and rented a RV for me to stay in for three months. I moved in there and tried to help him as available. I have many bad days due to medical reasons and cannot have an actual job because of them. Through the VA I found out about the lone survivor foundation and applied for it. I received a date for October 5th. In September I was having a bad day and my buddy said “you need some trail therapy” so we loaded jeeps up and went to windrock for the App. Toyota roundup. While there I met a guy who was a nomad and lived in his van and towed is Toyota. That got some gears turning. I came back home and reached out to @77GreenMachine and started talking to him. I placed an order for a high rise cap for my truck and began planning a build. I talked to several different shops about a build and they said they wanted to help. My date for LSF came and I left for Texas. I came back and went to get my truck and was informed they needed it until Nov 1st. That also happened to be the date I had to turn the RV back in. Well Nov 1st came and I went to get my truck and was blown away. These shop built my truck into something I could only imagine in my dreams. I have been mostly living in my truck all last month. I will soon be heading off and trying to find out how to be content with myself. I have never been alone and need to find happiness within. The only place that my head shuts up is on the trails. I have spoken with my daughter and when she is allowed to spend time with me I will come back and get her for weekends. Her and I have a plan for moving forward.
 
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Man…gut wrenching reading some of that. Glad you have some plans. I’ve come to find out there are a lot of folks on this forum that will be there for you, even if you’ve never been social with them before. If you’re ever in need of an ear to bend, or need a driveway to park in, don’t hesitate to reach out. And that’s a gnarly set up for sure.
 
What y’all can’t see from these pictures, is the front flat part removes to house a poop bucket. Also it’s fully hooked up for shore power, has power inverters and lithium batteries in the bed to power a heater or small A/C. Also has fishing rod holders, and a place for small tackle box. The back seat was removed to a Dometic fridge freezer combo. Will eventually have a place for a pantry and a convection microwave.
 
It was damn good meeting you in person at the GTG and talking about the things going on in your life. If you ever need anything or even a place to plug in the truck, shout out.
Same. If you need a plug, bed in a house, or a creek 300 yards from anything but coyotes and corn hit me up as well.
 
If you like a place to stay for a night or two, up in Wake Forest, give a holler.
Its just a guest room.
I know that around the holidays it can be tough.
I don't know if you remember you gave me a ride down at URE. (many years ago)
 
Just read all this. Seems you are dealing with some Damn good people that i know personally.
Take their advice please and move forward Brandon.
I've been on the ground and was being kicked in the nutz myself 6 years ago.

Made it out.

With the help of my family and some awesome friends.
You know how to find me brother.
'Dre...
 
Well this week I actually set off on the adventure. Huge thanks to @amcjeepman for letting me store the Jeep and trailer for a few weeks. I’m currently bouncing down the coast to the keys. Staying off I95 the whole way. Wednesday night I stayed in myrtle beach. Yesterday I was in Savannah. Sat in some of the squares and people watched and just enjoyed the history. Then I went to where I was going to park up for the night and met some nice people. We talked a while then I went and watched forest Gump. Tonight I’m in Creacent City Florida. Here is my evening view…
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Tomorrow down to Port St. Lucie Florida. I’m using harvest hosts for places to stay. Life isn’t too bad. I’ll continue to update as I go….
 
I’ll continue to update as I go….
Please do. Sharon asked last night where you were currently and I couldn't tell her. Now I can 😎
 
Hey man!

Wow.

I can't believe I missed this thread. We got some things in common.

I'm Bipolar and tried to shoot myself in the head with my Glock 19 on New Years night 2019.

I was sent to a Looney Bin down in Hickory for about a week afterwards. (GREAT food, super weird roommates.)

So, I can relate a little bit to what you've been through. And I KNOW it takes exceptional bravery to talk about it openly. I'm really glad you managed to trust your friends, get help, and find some peace.

I also highly recommend getting a good therapist. I recommend Dr. Ledford down in Rutherfordton, NC. He does telehealth so you can do it over your cell or computer, and insurance covers it completely. He's great. I still meet with him monthly to shoot the breeze. It's neat having someone you can talk to about absolutely anything without judgement and in return get ways to cope or ways to change your matter of thinking on things. HIGHLY recommend it.

Really proud of you though. It took immense strength to give your buddies the keys to your Jeep once you realized where things were headed and to seek out help.

If you ever need anything, shoot me a PM.
 
Ended up linking up with some other veteran friends down in south Florida for a few days. It’s been an eventful week. First night (Monday) we drove down to flamingo campground in Everglades National park and camped. That night both of there service dogs went after food and my buddy got bit by his dog. No damage just a slight scratch.
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Second day we went down to key west. We checked into the camp ground on a navy base. Same buddy went to walk his dog, someone’s German Shepard was off the leash and came and attacked them. This time he got a slight cut on the pinkie. Of course the Navy needed MP’s, fire dept, animal control, everything before we could leave to go site see.
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Then we headed to Everglades city to do airboat tours. Had a blast. We got to the camp ground and same buddy’s dog went after a alligator well then our other buddies boxer got involved and this time he really got bit.
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Hey man, I'm @josh$$ 's Dad. I knew some of your story, ok, well, very little. Josh had really shared the part that you were living with Jason. I'm sure nothing more was shared out of respect to your privacy. Now, knowing more because you have shared it, let me say. I live alone, I have plenty space for you to park, electric, or if you want, stay in my home. You have full run of my whole property. And, I have big ears, so if you felt the need or desire to bend them, I'd be here for that too(As @Paul can attest to) I wouldn't mind at all, actually, it'd be great seeing as it does get pretty lonely being here all by myself. I also have a Shop, with the tools and lift, for what ever you wanted to do to your truck or Jeep. Oh, and your furry friend would be welcomed also. For as Long as you need!
Why would I do this, that's easy, it's out of respect to any Vet that has written a blank check to the service of our country! All you have to do is let me know, I say that because I have already made the ofer, so you don't have to ask, just get in touch with me and I can tell you how to get here(Not sll that far from where Jason lives. Any time, day or night.
 
Your Jeep is fine
Did you get it rolled back over? Do you think he'll be able to tell I lost my cookies when you rolled us?
I never woulda ate all that chili and drank so many cheerwine beers if I know you were going to take us on that motocross track 😳🤦‍♂️
 
Did you get it rolled back over? Do you think he'll be able to tell I lost my cookies when you rolled us?
I never woulda ate all that chili and drank so many cheerwine beers if I know you were going to take us on that motocross track 😳🤦‍♂️
Dude! I told you we had plenty of time to get it sorted out, the cleaners and hazmat crew have already given me an estimate and I'll see the body shop next week.
 
@amcjeepman and @CasterTroy i hope y’all got this on video!
You know I did!!

I've never done anything in a vehicle without taking 37 pictures and video of it...and James is the social media King. Between the two of us we finna be RICH BIACHE!!!

#content
#followme
#ticktakstar
#instagrammodel
 
You know I did!!

I've never done anything in a vehicle without taking 37 pictures and video of it...and James is the social media King. Between the two of us we finna be RICH BIACHE!!!

#content
#followme
#ticktakstar
#instagrammodel
#doitforthegram :rockon::rockon::rockon:
#basicwhitegirl
 
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