Maybe I'm Getting to Old for this chit.

[JD48]

43 minutes ago, DV1 said:

Most of it is your attitude, or state of mind. If you want to quit, you will. If you want to keep going, you will. With some obstacles, it gets harder to want to do some things, but that too is relative.

After a surgery that went bad in 2014, almost a year later I couldn't use my right arm for much, and I'm right handed, I was feeling sorry for myself. Standing in line at Disney, feeling the woe-is-me, I noticed someone in front of me with only one arm, and later that day, a Vet walking with one leg and a prosthetic. Suddenly, I felt fortunate to still have the arm, even if it only worked some of the time. Always someone that has it worse. 

After a few years of doing my own PT at home, I got back to about 75 percent use of my right arm, some of the time. Most of the time, I involuntarily use my neck muscles to lift my arm, which has caused neck issues, besides the 4 levels that are bone on bone because the discs are gone. I go to a chiropractor that says in his 36 years, my neck is the worst he's seen. I have other issues, like random nerve and muscle pain, sciatica, and these random muscle spasms, like violent, long lasting spasms, of undiagnosed origin (well, sort of).

Since July, I haven't been able to chew food because my jaw doesn't work right, no trauma, just woke up that way one day. For someone who likes to cook, and eat, as much as I do, that's pretty traumatic. Been to all kinds of doctors and specialists. Dentists says my teeth are fine, so it's a joint or muscle issue. Oral surgeon put 20 shots of Botox in my face to paralyze the muscles she thought were pulling my jaw out of alignment, didn't work, made it worse actually.  Had 3 CT's of my face and neck, MRI of the jaw and neck, x-rays, blood tests, exams, etc. etc.. No arthritis or TMJ in my joints, in fact, they show normal jaw alignment. Exhausted my resources in NJ, so my doctor sent me to Jefferson in Philly, and oral surgeon recommended specialists at Penn Medicine. Saw 3 specialists there, the answers I got were "no clue", "I'm stumped" and "Don't know what to tell you". 

So, it's still soft, over-cooked food that I can smash against the roof of my mouth with my tongue, soups, and smoothies, and still no idea what is wrong. Monday I go for a biopsy of something on my thyroid, which they say has nothing to do with my jaw, but may be why I haven't been able to sleep more than 2 or 3 hours a night for 9 months.

So can't eat, can't sleep, bad left knee and right hip, chronic back and neck pain and stiffness, and need both shoulders replaced, and I'm not quite 60 yet, and there are people worse off than me.  Oh, and when doing the CT of my jaw, they noticed I have what's called Silent Sinus Syndrome. My right sinus is almost completely collapsed, and sucking in the boney structures around it (it acts like a vacuum chamber when it collapses), including the floor of the right orbital socket, so my right eye is sinking. When Jefferson saw that, they scheduled me for sinus surgery on the spot.  Cheer up, you're not doing too bad. 

You got a lot going on, but as bad as it may be, there's plenty of people in the graveyard that would trade places with you

[DV1]

4 minutes ago, JD48 said:

You got a lot going on, but as bad as it may be, there's plenty of people in the graveyard that would trade places with you

Oh, I know. That was my entire point...always someone that has it worse. Plenty of people on this site that have it worse than him, and me, I'm sure. 

[Jerzguy2]

What encouragement I've gotten from these post ! At 74 and a lifetime of physical work, it's been difficult to deal with the inability to do what I used to do or want to do. Wanted to get back into bow hunting, but also suffer from shoulder injuries and no longer have the ability to hold back a draw. Discussed this with the owner of a local shop and he suggested a Crossbow, but in my stubbornness, I said I can't get passed that this should only be for invalids. Well, maybe I'll have to revisit my opinion. After not hunting for many years, just because of the inability to walk , I had double knee replacement and have a new lease on life. No longer wish to climb more than 3 feet above the ground, guess that leaves tree stands out of the equation .  I am very happy with what I can still do and after reading about others, there will be no further peeps from me. Wish I had done more of the "Real" hunting like Greybeard when I was younger, but can't go back. Guess I'll have to look for some like conditioned buddies to hunt with.

Edited December 12, 2021 by Jerzguy2

[JD48]

1 hour ago, Jerzguy2 said:

What encouragement I've gotten from these post ! At 74 and a lifetime of physical work, it's been difficult to deal with the inability to do what I used to do or want to do. Wanted to get back into bow hunting, but also suffer from shoulder injuries and no longer have the ability to hold back a draw. Discussed this with the owner of a local shop and he suggested a Crossbow, but in my stubbornness, I said I can't get passed that this should only be for invalids. Well, maybe I'll have to revisit my opinion. After not hunting for many years, just because of the inability to walk , I had double knee replacement and have a new lease on life. No longer wish to climb more than 3 feet above the ground, guess that leaves tree stands out of the equation .  I am very happy with what I can still do and after reading about others, there will be no further peeps from me. Wish I had done more of the "Real" hunting like Greybeard when I was younger, but can't go back. Guess I'll have to look for some like conditioned buddies to hunt with.

We should start an Oldtimers Hunting Club, minimum age 70 years old, sit around talk about our aches and pains, shitty bosses we had, and broads we screwed

[Coyoteslayer]

Sounds like the gigs up old man. Settle in for some matlock reruns and relive the magic of old Steve McQueen movies.  Make way for the young lions lol. Totally just kidding. Regroup and win with your experience. Finding more accessible locations and the right equipment will get u back on track.

[hunterbob1]

6 minutes ago, JD48 said:

We should start an Oldtimers Hunting Club, minimum age 70 years old, sit around talk about our aches and pains, shitty bosses we had, and broads we screwed

Okay sounds good to me will we need a password?

 

[Njpddet]

I agree. This getting old stuff (bad back and getting worse) really stinks. Might I suggest a ladder stand WITH an adjustable shooting bar. In my opinion it makes everything easier. Especially with heavy crossbows. I don’t have to hold onto my crossbow all day plus it’s a rock solid rest when you are presented with a shot. I’ll go back now and read this entire thread now. I realize that my suggestion might not workout if you are hunting public land etc.


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[hunterbob1]

3 minutes ago, Njpddet said:

I agree. This getting old stuff (bad back and getting worse) really stinks. Might I suggest a ladder stand WITH an adjustable shooting bar. In my opinion it makes everything easier. Especially with heavy crossbows. I don’t have to hold onto my crossbow all day plus it’s a rock solid rest when you are presented with a shot. I’ll go back now and read this entire thread now. I realize that my suggestion might not workout if you are hunting public land etc.


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Holding my shotgun or my crossbow used to feel like 2 lbs, actual wt. 7 lbs, now they feel like 14 lbs.

[Njpddet]

I agree. This getting old stuff (bad back and getting worse) really stinks. Might I suggest a ladder stand WITH an adjustable shooting bar. In my opinion it makes everything easier. Especially with heavy crossbows. I don’t have to hold onto my crossbow all day plus it’s a rock solid rest when you are presented with a shot. I’ll go back now and read this entire thread now. I realize that my suggestion might not workout if you are hunting public land etc.


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It looks like my suggestion won’t work since the stand would probably be stolen in 10 minutes. Maybe a small one man ground blind and shoot off of a Deathgrip tripod?

[jumpthestring]

Not for Nothing , there is nothing wrong with hunting from the ground . its all about location and set up. Most inportant its safer hunting from the ground..

[230jhp]

16 hours ago, Bones said:

I have neck issues as well I got injections that helped a hell of a lot 

now I’m just somewhat careful.

Hang in there get your body right the rest will come easier.

 

Injections is what I'm hoping to get for my neck. The surgeon that was recommended by my physical therapist wouldn't make an appointment because there's a problem with my Medicare. When they look it up on the computer it shows s workman's comp claim from 11 years ago is my primary insurance and Medicare is secondary. This is a workman's comp claim that was never paid. I'm working on fixing that, but dealing with automated answering systems and mindless beurocrats once I get to a real person is difficult. Thankfully I have someone at my insurance agents office helping me.

[Bucndoe]

[trapoholic]

22 hours ago, BHC said:

Frank, zone 3 is a tough zone to hunt

You shot 2 deer more then most do, sadly you didn't recover them

But on a bright side you could of gotten a date with the fat lady, fat ladies need loving too !!!!  So be the buck and rut on over to her !!!! 

Like others said re-group, do some off season homework, make some slight adjustments and be ready for 2022 season

Zone 3 is tough to hunt. But on the bright side, there is plenty of room to hunt there.

[deadonshot2]

6 hours ago, Jerzguy2 said:

What encouragement I've gotten from these post ! At 74 and a lifetime of physical work, it's been difficult to deal with the inability to do what I used to do or want to do. Wanted to get back into bow hunting, but also suffer from shoulder injuries and no longer have the ability to hold back a draw. Discussed this with the owner of a local shop and he suggested a Crossbow, but in my stubbornness, I said I can't get passed that this should only be for invalids. Well, maybe I'll have to revisit my opinion. After not hunting for many years, just because of the inability to walk , I had double knee replacement and have a new lease on life. No longer wish to climb more than 3 feet above the ground, guess that leaves tree stands out of the equation .  I am very happy with what I can still do and after reading about others, there will be no further peeps from me. Wish I had done more of the "Real" hunting like Greybeard when I was younger, but can't go back. Guess I'll have to look for some like conditioned buddies to hunt with.

Get past the stubborness of shooting a crossbow. I have bad arthritis in right shoulder that prevented me from hunting some days cause I could not draw the bow back. I stayed stubborn and ended up wounding bucks on back to back days. I immediately drove to sportsmans center and bought my crossbow. After shooting it there a few times (George already had it sighted in) I went to range on wma and shot it a few more times. Climbed right back in the tree that afternoon. I hunt for my enjoyment and killing a deer is secondary to the experience. So don't let silly thing stop you from doing what you like to do. Hunting from the ground can be very productive. I shot a nice 10pt last year from the ground. I simply kicked leaves to create a bare spot on ground, set up my chair, cut two small branches on a bush for shooting lanes and two hours later luck brought me a bruiser. Just get out there.

[njdoxie]

9 hours ago, DV1 said:

Oh, I know. That was my entire point...always someone that has it worse. Plenty of people on this site that have it worse than him, and me, I'm sure. 

When I start feeling depressed/upset over  health or some other problem, I kick myself in the pants (or someone else does) and remember that someone ALWAYS has it worse, much worse.   My daughter was going thru chemo from 2 yrs old to 4 yrs old........the things I saw with my daughter and the other families going thru the same thing would make a grown man cry.  Just ghastly.  Remembering that makes my worst day seem like the best day ever.  Heck, if I die tomorrow, I've lived a good long life, better than a lot of folks.

Not minimizing your problems, but it helps to think of those much worse off.