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Thread: A short summary of my life. PART 3

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    Default A short summary of my life. PART 3

    Hello, this is Dave and I have been on land since 1979, when I met my new wife on the 'Love Boat'? do you remember the TV series, as I was a stateroom Steward on board the proud member of P &O Shipping class ships of Princess Cruises. There was a huge reception and the Captain and his wife were invited, along with anybody who were welcome, if they wanted to come.
    f
    As it turned out 2-3 coaches arrived from the MV: Island Princess and it was estimated 250 officers and crew turned up. I was in a dazed from the beginning, not having ordered a Tuxedo or a wedding night Hotel Room.


    In June I will be 77 years old, in great health, I think because my 5 day regimen of exercises since I was 17. I have had many years of happiness, but sadly that came to an end last April. with the resurgence of my spouses 30 and 50 year adult daughter, her boyfriend and her son. Remember, that old saying 'Blood is thicker than water'? With her children came the drugs, such as 'Hashish' and the stench in the clothes and on the body.

    I guess I was too judgmental, because I would complained. In the end I was asked to leave and so ends my Fairy Tale of love, romance and the bitterness of loss.

    But whatever happens to me, is up to god. I sit now in the protection of the U.S. Government Health Service. Quietly waiting for an 'Assisted Living Accommodation or if I am lucky, a divorced or widowed lady to spend the rest of my life with?

    I am aware that many of my fellow crew members have passed away, but I still remember many of them. I never did get the chance to crew-out on the new Princess ships. I still need to author the early years, when I jumped ship in Melbourne, Australia and headed for Cairns in Queensland. This was a prior time, even before I got married.time, including

    In the past, i have ventured out to sea on foreign vessels, including German Ships, tankers and cargo Passenger and even as a steward on a rich mans yacht to the Galapagos Island chain. Crew is always needed at deep sea ports as in Europe.

    American Doctors have diagnosed me, with PTSD and Dimensia so I think that I am borrowed time. The PTSD from the accidents I have had in my days at sea, from an argument from a water tight door and ignoring the regulations.

    Being at sea was a wonderful experience, meeting many celebrities and the camaraderie of the crew.

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    Default Re: A short summary of my life. PART 3

    Dave at 77 you would be considered a youngster by many on this site , who probably have in some cases similar ailments as yourself. Hopefully you have many years left. I still get correspondence from those I knew 50 odd years ago at sea and if it’s lasted 50 years out of sight it will always be there. Like all of us getting older we class ourselves as the lucky ones for living longer than others , sometimes however when a loved one dies , all reasons for living seem to disappear , don’t fall into that trap , living is always better than dying. All the best And happy birthday for sometime this month. 76 always reminds me of trombones for some reason, I wonder why ? JS.
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 5th June 2020 at 12:41 AM.
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    Default Re: A short summary of my life. PART 3

    John, we have them of all ages here I think.
    But yes some do live to a great age, others not so lucky.
    As to keeping In touch my mate, best man at wife's wedding, we met in 1960 and still keep InTouch.
    Saw him last year first time in 33 years, sadly his wife passed only a few months later, they had been together since 1957.
    Another who went to school with me and encouraged me to join up he was with P&O then,, still in UK keeps InTouch as well, saw him last year for first time since 1980.

    But there is something about those of us who went to sea, maybe we area bit different but we keep in touch with some no matter what.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Default Re: A short summary of my life. PART 3

    Merchant Navy friends or as they call it in America (Merchant Marines)
    Further short Summary of my life, I have yet for you to explore my life in the Northern Territories of Northern Queensland, Australia. As I have previously mensioned Federal doctors diagnosed me with the onset of Dimensia, PTSD, plus a few other medical conditions.

    Probably not too many crewmembers, know what the medical condition PTSD. Well, it has followed me around since the military conflict, and it has faded a great deal. As a young boy in England, I climbed on the roof of an ice cream factory, and come crashing down on my skull and tearing my tongue almost in half. I joined the British Navy Auxiliary ships and ignored the regulations about the Water Tight Doors. While picking up coffee from the Supply Flap, I lost control of the lever that moved the steel compartment door, which slammed into my face, smashing my jaw and knocking all of my teeth out on the left side. Ended up in an American/British hospital in Kowloon, Hong Kong. My final scenario with death was in the furthest reaches of Northern Australia on the Atherton Tableland, as I was learning to be a Junior Surveyor. I fell into a fire, red ants nest and they were all over me. In Cairns, Queensland base hospital, I was in a coma for three days and obviously pulled through. A few other escapes from the grim reaper, but I am still here.

    Right now I am in Royalwood Care Center, Torrance, California and its a long story but I am seeking a companion for the rest of our lives.Do you want a good, honest man an older age group and has seen the world. Divorced for 12 years now, but no longer wants to be alone.

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    Default Re: A short summary of my life. PART 3

    Dave why do you go under 2 names as you say on your CV others may know You as Dave Cullen. Some of us may know people with the name of Cullen. Nicknames I can understand , some have different reasons for which is their private business. Maybe your change of names may be a story in its own right. Are you talking about the military conflict in Vietnam ? Cheers JS
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    Default Re: A short summary of my life. PART 3

    It's David and I guess, that I should be honest about my name. My memory is not what it used to be, so bear with me? I was on an older P & O ship, which could be any of the old decommissioned ship, but I think it was the 'Oriana'. I remember one of the entertainment staff, or it could be an officer asked if there were any artists on board, specifically among the crew and I still remember my artistic ability, and I could escape the restaurant for a while. As the ship would be a sea for Christmas I decided to volunteer to paint all the mirrors at the end of staircases, displaying Father Christmas on a sleigh with reindeer or climbing down a chimney or in front of a fireplace.It worked out real well, except for one issue. We were at sea and I run out of watercolor paints. There were many more mirrors to decorate and there were no more paints.

    I think the ships carpenter who I knew before, suggested his paint, he still had stored. *So, I began using these paints and not knowing the implication that these paints I stored the cans under my bunk. Of course, I will never know if this was the chronic medical problem that arose?

    After our trip to Australia, we arrived after this long voyaged in Southampton and I remember sitting in the galley eating a Lobster tail. I had not been feeling good for a few days, but I was looking forward to traveling on the Cherry Tree trip to Japan. After I had eaten the lunch meal, I suddenly threw my food up, until my stomach was heaving on nothing.

    Lucky the ship's Doctor was still on board and he was called to the galley. where he found me as pale like a spirit. After an examination in the practitioner's office, he called for an ambulance and I was whisked away to a hospital. Even prior to this I rushed to the hospital, I ended up in East Greenwich Merchant Seamans hospital with a damaged spine from overdoing my daily exercise regimen.

    So anyway, I remember being looked over by a bunch of Doctors, who after my examination diagnosed me with TB 'Tuberculosis' and had injected me with something that felt like a walnut under the skin on my backside, after a consultation, I was told that I was to be sent to a 'Fever Hospital'. So I spent in isolation for so many months in a convalescent home. During this period, research had found a new discovery for TB. I will never forget the packets of chocolate birdseed that tasted vile, plus other medicine. And even while of was in the hands of Doctors, the evidence that indicated I had TB, was spotted on my lungs, but even at that, it was never been proved I had that cough and blood into tissues.

    So it was never fully explained to me if I had that deadly disease caused by inhaling or the vapor rising from the paint cans.

    I finally straw came when I was told, that I can never be employed in the Merchant Navy again? The doctor's letter that arrived agreeing with the Me at the time.merchant Navy Establishment. So this was crushing to me and for several months, I looked to find some avenue to slip by this issue.

    The idea came to me, watching a TV series crime drama. The English show said how police agents could use other names. So I went downtown London and found a solicitor, who could legally change my name by deed poll (not sure if that's spelled correctly) with my new name I approached the shipping company and got hired. So I become the NEW me have always been around animals and when I and my formal wife departed, I lost a friend called 'Peaches' a terrier mix who was always with me. After my honorable discharge from the Navy,I joined the British Merchant Marine, but my exploits didn't just place me on British, I roamed the ocean waves on foreign vessels. I am a great lover of animals and had in my days, Siamese Cats, a different breed of dogs and even monkeys. Even had a large lizard once.

    I am hoping the lady who becomes my forever companion, has an especially great love for a young dog or allows me to buy such a furry, sweet family member.ecially
    So right now under English law and with the legal document, that I signed that Dave C is my real given name and still use it today. A few people close to me have knowledge of my birth name, which has become a bit of a muddle, especially when it comes to my Ancestral Chart. I have been on a Genealogical website for about *2017 and found out that my furthest ancestors was Vikings. In 840 the King of Denmark married the Queen of Norway and my name has been handed down through generations. What I don't comprehend is why I was brought up into a poor home and through the ages, my kindred owned castles, manor houses and were knights and fought at the Battle of Tewkesbury and even one of the ladies was Lady in Waiting to Queen Elizabeth 1. The strange thing that happened was many of the Lords and their Ladies immigrated to British American colonies.

    Well now, just wanted to let you know, I am in a Royalwood Care Center, Torrance, Southern California.
    Last edited by Dave Francis; 13th June 2020 at 11:01 PM.

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    Default Re: A short summary of my life. PART 3

    Dave
    Great stories...hope you are well

    Bob

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    Default Re: A short summary of my life. PART 3

    Always so nice to have good Stories here, as is this one from Dave, thank you for this!
    More of this is needed on here
    Cheers
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Default Re: A short summary of my life. PART 3

    Keep your spirits up and hold the line DAVE.
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 19th May 2021 at 08:15 PM.

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