I can't help but notice more than one of us has had, shall we say, set backs in a health. I for one can't say I was ever in pain, but there were times when I was uncomfortable to say the least.

It's just a year for me and I'm no longer effected by the heat and cold like I was. In addition I am much more able to do the things I want to do than I was before bypass. My only real complaint it the damn scar on my chest will it ever stop itching?

Shot my ducks and pheasants killed some deer, all around had a good huntig season. I lift some weights and use my bicycle often enough to keep active. All in all I feel much better than I did even several years back. The guys I feel bad for are the ones that have no desire to get up and get going.

longwalker

I had shoulder surgery a few years back just before hunting season. Not wanting to miss hunting, I thought I'd use my little Savage 28 ga single shot for birds and my T/C hand gun for deer. All set, right? Now I shoot left handed and since my surgery was to the right shoulder, I thought "Heck, I can shoulder and fire that little 28 ga at a bird and not even use my right arm at all." It was a good plan, but the first time a partridge flushed, I instinctively grabbed the forend with my "bad arm" and threw up the gun. Bad move... I tore the stitches and caused scar tissue inside the shoulder with that "bright" move. Hunting is so much a part of my life, I can't imagine any injury/ailment stopping me from getting out when the leaves start to turn. For me, getting out hunting would be the best medicine there is, even when I don't quite think it through first.

Blaine

On Nov. 1st, 2005 I had quadruple bypass surgery. That's because angioplasty didn't last long for the two times in the past I had it done. When hunting season was at hand, I huffed & puffed, really limited my hunting experience. Scince Nov. 1st, I've given it a try even though the healing wasn't completed, wanted to see if my wind was back, & guess what, it's like I'm 20 all over again. As they say, I live to hunt, can you think of a better way to stay healthy? I'm anxious for the upcoming hunting season to kick off
Keep it coming...

If the Doc's could only fix arthritis I would be a happy hunter. It's getting hard to put in a full days scouting or climbing into a tree stand. But I keep going and just grit my teeth.

They can fix Arthur, it is called joint replacement. I just can not get myself up for that, just yet. Of course you can get a big C shot or two in the joint... been there done that.

I still have all of my crackling and creaking joints. Yep, joints by Rice Crispy, snap, crackle and pop.
Ed

SwampFox wrote:

They can fix Arthur, it is called joint replacement. I just can not get myself up for that, just yet. Of course you can get a big C shot or two in the joint... been there done that. I still have all of my crackling and creaking joints. Yep, joints by Rice Crispy, snap, crackle and pop. Ed

Been there and done that......and I hear noises too. I wonder if its my knees?

Hopefully we teach our grandchildren (I have 11) to value their health and avoid some of the stupid things we have done or failed to do as we grow older. If we age well, hunting should be feasible well into later life.

One of our customers at the gun store is over 80 years old. He is still highly sought after as a desert bighorn sheep guide. At his age, he will walk the unprepared, and much younger hunters, into the ground. What a great example! He has never stopped working and is one of the premiere area gunsmiths; his stockwork is highly valued.

OTOH, we have guys in their mid 50s and 60s that are notably overweight and come huffing and puffing with the effort needed to walk from their car to the store. One guy was complaining that he had an upcoming heart proceedure (age 62), that he had a bypass operation four years ago, when I noticed he had a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket. We live with our choices.

Now, excuse me, I need to get my nightly bowl of ice cream. With chocolate syrup!

I'm only 54 and I've the same problem as Chris....osteo arthrosis in my back, neck and knees.....26 yrs in the Army (Infantry) tends to knock one's body about. Makes it hard to walk the hills thats for sure.

Having said that reading some of the problems that you guys are suffering I feel like a real wimp. Maybe I had best harden up a bit.

Best I get my act together, do some exercise and try to regain some of the fitness I had a few yrs ago.

Cheers, Vince