Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Stroke and the years folllowing. Thoughts ???

All, 5 years ago I had a doozy of a stroke which left me with a dead left arm and a sense of equilibrium that can only be compared to someone that has consumed a huge amount of drugs or hard liquor. IOW, I lose my balance frequently and sometimes fall down when I become physically tired.

Today I attempted to get a little accomplished a on the woodpile stacking wood but quickly realized that my balance wasn't cooperating at all so switched to putting the snow plow on the 4 wheeler which turned into a nightmare as it's too heavy for me to maneuver with my limited range of motion along with one one hand and maintain my balance.

At the end of the day and nearly 6 hours of honest effort I'm slowly realizing my days of being an independent person are drawing to a close as I find myself needing the third hand of a helper more and more often to continue enjoying the outdoors and get my ass off the recliner and enjoy mother nature to my fullest ability.

A few weeks ago we had our property timbered and the new roads are just wonderful to hike on. Fall colors are on fire and the smell of the fall season has always been my favorite time of year but honestly feeling my deer seasons are drawing to their end as getting the venison out of the woods was almost impossible for me last year.

Rough day here and I'm tired of watching TV so I thought I'd see how some of you may have handled any physical limitations imposed upon you by health issues.

Hope to hear from some of you.

Have you ever thought about maybe mentoring a youngster and teaching him the ways of the woods? Would be a great way for you to get back out there and help continue on the outdoor legacy.

Sorry to hear this news Denny, I hope things can get better for you.

As you know Denny, I had a pesky heart attack, Dec 2011. It was a close one, and things have not been the same since.
I try to keep an even keel, and just get used to being able to do less. Not a day goes by, that I don't deal with not being able to many of the activities I used to take for granted.
I hunt less, shoot less, fish less, canoe less, hike less. Still do all of those, just less. For example, I can't back pack camp any more, so I car camp. Adjustments and compromise, but I never quit.

Sorry to hear about your troubles and I can relate. In April I suffered a TIA or mini stroke. On July 1 I had a mild heart attack and had to have a stint. I have nowhere near the residual effects that you describe. I can work and do pretty much what I could do before within reason. But, I can relate your problems with equilibrium. A lot ot the time I feel shaky, weak, and wondering if I am not going through it again. I think my medecine is kicking my a$$. I just turned 62 years old. Getting old is not for sissies! Hang in there.

My father had a stroke, and had to live with me and my wife his last 6 years, not sure who it was harder for us or him , but we made it work! sure wasnt easy, BUT he got to Hunt and Fish something he couldnt do on his own! hes been gone now for 5 years and falls a bit tough with him gone, now its me mostly hunting alone, im 56 with a bad leg but can still do most things but its hard to get a big deer out by your self! Id try to mentor a younger person,or try to find a guy that cant get out on his own, might make a good team! Take care I wish you a happy hunting season!

I hate to hear of these troubles too...because we all know it will be our turn sooner or later...
I wish I had an answer of some sort...but every ones case is different. I still have my independence but am aging, and with my background I trained my German Shepherd to be rock solid in public and to do some basic service dog tasks...doors, drawers. fetching, bracing etc......because I know very well I may need him someday soon....

I'm 65 and am dealing with a couple of issues. Two years ago i helped my elk partner pack out the bottom feeder bull he nailed near the bottom of a canyon.....and that was after two days of cafe food poisoning.
Last Sept i popped a buck antelope and due to reservation restrictions i had to backpack him out. Three miles to truck to get pack and walk back in thru the rain and tote him out in the heavy rain and darkness.
I cannot do that anymore.
Already missing climbing over fences to get back into those places that older coyotes loiter in.
Enjoy what you have done in the past. Clearing the property has opened a new chapter for you. Explore those new trails and exchange the firearm/bow for a camera and share the pics with us.
Getting outdoors is more than a tag filled (less messy too).
Mentoring the next generation is a honorable thing to do.

And i'm a 284 fan as well. Ruger,Browning,Winchester.
Never got around to a rebarrelled #1.

This.

Choose some youngster that you see some potential in and start bringing him along. It'll be good for both of ya'll

It's never too late to continue physical rehabilitation after a stroke. The "plateau" myth is that - a myth. There is a plateau because insurance coverage runs out and physical therapy stops.

I'd recommend visiting a good post-stroke physical rehabilitation specialist and get a regimen of stretches and exercises. Even a once- a month visit and regular work on your part will improve your quality of life. Good luck.

After having cataract surgery this summer, I was diagnosed with A-Fib and was a likely candidate for a stroke or heart attack. Hopefully, Xralto can keep that from happening.

What I am fighting are eye issues. Other than the cataract, I have had a torn retina, which was repaired with laser surgery, and caused scar tissue. I also have Fuch's Syndrome, which will require cornea transplants in both eyes. I just went yesterday for a change in vision, and was told that I have a blister on my right (read scope eye) cornea.

I am extremely thankful that I am still able to enjoy the outdoors, but I never pass up an opportunity to go on a hunt. I realize that my life could change at any given moment.

Best wishes for you Denny.

donsm70

Denny,

I am so very sorry to hear of how limited you have become. I have a small sense of what you are going through but I have a hope of recovery to a large degree.

While I am in my disabled status I have applied for and recieved a disabled hunting ID that allows me to get some different tags and to legally hunt from my truck and or quad. Maybe you can look into this in your state.

I am overwhlemingly blessed to have friends who have remained my close friends through the years. They hunted with me when I was able to pack out deer, black bear and elk on my back and know that it is only my disease, which like you I did not choose or bring upon myself, that is making me so tired and listless and in such pain most of the time.

These friends, some of whom I mt through 24hrcf before I got sick, have continued to hunt with me and do all of the work stuff that I can no longer do. Do you have any friends who would assist you with your hunting and outdoor stuff? If not, maybe it is time to make some. I would not think it hard to do.

If I am as healthy and strong after I get a kidney as they say I will be, I would be honored to come and spend some time out there with you during a fall and after I recover and regain my strength to help you with some chores and with getting your deer out of the woods. Of course, I would continue to pick your brain about all thing Harley and drag racing while there...

I would advise you to do as much as you can (like you are doing) and get your old friends or make some new friends who can take up some of the slack for you to keep you going.

Without my friends, there is no way I could have continued hunting even the little bit that I have the past few years.

I do not feel up to hunting at all this year, just deer CAMP - and with a 5th wheel camping trailer to stay in and lots of friends around - about killed me off recently, but I kept going for a lot longer because of friends and help.

PLUS 1 on trying to rehab some more, if at all possible.

I wish I was healthy and could be there to lend a hand. Someone is, I am sure.

Genuine best wishes,

MARK

Might be my new sig line, Sam.

Your thread was interesting because it came just after I took my walk.

Mentally I think I can do just about anything but physically I can't. I've never had a stroke but I do have nerve damage from herniated disks in my lower back. The pain in my legs, mostly the left leg, is gone but the damage, while greatly reduced, is still there. I realize whatever shooting I do now whether is targets, gongs, or varmints is going to done off a bench. My walk just brought that home again for the umpteenth time.

One of things that has helped me greatly from a wheel chair to walking, driving, taking care of myself has been a great physical therapist who plays golf and shoots. He understands the problems both physical and mental. If you don't have physical therapist get one. A good one is worth their weight in gold. I went from seriously thinking of ending it all to being at least 98% active.

So the bottom line is realize you can't do things like you use to do. Use mechanical aids as much as possible (I bought a CR-V toward that end) and use physical therapy. As has been suggested if there is a young person especially one who can drive to mentor that can help in spades.

I hope this helps.

Good idea. Expanding my daily walks to include some camera time might be fun. A few camp chairs scattered about and my tripod might yield a few enjoyable pics to post here.

If you stop exercising completely, you'll feel worse and die sooner. So keep up the struggle--it is what life is all about. There is nobility in your struggle, even if it looks and feels ignoble most of the time.

i am a hypertensive diabetic, with spinal stenosis and some herniated discs, and a crapped out right ankle from a m/c accident in the 60's. I really felt embarrassed about a week ago when i got that handicapped decal for the car.
Having said that i am going deer hunting this thursday in a camp with a bunch of other old grumps.
One, quad bypass, diabetes, huge problems with his feet
another, fell off a platform on a naval ship, medically retired in his 30's. about four stent operations now and laid in a body cast for six months. Can't hardly walk at all. Thank God we all have quads, and can help one another. My right leg doesn't work so well, but the left does. Another guy is the reverse so between us we got it covered.
I have accepted my days of running with the big dogs is over, but there is a time and a place. I actually think in some ways i have become a better hunter by not moving as good. I saw a guy a few years ago in a motorized wheel chair working his way around a tank. Best thing to do is find some other cripples for company. Campfire discussion are really funny talking about backaches, roids, constipation, etc.
I can't think of anyone that is going to be in that camp that doesn't have some problems. Between all of us you might get one fit person combined.

deleted

Had a few TIA's as well, only one turned out was actually a stroke.

I am beyond lucky as to major damage. The loss of balance, the permanent weakness etc. are a pita.

I got my permanent handicap tags yesterday. I felt bad about getting them but the Dr. insisted.


I can't walk far so I ride the stationary bike 2 miles at a session. Some days 2, some days 4 or 5. Every bit of activity at least slows the atrophy.

Good luck everyone with the geezer gifts we all get sooner or later.

"All that is left is memories."

Made me think of a good friend, now deceased. He was best man at my wedding 56 years ago. About 11 years ago he had a severe stroke that resulted in him having to move into a nursing home where he lived for 9 years.

He loved the outdoors and it all changed in a minute for him. I used to visit him at least once a week. Since he couldn't get out he didn't have a chance to develop new experiences. I swear he existed on the memories we had to share. Sometimes it got a little tedious going over the same things but in spite of this he handled his disability better than I think I could have.

He died a bit over a year ago and now Fall is here I am thinking of him again.

For those of you who are still able to get out and about, do not forget old friends. Spend time with them and share memories. They will thank you for it.

Jim