Announcement Concerning Valkyrie Bling and More

[Big Mike]

I have had a few emails and a couple phone calls asking me if I were quitting the buisness. I am here to tell you that I AM NOT QUITTING. I will however begin slowing down for a while. My Father-in-Law moved in with us over a year ago. His health is beginning to deteriorate. He is in need of constant care and we wish to keep him at home and out of the nursing home. I am not able to keep a regular job that is generally more than 40 a week, assist in caring for him, and maintain the buisnness at the level that many of you have come to expect. So until the Lord calls Lefty home, I may sometimes be a little slow to respond. This would include emails, shipping, promised photos, and so forth. If you have not heard from me in a couple days or so please send me another note. Chances are I have simply forgot as Lefty is taking up much of my time when I am home. Thanks in advance for all of your understanding. Any thoughts and prayers that may come our way are welcome and greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Mike Terry

[Cliff]

Thoughts and Prayers going out to Lefty... and your family!

[PAVALKER]

I agree ... thoughts and prayers to You, Your Family and also to Lefty.     

[Black Dog]

Mike, yer a good man  

Sorry to hear 'Lefty' is in failing health, but you allowing him the dignity to spend his remaining time with family, shows a great deal of respect, as it should be.

Stay strong my friend.

Black Dog

[MP]

God Bless you and your family, Mike.

MP

[Wolfhound]

God bless your heart Mike.
Jorg

[VALKIFIED]

Mike, yer a good man  

Sorry to hear 'Lefty' is in failing health, but you allowing him the dignity to spend his remaining time with family, shows a great deal of respect, as it should be.

Stay strong my friend.

Black Dog

    +1  Family first

[ridingdragon]

Prayers coming your way for "Lefty" Mike.  Your family always comes first!!

Joe(ridingdragon)Errante

[rmrc51]

Prayers are going out to your family and Lefty!

I was in the same situation as you Mike. We made a promise to my Dad never to put him in a nursing home. As time passed, it did become more and more of a task to care for him. In house aides, wheel chairs, lifts when he fell, hospital bed, ect.. The Lord took him on June 26th, only a few weeks ago. I still can wrap my head around the fact that he's gone.

Many people just shun their folks aside when they age. They way I always looked at it, they did for us when we were young. It's only right that we should now do for them when they can no longer fend for themselves! You're dong the Right Thing!!!

[hoosierdaddy]

Taking care of family should come first... Prayers and best wishes for Lefty Mike...
take care and God Bless...

Paul (Hoosier Daddy) Weber
VRCC #370

[Whistler]

Kudos Mike! Prayers and thoughts for your family as you go into the future. You will still be the first place I look for parts and such.

JDW

[98 T]

My prayers to your family as you take care of what's most important....

Your a good man, Mike

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Mike, yer a good man  

Sorry to hear 'Lefty' is in failing health, but you allowing him the dignity to spend his remaining time with family, shows a great deal of respect, as it should be.

Stay strong my friend.

Black Dog

Ditto to this, Well said. Dave

[RainMaker]

Prayers to your family and thanks for spending so much time at Inzane.  I brought back a big Christmas list for my family.

RainMaker

[MacDragon]

Good for you for stepping up for family... We did the same for my mom until she left us... She was, and still is, an Angel...   Never drank, never swore... and always said the right things.... I musta took after my father... God rest his soul... 

Do what you feel is best for you and your family and get to all the other things in the world when you see fit. 

Prayers from Mass here.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Few people in this modern world have what it takes to take care of their family as you are. You and yours should stand tall. Prayers sent to you and your family.

[big d]

mike, prayers are comming your way for lefty, you, and your family. what you are doing for your dad is giving him his dignity when he needs it most. i commend you for that. as far as not being able to respond to orders in time , no problem. that is part of the reason i got the trailer . i can wait till next years inzane for some more safety chrome. take care and GOD BLESS........

[Flat6Valk]

Prayers from Flat6Valk.  I am proud just to know you through this forum.  Take care of him and yourself too.

Greg

[rainman]

I agree ... thoughts and prayers to You, Your Family and also to Lefty.     

+1 

[Stanley Steamer]

  .......You're a Good Man Mike......Family and Friends are the most important things in life.....took me a little while to figure it out....

[R J]

Prayers & thoughts to your family and you from Iowa Grasshopper.     You a good man, take care.

[Karen]

Mike, you're just taking care of business with your priorities in order. Ship when you can, bling is always worth waiting for,

[Valkahuna]

Mike,

I enjoyed meeting you at InZane XI. You are doing the right thing taking care of family first. Nothing is more important than that! As I told you there, kudos to ya for realizing what matters most. Some don't ever get there!

I also send prayers for Lefty, You and the whole family. You have got your priorities straight. 

Thanks for all the time you spent answering dumb questions. Congrats again on winning "Best in Show" at the bike show. Man, that is one beautiful motorcycle.

[Gear Jammer]

You're all right Mike 

[hondahead]

There's a special place in Heaven for folks like you Mike, What a noble cause!   Prayers enroute

[Chattanooga Mark]

God bless you and your house Mike. It was a pleasure meeting you at Inzane brother!

All the best,

Mark

[Old Geezer Richard]

 Hi Mike , I have never met you , but I have talked with you over the phone and I'm here to say you are a one of a kind , REAL MAN , my friend ... I have worn your shoes because I took care of both my mom and my dad for about 3 1/2 years all the up to the time I had to put them both in in a hospital ... The VA took excellent care of my dad until he passed in his sleep and my mom was in good care also until she also passed in her sleep about a month apart and almost at the same time 10:00 pm at nite ... God Bless you Mike , my prayers and thoughts go out to you , your pop in law Lefty and especially to your family... It is such a SHAME in this country that NOBODY seems to have time for their mom and dad anymore , we could learn a lesson from the Europeans when they take in their folks when they get up in age ... In my mind it is simply" UNCONDITIONAL PAYBACK "for what they did when we were little ... Again God Bless again Mike ... Thanks the Geezer

[Chili Pepper]

You have your priorities straight, Mike. Some "burdens" are actually blessings. I'm sure you will all treasure the time you have together. May the hand of God rest on your family.

[sidecarrick]

 Mike, you're among the last of a dying breed- people that respect and honor elders. So many, at the point where you are would find a way to rationalize putting Lefty in a home, but you are doing the right thing and when the day comes that he leaves this world, you'll know it was. I kept my father with me for the last 5 years of his life, when my sister wanted to put him in a home. He told me that he didn't want to die alone or at night. 11 years ago, he passed at 1 in the afternoon while I held his hands. Hard to do, but the right thing to do. Good luck, my brother. You are a real man.

[Carolyn Schmidt]

Mike,

You’re doing what you should be dong. Our parents cared for us when we were small. It’s our job to care for them now. We allowed my parents to remain in their home as long as humanly possible.  My Mom passed away in June 07; we cared for her as long as we could in our home (only a few short weeks). She did go in a nursing home for one week before we found she had cancer. She was in hospice care for one short week before her passing. Currently my Dad is in a nursing home in St. Louis, MI battling with end stage Alzheimer’s.  Unfortunately, his disease required 24/7 care that we couldn’t provide so when Mom passed away in 07 he had to go into the nursing home. Believe me it’s not that we didn’t beat ourselves up trying to figure a way to have him with us. Next to loosing my Mom knowing he would have to live the remainder of his life in a facility was a heart breaker.

He now suffers from congestive heart failure and sleeps a majority of the time. Within the last couple weeks I realized he no longer knows who I am. Wow, what a reality check that was. I’m okay because I have no regrets and in his heart he knows the family; I know when we reach the banks of Jordan it’s going to be just fine. Thank you Jesus for the promise.

So, why did I share all this? In the height of my Dad being in a geriatric psychiatric ward and my Mom in hospice care and passing; I had some family members who were judging decisions I was making. I had a couple different family members come to me and tell me that if I were making decisions with the right morals not to worry about what others thought. One of them was my Dad’s baby brother. I have always remembered that. I guess you can’t know what one person is going through unless you are wearing their shoes. I did offer to let those who were judging to borrow my shoes and didn’t get any takers. Those who know me well enough can image I didn’t worry too much about what the others though when it came to doing what was right by my parents.

Mike, you’re a good and Godly man. Enjoy the time with Lefty. I treasure the time I had with my Mom in our home.

Blessings!
Carolyn

[solo1]

Mike, that is a good decision on your part. I had  to put my wife in a nursing home, couldn't take care of her. Now my only surviving sister is in hospice care.  Her kids faithfully took care of her until it was time.

I'm at the age where I think a lot about nursing homes, I do not want to end there.

Believe me, You are doing the best for Lefty, family care beats impersonal care every time!

In todays world, respect for mom and dads and elders is in trouble.  I see lack of respect here, occasionally on the VRCC forum

God Bless your dedication Mike.  I was once again glad that I talked to you at Inzane again.

Wayne, Solo1

[Don07tncav]

Great decision Mike! Prayers to Lefty, you and the family!