Thorlifter
Captain
No matter how bleak things get......it could ALWAYS get worse.
Your an amazing man Charles with a heck of a life story. God willing, there will be many, many, more years of stories to collect.
Member Biography/Profile thread
- Thread starter Hunter368
- Start date
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No matter how bleak things get......it could ALWAYS get worse.
Your an amazing man Charles with a heck of a life story. God willing, there will be many, many, more years of stories to collect.
Matt308
Glock Perfection
Here, here...
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
All this makes me humble and damn proud to call you all my friends...
All this makes me humble and damn proud to call you all my friends...
Absolutely agree well said..!!
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
a hearty, rousing ditto!!
Catch22
Major
Wow, I just read through these, and they are all very moving!
Thanks, Charles!
Freebird
Master Sergeant
All this makes me humble and damn proud to call you all my friends...
Hey Lucky we're waiting for your bio too, I'm curious, how did you end up in Scotland?
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
His family told him it was just another part of Sweden and he's been there ever since! 
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
I my life has been a Sunday morning stroll in the park compared to some of the big boys here....
Catch22
Major
Well, I may as well put one in myself. I may have to stop and finish it later.
I was born in January 1991 to a Police Officer and a now stay-at-home Mom in St. Albert, Alberta. I seemed a normal baby at first, but my parents noticed I couldn't really get over a cold, and as it turned out I have about 25% T-cell function and 0% B-cell fucntion (cells that fight infections for those who don't know). So along with that, I get plenty of sinus infections (some of them never even formed), though they seem to have backed off the last couple years, arthritis since I was little in my knee and elbow, a toe-walker (which has since been fixed, but it may have mucked up my toes) and PLENTY of bowel isses. The bowels had been great for a good 5 years, but just suddenly around Christmas time 06 I started just having to go a lot and such. Vomiting every now and then followed at around Spring Break last year, and then a feeding tube by May. Missed the last half of the 2nd semester last year due to it. I just can't seem to digest normal food. Lost a lot of weight and have been on it since. In December my bowel almost perforated, but that was avoided thank goodness.
To help with the lack of an immune system I have a wonder drug (well blood product) called IVIG, which helps replenish my cells that don't function. I get through it though, it's just a fact of life. People ask me how I do, but I've never really known anything else, so it's easy I guess.
As for school, I'm in Grade 12, 17, so a little young, but my parents started me early. Grades 3-9 I was in an excellerated program, and I was good at it, not one of the star students, but 80%s in everything. My crowning achievments were two Heritage Fair Projects (8, 9) in which my friend and I got 99% on one about 418 Sqd. and 95% on one about the First Special Service Force. Spent my time with pretty much the same group of people from 5-9, then all of them went to a different High School than I. I started off High School in AP, but I just can't seem to do as well as I did anymore (except in Social). About a month and a bit left of Grade School left, and I haven't enrolled in any post-secondary school, though I'd like to work for Electroic Arts. Single, though I hope to change that before grad.
My home life is great, I don't have any (major) issues with my parents, got a bratty younger brother and now a great dog, Porsche, a German Shorthaired Pointer. My dad has moved around in the Edmonton Police Force, starting out in the normal Patrol, then going into tactical (SWAT), then into Drugs, then into Tactical again as a Seargant in charge of a squad. My mom knows my body more than I do, so she's my primary caregiver, and I'm extremely grateful for that.
My interests are hockey, World War II, model building and Xbox 360. I'm a Blues fan because of Paul Kariya and an Oilers fan because of my location, and my main area of interest in WWII is aviation, mainly Pacific actually, but I'm gaining more interest in the Luftwaffe as I go. I build models WAY too fast, and I play Halo 3 WAY too much.
I also hope to become fluent in German one day. Tried French, but no.
That's my somewhat disorganized bio.
I was born in January 1991 to a Police Officer and a now stay-at-home Mom in St. Albert, Alberta. I seemed a normal baby at first, but my parents noticed I couldn't really get over a cold, and as it turned out I have about 25% T-cell function and 0% B-cell fucntion (cells that fight infections for those who don't know). So along with that, I get plenty of sinus infections (some of them never even formed), though they seem to have backed off the last couple years, arthritis since I was little in my knee and elbow, a toe-walker (which has since been fixed, but it may have mucked up my toes) and PLENTY of bowel isses. The bowels had been great for a good 5 years, but just suddenly around Christmas time 06 I started just having to go a lot and such. Vomiting every now and then followed at around Spring Break last year, and then a feeding tube by May. Missed the last half of the 2nd semester last year due to it. I just can't seem to digest normal food. Lost a lot of weight and have been on it since. In December my bowel almost perforated, but that was avoided thank goodness.
To help with the lack of an immune system I have a wonder drug (well blood product) called IVIG, which helps replenish my cells that don't function. I get through it though, it's just a fact of life. People ask me how I do, but I've never really known anything else, so it's easy I guess.
As for school, I'm in Grade 12, 17, so a little young, but my parents started me early. Grades 3-9 I was in an excellerated program, and I was good at it, not one of the star students, but 80%s in everything. My crowning achievments were two Heritage Fair Projects (8, 9) in which my friend and I got 99% on one about 418 Sqd. and 95% on one about the First Special Service Force. Spent my time with pretty much the same group of people from 5-9, then all of them went to a different High School than I. I started off High School in AP, but I just can't seem to do as well as I did anymore (except in Social). About a month and a bit left of Grade School left, and I haven't enrolled in any post-secondary school, though I'd like to work for Electroic Arts. Single, though I hope to change that before grad.
My home life is great, I don't have any (major) issues with my parents, got a bratty younger brother
and now a great dog, Porsche, a German Shorthaired Pointer. My dad has moved around in the Edmonton Police Force, starting out in the normal Patrol, then going into tactical (SWAT), then into Drugs, then into Tactical again as a Seargant in charge of a squad. My mom knows my body more than I do, so she's my primary caregiver, and I'm extremely grateful for that.My interests are hockey, World War II, model building and Xbox 360. I'm a Blues fan because of Paul Kariya and an Oilers fan because of my location, and my main area of interest in WWII is aviation, mainly Pacific actually, but I'm gaining more interest in the Luftwaffe as I go. I build models WAY too fast, and I play Halo 3 WAY too much.
I also hope to become fluent in German one day. Tried French, but no.
That's my somewhat disorganized bio.
Catch22
Major
Gah! Double post, and I wasn't ready to post it.
Matt308
Glock Perfection
Don't even think about it, Catch. 
And hang in there buddy. One thing I have realized, is that for every thing I bitch about, there is always another who struggles with more afflicting condictions. Mental state is where its at. To hell with physical health. It's just a state of being.
And hang in there buddy. One thing I have realized, is that for every thing I bitch about, there is always another who struggles with more afflicting condictions. Mental state is where its at. To hell with physical health. It's just a state of being.
Catch22
Major
That's pretty much what I've learned over the years. It can be rough, I miss out on stuff, but I have great friends and family, and many more here now.
And in regards to your somebody's always worse off statement: That's also very true. I can walk, I can talk, I can think. My mind is unaffected, and I can still do a lot despite my issues.
And in regards to your somebody's always worse off statement: That's also very true. I can walk, I can talk, I can think. My mind is unaffected, and I can still do a lot despite my issues.
ccheese
Member In Perpetuity
Sounds to me like a young man who knows where he's going. I hope you
"overcome". You have a lifetime ahead of you, Catch, amd I'm sure you'll
make the most of it. Keep plugging away, my friend.
Charles
"overcome". You have a lifetime ahead of you, Catch, amd I'm sure you'll
make the most of it. Keep plugging away, my friend.
Charles
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
If I only knew then what I know now!! catch, you've got a better outlook than I did at your age. Its an amazing ride we're all on!
Catch22
Major
It certainly is Njaco, it certainly is. Thanks guys!
lesofprimus
Brigadier General
Interesting stuff Catch, thanks for posting....
Freebird
Master Sergeant
If only we could remember half of what we knew back then Njaco!
Good story Catch!
Ok who's next?
Crunch
Senior Airman
I'll have a crack...
Born 11th October, 1983, in Perth, Western Australia. Dad was from England, Mum from Sri Lanka, so I'm got dad's fat hairy, and Mum's olive skin Pretty normal childhood, parents were always good to us and each other. I know some people that have had really shitty childhoods, so I'm more than happy for the one I got.
Dad used to be a chef, Mum used to be a cake decorator, which she did from home while looking after us. A bloody good one too, had a large clientele around Perth and did many local celebs wedding cakes. I went to a private primary school and everyone was friends with everyone. Yeah, you'd drift in and out of friendships, but was with the same people for 8 years.
In 1994 Dad started working for a fuel company as the head of the food program (back in the day before service stations became super-markets), and he developed pretty much everything you take as normal these days, Pizza's, Hot food, 70 billion types of drinks in the fridge... But then at the end of 1995, Dad told us we were moving to Hobart! So up we went, left all our friends and family, and packed up and moved to the most boring city in the world (for a 13yo). It was there that I spent every weekend fishing or doing models. I really wish I got out and saw more with the family, because Tasmania is an AMAZING place, but at least now when I go down there I'll appreciate it. So much wilderness and history, it's mind blowing.
In 1998 we moved to Sydney, again leaving all our friends behind and starting over. Again with dad's work, but they soon scrapped the food service program, so he became an accounts manager. Mum didn't work in Hobart, and eventually found a job at IBM over here, which she's still at. I started falling behind in school, as the curriculum was different and I basically missed a whole year of school. So after year 10, I got an apprenticeship as a chef. Being only 14-15 at the time, I soon cracked it and only ended up doing a year of my apprenticeship. But, as so many do, I stayed in kitchens after that. I ended up in Pizza Hut and very quickly got into Management there. I tried a few other things in between, but never fell into anything permanently. Spent many nights out causing a ruckus, drinking, clubbing (even though I was underage!- It was much easier 5 years ago than it is now)
Around 2001 I met Emma, which I'm still to work out if it was a good or bad thing... After only going out with her for 6 months, she told me she was pregnant
When you're 17 and she's 15, that's the LAST thing you want to hear!!!!!!!!!!!!! But hey, if you play the game..............
She had actually had Cancer a few years before I met her, so to begin with, she was only a 20% chance of getting pregnant and a 10% chance of more than once. So really, there was no choice in the matter. Her parents weren't too bad about it (they went through it with the other son, but thats a whole 'nother story!), but my Parents freaked out. I remember telling them, Mum went straight to bed, didn't say a thing, and dad and I sat up drinking and smoking all night. Dad doesn't even smoke and hardly drinks, but it was just one of those nights where we both clicked and were more open with each other than ever.
Emma lived an hour or so north of me, so somewhere in the next 7months and 3 weeks, I moved up there with her into her parents home. Then on the 3rd of may, 2002, I was holding Stephanie in my arms. Definitely the best moment of my life. No questions.
Still working at Pizza Hut (up the coast) we moved into our own place, making just enough to live off and not much else, but it taught me a few lessons. But things didn't work out as planned, and Emma and I started getting a bit rocky. Eventually, I moved out. We were both doing it pretty tough, but it all settled down eventually. We got back together a few times, but it was never the same, and by the time Steph was 3, it was all over for good.
Somehow I fell into Pest Control (Big change from kitchen work!), and I never thought I'd do it, but I've loved it. if you told me 5 years ago I'd be crawling under houses and into roofs all day, i would have laughed at you! But it's a good job, always learning something new and meeting people. Pretty much my own boss too, in that I don't have someone watching over me all the time.
After Emma and I broke up, she started seeing a guy (maybe before?) from our greater circle of friends. They moved in together pretty quickly and it started to get more and more difficult when we had to pick up Steph (I say we, as I was in another relationship - still am). One night dropping her back almost ended in fisty-cuffs with me and him, but it didn't. Then one morning when we went to pick Steph up, we get a phone call, it's Emma saying "You can't See Stephanie, we've moved to Western Australia. I freaked out, then the next day went to the courts and started the 'official' process....
Well that took 12 months, and it was probably the hardest 12 months I've ever had. In and out of court, difficult, limited phone contact (they always seemed to be in the middle of stuff when we rang, meaning Steph was very distracted), and worst of all, I didn't see her in that time. Ever had your heart torn out and stomped on?
But in the end, Emma was told to come back over... Her now Husband didn't want to, so they broke up too. Oh, and she's got another kid to him too. I lol @ her.
Now that other relationship I mentioned is still going. Usual ups and downs, but mostly ups. Many many trying moments shared and we're very open about everything. She's even put up with my 4WD being in pieces for the last 12 months and my modelling stuff being spread all over the kitchen table! I joke and say that she came over one night and never left, which is true, but I guess if she didn't I probably would still be going out every weekend and being just like everyone else I know... Her and Steph get along awesomely and always have, and Steph's now at the age where she knows whats going on, and we've had conversations about why we don't live together and all that. She's a bright girl and as much as I don't want her to grow up, i can't wait to see where she goes in life!
But thats about it. I'm 25 next month, and didn't think I would have had that much to say... I might need to hire a typist to do my 50yo bio post
On a side note, I've always been a bit of a fatty-boom-bah (bit of a family trait), but I've been using the last 12 months to change that, and at my peak, I'd lost 20-odd kilos. I've had a few things going on in the last few months, so I'm at about 15kg loss now I think...That's my other big thing in life.
So thats me, Andrew...
Pics;
1.Dad, Brother (Brendan), Stephanie, Me. (can you not tell we're family?) fortnight ago (Fathers day)
2.Old, fat me - almost 18 months ago
3.Me + Ashlee
Born 11th October, 1983, in Perth, Western Australia. Dad was from England, Mum from Sri Lanka, so I'm got dad's fat hairy, and Mum's olive skin
Pretty normal childhood, parents were always good to us and each other. I know some people that have had really shitty childhoods, so I'm more than happy for the one I got.Dad used to be a chef, Mum used to be a cake decorator, which she did from home while looking after us. A bloody good one too, had a large clientele around Perth and did many local celebs wedding cakes. I went to a private primary school and everyone was friends with everyone. Yeah, you'd drift in and out of friendships, but was with the same people for 8 years.
In 1994 Dad started working for a fuel company as the head of the food program (back in the day before service stations became super-markets), and he developed pretty much everything you take as normal these days, Pizza's, Hot food, 70 billion types of drinks in the fridge... But then at the end of 1995, Dad told us we were moving to Hobart! So up we went, left all our friends and family, and packed up and moved to the most boring city in the world (for a 13yo). It was there that I spent every weekend fishing or doing models. I really wish I got out and saw more with the family, because Tasmania is an AMAZING place, but at least now when I go down there I'll appreciate it. So much wilderness and history, it's mind blowing.
In 1998 we moved to Sydney, again leaving all our friends behind and starting over. Again with dad's work, but they soon scrapped the food service program, so he became an accounts manager. Mum didn't work in Hobart, and eventually found a job at IBM over here, which she's still at. I started falling behind in school, as the curriculum was different and I basically missed a whole year of school. So after year 10, I got an apprenticeship as a chef. Being only 14-15 at the time, I soon cracked it and only ended up doing a year of my apprenticeship. But, as so many do, I stayed in kitchens after that. I ended up in Pizza Hut and very quickly got into Management there. I tried a few other things in between, but never fell into anything permanently. Spent many nights out causing a ruckus, drinking, clubbing (even though I was underage!- It was much easier 5 years ago than it is now)
Around 2001 I met Emma, which I'm still to work out if it was a good or bad thing... After only going out with her for 6 months, she told me she was pregnant
When you're 17 and she's 15, that's the LAST thing you want to hear!!!!!!!!!!!!! But hey, if you play the game..............She had actually had Cancer a few years before I met her, so to begin with, she was only a 20% chance of getting pregnant and a 10% chance of more than once. So really, there was no choice in the matter. Her parents weren't too bad about it (they went through it with the other son, but thats a whole 'nother story!), but my Parents freaked out. I remember telling them, Mum went straight to bed, didn't say a thing, and dad and I sat up drinking and smoking all night. Dad doesn't even smoke and hardly drinks, but it was just one of those nights where we both clicked and were more open with each other than ever.
Emma lived an hour or so north of me, so somewhere in the next 7months and 3 weeks, I moved up there with her into her parents home. Then on the 3rd of may, 2002, I was holding Stephanie in my arms. Definitely the best moment of my life. No questions.
Still working at Pizza Hut (up the coast) we moved into our own place, making just enough to live off and not much else, but it taught me a few lessons. But things didn't work out as planned, and Emma and I started getting a bit rocky. Eventually, I moved out. We were both doing it pretty tough, but it all settled down eventually. We got back together a few times, but it was never the same, and by the time Steph was 3, it was all over for good.
Somehow I fell into Pest Control (Big change from kitchen work!), and I never thought I'd do it, but I've loved it. if you told me 5 years ago I'd be crawling under houses and into roofs all day, i would have laughed at you! But it's a good job, always learning something new and meeting people. Pretty much my own boss too, in that I don't have someone watching over me all the time.
After Emma and I broke up, she started seeing a guy (maybe before?) from our greater circle of friends. They moved in together pretty quickly and it started to get more and more difficult when we had to pick up Steph (I say we, as I was in another relationship - still am). One night dropping her back almost ended in fisty-cuffs with me and him, but it didn't. Then one morning when we went to pick Steph up, we get a phone call, it's Emma saying "You can't See Stephanie, we've moved to Western Australia. I freaked out, then the next day went to the courts and started the 'official' process....
Well that took 12 months, and it was probably the hardest 12 months I've ever had. In and out of court, difficult, limited phone contact (they always seemed to be in the middle of stuff when we rang, meaning Steph was very distracted), and worst of all, I didn't see her in that time. Ever had your heart torn out and stomped on?
But in the end, Emma was told to come back over... Her now Husband didn't want to, so they broke up too. Oh, and she's got another kid to him too. I lol @ her.
Now that other relationship I mentioned is still going. Usual ups and downs, but mostly ups. Many many trying moments shared and we're very open about everything. She's even put up with my 4WD being in pieces for the last 12 months and my modelling stuff being spread all over the kitchen table! I joke and say that she came over one night and never left, which is true, but I guess if she didn't I probably would still be going out every weekend and being just like everyone else I know... Her and Steph get along awesomely and always have, and Steph's now at the age where she knows whats going on, and we've had conversations about why we don't live together and all that. She's a bright girl and as much as I don't want her to grow up, i can't wait to see where she goes in life!
But thats about it. I'm 25 next month, and didn't think I would have had that much to say... I might need to hire a typist to do my 50yo bio post
On a side note, I've always been a bit of a fatty-boom-bah (bit of a family trait), but I've been using the last 12 months to change that, and at my peak, I'd lost 20-odd kilos. I've had a few things going on in the last few months, so I'm at about 15kg loss now I think...That's my other big thing in life.
So thats me, Andrew...
Pics;
1.Dad, Brother (Brendan), Stephanie, Me. (can you not tell we're family?) fortnight ago (Fathers day)
2.Old, fat me - almost 18 months ago
3.Me + Ashlee
