old member needs that push

What I would try is to put up a loop of track somewhere and run your favorite engine and cars on it.  Watching mine go in a circle usually gives me the nudge I need to get somewhere with the layout.  Inviting someone over can also help.  The bottom line is finding what works for you.

First I want to way congrats on the transplant, My father had recived a Kidney Transplant, and it allowed him the time to spend several years with our family, watch me turn from a kid into a man, walk my sister down the isle at her wedding.  As for the the trains, look to see if their are any clubs in the area, they may be able to help.  One of our club members who is a vet lost his leg and couldnt build the bench work for his layout.  We built him build the bench work in a spare bedroom.  a few months latter the VA found him a home that better fit his needs 

Start simple. Get some track down and get a train running. That should get the juices started again.

Getting yourself back in trains will put your mind in a peaceful place. A healthy mind is a healthy body.

Thomas

Wow...we could be twins other than the bypass. In 2003 I too lost my right leg and just 2 weeks ago I celebrated the 3 year anniversary of my transplant. Give all this some time. As someone that has been there you do have great days ahead. When I went to my anniversay checkup with the transplant team they said they had never seen me so upbeat and positive.

Have a friend or someone help you build a 4'x8' train table just over knee high. Let me explain my reason for this plan. You know as well as I do that getting up and down from the floor is out of the question. Being in therapy for your leg I am thinking you may still be in a wheelchair. This size and height table will aloow you to reach the entire table area from your wheelchair if you have access to the 2 8' sides. Now you can go to town. Start with some fastrack or whatever sectional track you desire. Easy to assemble and rigid enough that you can assemple several pieces in your lap and then place them on your table. Once you decide on a trackplan that you enjoy the sky is your limit as far as scenery, building kits, and most importantly starting to get involved again. Then as you progress you may want to change the trackplan or whatever. Before you know it you will be taking buildings and scenes that you were content with and adding more details, then more. You will see a picture on the forum or in a magazine and say I like that and attempt it yourself. When you finally nail it you will look at it and feel good about it and yourself. 

The greatest thing that I found about this forum is that you have an unlimited resource of people that WANT to help. Ask them questions. When you are ready post some pictures and updates. The encouragement and praise that you will receive is unbelievably theraputic especially when you you are going through those "bummer" days that are all too familiarwith.

My email is in my profile. If you want to talk shoot me an email. Maybe we can help each other with "motivational" issues!

Ken 

Just a reminder how lucky I am.  Thanks for posting your stories.  Good luck. 

 Just get a plan together of what you would like to complete in say like a month and just take it little by little and before ya know it you'll start to see something that resembles a layout and then be able to play with your trains and have fun. Just dont over do it or you'll get burnt out but try and do alittle each day and try to think of it this way each day you do something is a day closer to running trains and each day you dont is another day from running your trains. recruit ur family and friends to help, heck look in the paper for a handy man to hire and help u set up the lumbar part of it i would think there's enough people outta work that could use a couple dollars and you get what you want. having the table up is motivation to get the track down to get a chugging. well take care man and buy some o scale train videos from rich battista to watch that'll for sure give ya motivation it did me watching rich build, assemble and run trains diffently worth watching.

Scot,

Use this forum and go to local train meets to find a train buddy who lives near you. A train buddy can be very motivational.

I found that conjuring-up a track plan that you grow with modules is a very good way to start simple and grow your empire just as the real railroads do. Start with a continuous loop having a double-ended siding so you can run two trains simultaneously. Pick your operating system at the beginning, i.e., DCS, TMCC, etc.

Keep us posted whatever you decide.

good afternoon.thank you all that replyed.well i wanted to post a couple of photos

Scot,  

That is a nice inventory to start with or should I say very nice!  

Hopefully there are people near you that are willing to help you get started.  Some of the suggestions look helpful.

Ted

Is that going to be your train room?  The reason I ask is that having all the stuff in there can get in the way of what you want to build (even a temporary table).  Nice start on the roster, by the way... 

No thats my spare room.  all i have is a breeze way and a garage.Ill take some phots today and show you all what i have to get things going

You sure that's not a scene from Hoarders?

Now i don't feel like I'm the only one whos trains are "stored" like that

At least you can tell what you have at a glance, mine is all in corrugated boxes and I've got no idea what's in what or where! Seriuosly tho just get some benchwork down that way you can start laying and rearranging track til it's something you like, nothing like a blank canvas of Homasote or plywood to get the creative juices flowing.

Jerry

here are some photos of what i have to work with

One trick I use to motivate myself is to set small goals and focus on that one goal until it is completed, and then I set the next one and repeat.  Before you know it, you will get a lot done.  Looks like you have a really good start on inventory and space!

Andy

Sounds like I fit right in!  I have a stent in place then a quadruple by-pass and aortic valve replacement August 2010.

As I have told my train club for many moons, twenty minutes a night, three nights a week and you'll be surprised at what you get done.

Also, if there are forumites close by, ask for some help.  I bet you'll get it.

cc

hello everyone.I go on monday for my second leg fitting with all the things ive gone tru this past year its hard to beleve that i will be getting my second leg.then in a week ill go and pick up my new leg.and hopefully finish my rehab for this leg.and on tuesday i go to a dermatologist for my leg and hand.i just cant wait for the new leg to be done so this waiting will be done and i can go back to work soon. i just wanted you to know.