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For the Love of Old Spice - Illini's Shave Journal
- Thread starter Fightingillini22
- Start date
ERs can seem chaotic and disorganized, but it is all organized mayhem. One thing this pandemic has done is to better inform the public about the role of the nurse. We do much more than is generally understood. It usually takes a visit to the hospital to fully appreciate the many roles a nurse plays. When you have doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and others all pulling together, a lot of expertise is focused in one area. And when you are part of a good team, nothing is better.
I'm glad you didn't require surgery, Ryan. Not that passing a kidney stone is fun, but it beats a trip to the OR.
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
That is very much the truth Bruce. Prior to my son being born and spending time in the NICU, I was lucky enough to have never spent any length of time in the hospital aside from visiting sick grandparents. Between labor and delivery, OR for C-section, the time in the NICU, and then my ER visit, I've seen more than I'd care to of our local hospital and the staff in the last 12 months. But I am extremely thankful that the nurses and doctors decided to do what they do. Especially during such a difficult time.
Also thrilled that I was able to pass it into the bladder without intervention - both my parents had to have stents put in and just thinking about that going in and then coming back out makes me light-headed.
Great news! I did a lot of stent cases in the OR - yeah, they are best avoided, if possible. For some they are a necessary evil. Repetitive cystoscopies are not something I'd enjoy.Also thrilled that I was able to pass it into the bladder without intervention - both my parents had to have stents put in and just thinking about that going in and then coming back out makes me light-headed.
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
Today's shave was much later in the day than normal but still feeling good today as I chug water and wait for the stone to pass out the bladder. A shower and shave did me good after the last 24 hours.
Today I broke out the i Coloniali beta soap @CBLindsay included in my last order. I think Chris said this was a new soap base as well. All I can say is WOW! It's been years since I used the original, I have an unopened terra cotta pot in my unobtanium box still sealed and I 3017'd a refill puck way back in the day. But I remember the original being a bit of a polarizing scent with some very much enjoying and others despising. I fell into the former camp, and this soap from Chris seems to hit all the notes I remember. Overripe fruits, just a little musk, reminds me a bit of a hogo rum in all the best ways possible. This base is fantastic too, slick as could be lathered up in my gelly HM brush and left my skin feeling great.
Not sure how you're progressing with this one Chris but I am a HUGE fan and can't wait to work through this tub. The real question is do I break open the seal on my pot and do a side-by-side...
Today I broke out the i Coloniali beta soap @CBLindsay included in my last order. I think Chris said this was a new soap base as well. All I can say is WOW! It's been years since I used the original, I have an unopened terra cotta pot in my unobtanium box still sealed and I 3017'd a refill puck way back in the day. But I remember the original being a bit of a polarizing scent with some very much enjoying and others despising. I fell into the former camp, and this soap from Chris seems to hit all the notes I remember. Overripe fruits, just a little musk, reminds me a bit of a hogo rum in all the best ways possible. This base is fantastic too, slick as could be lathered up in my gelly HM brush and left my skin feeling great.
Not sure how you're progressing with this one Chris but I am a HUGE fan and can't wait to work through this tub. The real question is do I break open the seal on my pot and do a side-by-side...
Wednesday April 28th, 2021
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (11)
Brush : Whipped Dog HM
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : CBL i Coloniali Beta
Post : 50:50 blend of Osage and Skin Bracer
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (11)
Brush : Whipped Dog HM
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : CBL i Coloniali Beta
Post : 50:50 blend of Osage and Skin Bracer
Side-by-side, side-by-side!
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
Yeah, I'm thinking that too Bruce. For science!
Kidney update : passed the stone right before bed last night. It's absolutely mind-blowing how much pain could come from such a tiny little mineral deposit. But happy to have caught it in the strainer and have a follow up with a urologist Monday afternoon. Once again feeling much older than 30 setting up that appointment...but what can you do. I already don't drink pop and drink tons of water, so not sure what else he's going to tell me to do to avoid this happening again, but I'm all ears.
This morning's shave was back to CBL Back Alley Barbershop. Did a little Barbasol Sensitive preshave in the shower not cause CBL needs it but simply because I enjoy the light mango-fruit scent of the Sensitive cream. Got a little more irritation on the neck with this shave but that's simply due to me being greedy with a clean up pass. Chased with Old Spice since I had it in my head after calling it my "glug" splash over in that sub.
Have a great Thursday, Cadre - almost to the weekend!
Thursday April 29th, 2021
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (12)
Brush : Razorock F400
Pre : Hot Shower & Barbasol Sensitive
Soap : CBL Back Alley Barbershop
Post : P&G Old Spice
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (12)
Brush : Razorock F400
Pre : Hot Shower & Barbasol Sensitive
Soap : CBL Back Alley Barbershop
Post : P&G Old Spice
Everyone I know that has had one agrees with you. Glad it passed without intervention.
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
Really makes you stop and realize how A, amazing our bodies are and B, how tiny those tubes between the kidneys and bladder really are!
Thank you Chris, me too!Glad you’re better Ryan!
Happy Friday Cadre! We made it. Didn't think on Monday I would have spent 8 hours in the ER this week but happy to have made it to the weekend. It's looking like an absolutely gorgeous weekend here in Chicagoland, with temps back up into the 80s so hoping to get some yardwork done as well as the pressure washing that I was supposed to do Tuesday afternoon that got rudely interrupted by my kidney stone. Got back on the spin bike this morning for a 30 minute low impact ride. Area of all the pain from the kidney stone started to get a little sore during the workout and afterwards so I think I'll wait another few days before trying again. Guess I shouldn't be surprised, that ureter took a beating on Tuesday so I'm sure still needs a little more time to heal.
After a bit of a rougher shave yesterday, went back to the old standby - Personna Lab Blue loaded up in a '56 Flair Tip. This is the 70th shave on this Lab Blue, still carrying on from the Single Blade February challenge. I am absolutely flabbergasted that its lasted this long! But the shaves continue to be comfortable so cannot complain! Seaforth Spiced set to round out the software and it's just a great way to start my Friday.
Friday April 30th, 2021
Razor : '56 Gillette Flair Tip SS
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (70)
Brush : Rudy Vey Custom with Plisson knot
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : Seaforth Spiced
Post : Seaforth Spiced
Razor : '56 Gillette Flair Tip SS
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (70)
Brush : Rudy Vey Custom with Plisson knot
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : Seaforth Spiced
Post : Seaforth Spiced
Kidney stones stretch, scrape and scratch the ureter as they pass. That's what causes that intense pain you experienced. I would think it'll be a couple days before it's fully healed.
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
I know, it's pretty incredible! I wouldn't ever push a blade this far regularly since they are SO cheap but I'm still getting comfortable shaves and now want to see how far it will go!70 shaves off a single blade?
Yup, makes sense on the healing part - should have thought about that a little more before spending 30 minutes cycling. Whoops.
In my experience the flare tip performs the exact same as all other Super Speeds aside from the Blue and Red tips for obvious reasons. Mild but enjoyable to use.
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
Happy Monday, Cadre!
It was a warm and productive weekend over here. Temps were in the mid to upper 80s all weekend alongside brilliant sunshine. Couldn't really ask for better weather in early May around here. Got all the pressure washing done that was postponed last week except for the front and back porches. That will have to wait until the next warm weekend. We went out to a local breakfast place early Saturday morning, which was mine and my wife's first time dining in a restaurant in 15 months and the very first time for my son. Hard to believe he went the first year of his life never going into a store like Target or Costco or a restaurant. But things are slowly starting to return to "normal" and for that I am grateful. Ran a bunch of errands yesterday and stopped in at our large chain liquor store to pick up a bottle of Hampden rum. For the non-rum drinkers, Hampden is know for "hogo" rum and the best thing I can equate hogo style of rum vs regular rum is Islay scotch vs non-Islay. It's pungent. It's polarizing. And it's DELCIOUS!
Weekend shaves were very nice. Saturday with the Hawk and CBL BAB and then yesterday a quick and easy one with Barbasol. Still loving the faux-3017 of Back Alley Barbershop. Doesn't look like it's up on the @CBLSoap.com website anymore so wonder if it wasn't a huge seller. That's a shame since it's such a bright and wonderful profile. 17 shaves on this puck but think it'll burn much faster now that I pressed it down into a larger tub compared to the OS mug it lived in for the first 11 shaves. Then yesterday I was just really feeling some Barbasol and got an effortless DFS when coupled with the Prewar Ball-end Tech.
Urologist appointment this afternoon so we'll see how that goes. I did catch the stone so hopefully they'll be able to confirm it's just a typical one and the standard "drink more water" will be all that's required. Annual physical tomorrow too so that'll be an ER visit, urologist follow up and physical all in 7 days. Feels like I'm 30 going on 75 these days. Shaved with the PAA Sundown set this morning which got me a better mood so that's good. Have a great day friends!
It was a warm and productive weekend over here. Temps were in the mid to upper 80s all weekend alongside brilliant sunshine. Couldn't really ask for better weather in early May around here. Got all the pressure washing done that was postponed last week except for the front and back porches. That will have to wait until the next warm weekend. We went out to a local breakfast place early Saturday morning, which was mine and my wife's first time dining in a restaurant in 15 months and the very first time for my son. Hard to believe he went the first year of his life never going into a store like Target or Costco or a restaurant. But things are slowly starting to return to "normal" and for that I am grateful. Ran a bunch of errands yesterday and stopped in at our large chain liquor store to pick up a bottle of Hampden rum. For the non-rum drinkers, Hampden is know for "hogo" rum and the best thing I can equate hogo style of rum vs regular rum is Islay scotch vs non-Islay. It's pungent. It's polarizing. And it's DELCIOUS!
Weekend shaves were very nice. Saturday with the Hawk and CBL BAB and then yesterday a quick and easy one with Barbasol. Still loving the faux-3017 of Back Alley Barbershop. Doesn't look like it's up on the @CBLSoap.com website anymore so wonder if it wasn't a huge seller. That's a shame since it's such a bright and wonderful profile. 17 shaves on this puck but think it'll burn much faster now that I pressed it down into a larger tub compared to the OS mug it lived in for the first 11 shaves. Then yesterday I was just really feeling some Barbasol and got an effortless DFS when coupled with the Prewar Ball-end Tech.
Urologist appointment this afternoon so we'll see how that goes. I did catch the stone so hopefully they'll be able to confirm it's just a typical one and the standard "drink more water" will be all that's required. Annual physical tomorrow too so that'll be an ER visit, urologist follow up and physical all in 7 days. Feels like I'm 30 going on 75 these days. Shaved with the PAA Sundown set this morning which got me a better mood so that's good. Have a great day friends!
Saturday May 1st, 2021
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (13)
Brush : Razorock Beehive
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : CBL Back Alley Barbershop
Post : Aqua Velva Ice Blue
Sunday May 2nd, 2021
Razor : Gillette Prewar Ball-End Tech
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (71)
Brush : Fingers
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : Barbasol Original
Post : Barbasol Brisk
Monday May 3rd, 2021
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (14)
Brush : Omega 11575
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : PAA Sundown
Post : PAA Sundown
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (13)
Brush : Razorock Beehive
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : CBL Back Alley Barbershop
Post : Aqua Velva Ice Blue
Sunday May 2nd, 2021
Razor : Gillette Prewar Ball-End Tech
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (71)
Brush : Fingers
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : Barbasol Original
Post : Barbasol Brisk
Monday May 3rd, 2021
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (14)
Brush : Omega 11575
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : PAA Sundown
Post : PAA Sundown
That's a clean-looking ball end Tech. Good luck at the doctors' appointments today, Ryan. 
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
Thank you Bruce! And it really is a pristine Tech. It's a candidate for my son's first razor, but I probably have another 15 or so years to nail that one downThat's a clean-looking ball end Tech. Good luck at the doctors' appointments today, Ryan.
Thanks Chris! We're trying to figure out which restaurant to visit for our first true date night since having our son, there are just so many options and everything sounds great now that it's been so long.
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
Urologist appointment unfortunately confirmed that I just might be one of those people who will have to deal with stones. There's a smaller, 2mm stone in my other kidney. Obviously there's no way to date how long ago a stone was developed but I'm hopeful that both the stone I just passed and the one in the left kidney are from before I got back into shape and started drinking a lot of water. I get to do the 24 hour "pee in a jug" test to see if there's anything specific I should or can be doing to minimize the formation of future stones. Sigh. Not the news I was looking for but with both parents having them, I'm not overly surprised. At the end of the day, I personally know family and friends that struggle with far worse ailments than kidney stones, so staying positive.
In better news, it's my son's first birthday on Thursday so I'm taking both Thursday and Friday off to celebrate. That means only 2 days left of work this week so that is a great pick-me-up. This morning's shave was back to CBL BAB, the RR Hawk and chased with Skin Bracer. Lovely shave and ready for my annual physical later this morning.
In better news, it's my son's first birthday on Thursday so I'm taking both Thursday and Friday off to celebrate. That means only 2 days left of work this week so that is a great pick-me-up. This morning's shave was back to CBL BAB, the RR Hawk and chased with Skin Bracer. Lovely shave and ready for my annual physical later this morning.
Tuesday May 4th, 2021
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (15)
Brush : Rudy Vey Custom with Plisson Knot
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : CBL Back-Alley Barbershop
Post : Skin Bracer
Razor : Razorock Black Hawk V2
Blade : Feather AC Pro (15)
Brush : Rudy Vey Custom with Plisson Knot
Pre : Hot Shower
Soap : CBL Back-Alley Barbershop
Post : Skin Bracer