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[fasttrack]

Sorry to have been an absentee member for a while now. Thought I'd let those who know me on this forum what's been going on. It's been an odd end to an odd year, for sure.

After a couple years of a deteriorating casting shoulder and no relief from therapy, steroid shots, etc I went 'under the knife' eight weeks ago today. Surgery went well - no complications - but the recovery has been slow and tough. The first month my arm was in a contraption, I couldn't drive (which means not much work and no pay), couldn't dress or shower myself, learned to use my left hand for much more than I ever imagined. This past month I could begin driving (and now can work and get paid, albeit somewhat limited) and have to do excercises 3x a day which takes up 1 1/2-2 hours a day. Next will come strength-gaining physical therapy which I'm told is not at all fun but is very important. Yesterday I had a minor setback. Decided to take a little walk out back with the dog and take my .22 pistol with me. Was right behind the barn and stepped on a brush pile where 3 rabbits jumped out. Was able to pop one - left handed - with the pistol. (As a side note, one week after surgery was the deer-gun opener. Looking back it was a stupid idea since I wasn't supposed to, but I took my buddy's .357 and went out at daybreak behind the house. Within 10 minutes two doe walked by and I dropped one - again left handed, with a borrowed pistol I never used before!) Back to point, I walked a little further and 'found' some ice under the snow. As I went down, my right hand glove caught on a tree branch and pulled my arm a way it hasn't gone in months. Guys, I have never had something so painful in my life. After rolling around on the ice a while moaning and groaning, I got myself up and hobbled back to the house. Thankfully it is feeling better this morning so maybe I didn't screw up anything too bad. I have to see the doc on Monday anyways so I'll have him look it over. Two weeks after my surgury, my wife came down ill and ended up in the hospital a couple days. When I got a ride to go visit her (remember I couldn't drive at that time) I went into ER and the worker thought I was there for treatment after seeing the goofy sling-like thing on MY arm! Anyways, she has Vertigo but is now doing much better with it. She also has to go to therapy and do home excercies to re-train her brain about balance. We were quite a pair for a while there - like 80-year old shut-in's and we're not even 40 yet!

This got too long - thanks for letting me share. Keep us in your thoughts/prayers as we are both still working through all this. Hopefully the arm will be ready by April/May so I can see ya'all on the water! Maybe even at the Spring DK Open!

Marc
a.k.a. fasttrack

[fiker]

I will pray for your speedyrecoveries. 
Do the therapies.  Those PT's really know their stuff. 

[REEL_MAN]

Wow, what a way to end 2008!! Pray'n 2009 goes better.

Dave V
<))))>{

[TCook]

marc, sorry to hear about your injury, soon enough you will heal up as good as new and be back on the water.

[bosshawg]

 hang in there fasttrack. healing takes awhile. been thru all since june or since i got back home.
 no surgeries yet and hoping mother nature to heal or least that's what doctors telling me to do. so hoping for you a good recovery.

[FOB]

Fasttrack - slow down.  I know it must be terrible being laid up that long, but a couple of bunnies are not worth a season without fishing!  Only 76 more days till ice out!  Prayers sent you did not mess it up anymore and for complete recovery.  Also prayers for your wife.  My Mom is 87 and has Vertigo.  My wife was just trained on how to do the therapy for her as well.  Please keep us posted on your recovery.

[motocross269]

I have had quite a few injuries, my shoulders have been the toughest to bounce back from...Not trying to scare you, but a sound Physical therapy program is critical...Stick with your Physical therapy and work hard at it and you will be fine...I sluffed off on one of my shoulders and it bothers me some...

Good luck to you and prayers sent....

[djkimmel]

I understand what you're going through totally (and I'm laughing WITH you!! If you don't feel like it is funny today, then I'm not laughing at all. Honest!!) Had no idea you were having a rough time, but we do sometimes make some bad choices don't we?

I remember rowing around a small lake last spring all day because my shoulder felt SO GOOD a couple days after my first shot... ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE DOCTOR!!! They go to school for, like, 15 years to learn about this stuff - worst pain I'd felt in a long time the whole next week!! Yeah, I caught some fish. Enjoyed the beauty of our outdoors... but I'd of been way better off just watching it on TV for a couple weeks until I could feel reality again... live and learn (do we ever really though?!?)

Hang in there. Try to be patient. Help out your wife. I've been through that too so I know how disrupting and disconcerting that can be, particularly when it goes on for months and they can't figure out why (luckily, I would only get sick on shore, not in the boat). Actually, if you use her lean to your advantage, you can probably help each other out... lean on each other (of course, I really mean metaphorically) which is kind of what marriage and family are all about.

In the meantime, get a weekly dose of fishing info here. 'Lean' on us a little too. Pretend you are doing research for a future (once you get fully recovered) outdoors outing! And give us updates... they don't have to be so long if it is easier on your left hand!

We will keep sending you well wishes and prayers as necessary.

[fasttrack]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! It's truly appreciated! On Monday the doc told me to keep up home excercises but to also start 'real' physical therapy, so I got in that same afternoon. They added a bunch more things to do. They want me to do at least 5-10 minutes each hour and a full set in am and pm. It's tough making time for 2+ hours a day of this, plus the visits to therapist office 2x a week and doctor once a month but I have heard many times, as a couple of you stated, how critical it is. Others have also said how tough shoulder issues are. A guy at church is a former college football player and has had tons of procedures over the years - he also said his shoulder surgery was the toughest of them all. So long as its as good as new come spring! Thanks again everyone...