You know I was thinking I should change my “About page” It was written long ago and things have changed. This may not be the about page you would expect from me but I have been through a recent life change. Well not so much a change but almost life ending. And those who know me it might explain my eccentric behavior. Plus my absence from “Social media” websites may make people wonder.
So I’m going to start from the beginning, but before all most losing my life I very much doubt I would post this on this site… now to see what version I tell..
Before High School I never really fit in and this was right before the whole Goth and Grunge clicks started. Basically I was an artist but looking back I was a nerd artist. During High school I fell all in for art and went to a career center for half of the days during high school for Commercial Art. Wishing now I took fine art, but at that time and mostly still, I’m more detailed engineer. From their I received a full ride scholar ship to CCAD (Columbus Collage of Art and Design).
During and after high School I was a head cook at Italian restaurants. I lived off this great food. During witch I was still into heavy speed metal, then I heard my friends Grateful Dead CD, I bowered it and I have never returned it, I had to keep it. It was my first GD.
During collage a good friend of mine found me a factory type job. I think I did not even last a few days doing repeating work all day before I was moved on to do more. Before I knew it I was 1 of 2 lead technicians over seeing all the duplicating machines that gave the word Windows 95 on Floppies! If you lived on the east coast and much if not all of Canada you received your windows 95 from my lab, well not mine, but the one I oversaw. I ended up fixing the packing machines and other automated machines used in the packaging. I slept in my car and was working like 18+ hours a day, until just after release. All the while my x486 32 MB laptop still had 3.11 on it for several months after even though I could have had 95 many months before. Even then I was smart, wait for the service pack before upgrading…
So a bit of dark times devoiced my high school sweet heart and went into computers after leaving CCAD after just over 2 years. At the time the thought is I could never make what I could as a network engineer.
Before 2000 and the start of the internet I amassed massive amounts of LEGO sets and parts. When friends would come over I would hide them. Then right around 2000 I think I found others like me and we formed LEGO clubs, and we would display publically. Just look at my site, which is what started GallaghersArt.com. Several years later I was able to work with LEGO to make a video game. This was lots of fun and more than you could image.
So for 13+ years I ran all over the place making emergency server and network repairs at major companies, along with installing and training their in-house IT staff on new systems. I loved all most as much as I loved cooking.
So around 2008 I started to notice what I thought was just me getting old. Realizing I could no longer keep up physically with work. Wanting to keep the many free hours I would have as a consultant I decided to learn web programming full time. I had helped others over the years with building websites, and it would give me a chance to get back into more art.
So by 2009 I had a solid custom built CMS for car dealers. At this time only large Car dealerships could afford a good website. But I created a system that within a day I could customize the site for each customer, no need to pay me for months to build it.
So things were still going good as far as I knew. Knowing my long term plans was to live out north-west. I had opportunities to move to CA or move to MA near my mother. Not a fan of New England, too many people. If only I knew this was a life and death decision then.
Once in MA I fine turned my system and within a few months had 7 clients. Was on a roll until July 2010 when I finally went to the hospital. I was admitted very quickly and was able to stay for awhile. Not knowing how in the hell I was going to pay for what they were telling me. First few days my charts and stats were all over the place. Was told I was having multiple organ failures and would need multiple transplants. But not to worry I was young and would be near the top of the list. But with a few weeks to live. Luckily after all sorts of test and a long week they figured out I had Chronic Sarcoidosis. Basically my immune system was triggered to go at 200% and was attacking and causing inflammation in my heart and lungs. Very likely I had other organs going bad also but once they were able to verify it in my lungs and heart the treatment is the same for all. If they were able to control the inflammation I could live. As long as no permanent damage was done.
But within days I had insurance and all sorts of help with prescriptions. Turns out MA had state issued insurance. This move to MA saved my life. In no way would I have been able to cover all the tests, medications, and future Doctors visits.
So started the prednisone steroids. And a lot for longer then planned. At first they said 2-3 months if it works I should be fine. Well that Thanks giving I was still getting worse. But by x-mas I was finally improving. After a 1year+ on all sorts of meds I was healthier, but still not great. At that time my current symptoms could have been from side effects or contributed to Sarcoidosis. So until I found out if my current problems are problems that can be treated or just what I get to live with from now on. I’m in limbo, unable to “work” or do much of anything physical, and unable to do anything above 75F. I have always like cold more than hot weather, may just need to move to Alaska…
So it’s all most been 3 years since I found out I was not healthy. My original goal was to move out to MA and start a web development company with hopes of selling company after I made it big enough to cover my true desire to design and build homes and buildings.
Not knowing how the future plays out from here I keep chugging away. I have since started to posts some of my many ideas and building, artwork and more. True others may take my ideas and build them as their own, but I feel good people do good deeds. And will involve me in some way in seeing my designs built. I’m still holding out to build my designs myself at some point.
So I spend my good days learning more in several fields and put more of my design ideas to CAD. I post some that I feel I can share without losing rights to things I have created. Along with continued Artwork, LEGO, and other articles and pages added to my sites.
Still not wanting to get on the social media band wagon. I spent 4 years to get away from high-school drama, why would I want it again? I have created accounts many years ago so I could get my GallaghersArt name on all the sites. I should update them with something; I’ll just keep zero friends.
So now I’m waiting to see how bad my Sarcoidosis damaged my nerves if that’s that case. I just want to know. If I have to take some magic pill or just have to live with the condition then great. I just want to move on. So until then I will share some of my stuff. Willing to sell single large prints of my artworks or work with your architect / engineer to build one of my designs.
Just wishing there were more hours in a day..
Mike Gallagher
