Overcoming Physical Adversities

[Magic]

I had Total Knee Replacement surgery on November 18th and will have Rotator Cuff surgery next week on the 21st. The adage about "old ain't for sissies" hits closer to home when you will be 77 years old when you hit the Colorado mountains in October. This will be my year to "guide" and Marty (son) should draw a 2nd season Bull license.

By June I should be able to start bicycling and reach my 12 miles per day 3-4 days per week goal by October.

[Elkhntr08]

Had my right shoulder rebuilt a few years ago on May 10th. Listened to and pushed the PT. Was pulling 70# and standing on a mountain September 1 that year. It’s doable!

[Swede]

Good for you guys. I am sure you will come through just fine. Think positive, keep active, but don't overdo it. Let's do everything we can to keep the string of hunts alive.

[saddlesore]

That 77 comes hard Magic.I'll be there come August. Listen to Swede. Don't over due it and follow PT instructions completely. The shoulder i s a lot more complicated than a knees.

If I am able ,I will be hunting all of September with crossbow fro elk except a break for Muzzle loader cow elk season,then a deer and antelope hunt in Dec. Then will try for another elk hunt then. We have an eastern Colorado elk hunt that goes from Sept1 thru Jan31

[>>>---WW---->]

Lyn, good luck on your up coming surgery. It goes good for most people but for mine it did not. My total knee replacement was a disaster. They compromised my peroneal nerve during the operation. As a result, my foot and lower leg are numb and my calf muscle is weak and won't allow me to stand on tip toes. I have to walk sort of flat footed and my since of balance is terrible (actually, non existent) on that leg.

I'm happy for you that your knee sounds like it is going well. And I hope your shoulder heals up well also. OH and by the way, 77 does suck!

[Magic]

Bill, I would have to say that my TKR surgery was a success, but of course that was my first/only experience with one. It was not age related but a payback from a combination of being 30 years old and having a dirt motorcycle. Anyway, I met all of my extension and flexion expectations and was discharged with no restriction nor limitations in 6 weeks. I guess that my knee success was a combination of a good surgeon plus my PT homework.

The shoulder is age related. The MRI on my shoulder showed that a bone spur has worn and abraded a rotator cuff muscle. The surgeon will shave off the bone spur and bursitis and repair the rotator cuff. The recovery will probably be longer than the knee.

I am still portable sawmilling so this will and is compromising my sawing business. My mind tells my body that if it is going with me it had better suck it up and be tough.

[Lefty]

A lot has to do with attitude
I use to see these old guys crippled up trying to get into a car, walking their dog.
My FIL is an exceptional specimen , I expected to be the same way.
I’ve come to the conclusion I shouldn’t do certain things because of the risk
I gave away my Slalom ski I haven’t had ice skates roller blades snow skis for a couple years.
Some things I just can’t do and that list has gotten long
My friend is also my doc\surgeon .

He stated once the only reason I still do what I do is because aI do it.
I’m going to do what I can. I am thankful for what I am still able to do
So many things. I expected to do at my age 61 I will never do again

However I’ll fill my time doing what I’m able.
Put the rest behind me
The neurologist said I should not be walking.
I have followed some of my docs advise . I’m walking and hunting
I got some good advice on stayin or getting in better condition

[Lefty]

[quote="My mind tells my body that if it is going with me it had better suck it up and be tough.[/quote]

Be carefull make the right choice.
No matter what we did or though years ago shouldn’t be the base line for stupidity.
Somethings you did in your 20’s don’t even attempt
I sold my taller ladders my goal is to stay within 2 feet of the ground

My brother made a statement; We’re has- beens!

Acknowledge there are things you can’t do .
Fill your day with what you can do

[Elkhntr08]

Lynn, removing a bone spur and reshaping the bone was part of my surgery. I will tell you that when the nerve block wore off, that was a whole new kind of pain. Take the meds when they tell you to.
My mind is still driving my body too. I look in the mirror and wonder who that old guy is standing in front of me. At 58, I know I need to start taking better care of myself.
Good luck with the surgery and learn to type with one hand for a while.
Jim

[Magic]

I fairly well know my limitations and don't plan of doing anything foolish. I just ain't quitting!!

“Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened.”

[Lefty]

While we may often need to change or adapt
My backup hunt plan when I’m too bad to move or walk I know where I’ll be hunting, Ill be hunting from a blind just feet from a road , maybe only 100 yards to a vehicle

My dad was given a cross bow by our local CO, He sat in his pickup in a strip of corn the farmer left

My wife hunted with her dad till he was 87 , He killed a decent buck but had to send a nephew to recover the meat. The only reason he hadn’t hunted the past two years, he wants to stay with my Mother in law.

[Magic]

Thanks for the kind words, encouragement, and well wishes.

We got home a little past noon after having the rotator cuff repaired, the detached bicep reattached, and the bone spur and bursitis shaved off. The pain block has not worn off yet, but I have already taken a pain pill as instructed to stay ahead of the pain.

Here is a video of me waking up and being visited by Donna (daughter) and Marty (son). I was hoarse from the tube and could hardly talk, and still groggy and obviously didn't know anything.

https://youtu.be/hnV5vHH5bwg

[Swede]

Best wishes on a full and speedy recovery. It looks like you are in some great hands.

BTW: Who did your last post here? Was it your daughter or wife?

[Elkhntr08]

Magic, the worst is over.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[Magic]

I may be on the mend with the shoulder, but it is boring not being able to exercise or anything. Just sit....

BTW Swede, I made my previous post but it was done before the pain block wore off.

[Swede]

I am still impressed. Just follow your wife's and doctors orders in that order. Get better so you will be ready for hunting season.

[Lefty]

My surgeon gave archers a different line Of PT

[Magic]

I go to the surgeon Monday for a followup and get the stitches removed. I have been Googling and reading so I'm not looking forward to what he is probably going to say. This shoulder recovery will take much longer than I thought/knew. No pain, just sitting and counting time.....

[Swede]

I suppose I could remove your stiches, but the diagnosis on recovery is a little beyond my level of expertise. Best wishes.
I have taken out my stitches several times and the doctor did not say anything, but when I removed a row of staples that had held my guts in, he got this puzzled look and asked how I did it? I told him I have a pair of heavy duty wire cutters, and just popped them apart. It was less painful that his removal of staples.
Anyway Lynn, I will remove your stitches for free, but you will need to come to my house for the service.

[Magic]

What!!! You do not make house calls ?? Funny you did not hesitate to cash the check.

My shoulder stitches come out today and I will ask the surgeon whether I can work one armed. LINK I know that I am too flipping ole to still be working but my portable sawmill business pays for fun.

[Swede]

You do not make house calls ?? Funny you did not hesitate to cash the check.

Nope. And like I said above you have to come to my house for the service. That could only be a good deal for you if the Colorado doctors are all quacks.

[Magic]

Apparently the groundhog surgeon saw his shadow and ordered for me to finish my six weeks with the sling. Gotta wear it until I go back to see him on the 30th. The good news was that he did allow me to saw providing that the arm stays in the sling and immobilized. I can not lift or push anything, as in nothing. He said that if I bust it, it will involve much more intensive surgery and take a looong time to heal.

[Magic]

Good News today. I am 5½ weeks past my shoulder surgery and had my NP visit today. The first thing that he said was "raise your arm as high as you can". What? That arm has not been out of the sling except to shower and do my rope/pulley exercise 3 times per day, and he said to raise it. I jokingly raised the left arm, but he was too sly for that. Quite frankly, I was sorta hesitant to try to raise the arm because I did not know that I could. I began raising it and just kept on lifting it higher and higher and got it to about 165°. He said that ~90° would have been normal for that first visit.

He told me to ditch the sling unless I was doing something and felt more comfortable with it on. Also since I was ahead of the curve he did not recommend formal PT unless I really wanted it. At that point, I was issued a rubber strap and given instructions on what to do during my home PT sessions and I will also continue the pulley exercises.

[Swede]

Congratulations Lynn. Keep it up and you will soon be where you need to be.

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

That's fantastic news! Keep it up with all the pulley and stretch band exercises. I've always found those types of stretches to be helpful even when I'm not injured!

[saddlesore]

Great news, but I would still do the instructed PT. Ask for it. You get a lot more different range of motion, better muscle build and there is less chance of re-injuring it. Although mine was complete shoulder replacement two+ years ago, I still do all my PT every other day

[WapitiTalk1]

So glad your procedure went well Lyn! Yep and yep, follow the doc's PT orders. Looking forward to hearing about your big game adventures this fall!

[Elkhntr08]

Randy Ulmer had a video about using the bands before and after a shooting session. You might look that one up, good advice.

[Magic]

I am doing the prescribed lifting and pulling exercises three times per day and it's working because I am now within 2" of raising the repaired arm as high as the other. Small gains, but I am well pleased.

I seldom even think about the total knee replacement that was done in November.

[Swede]

The elk want to see you in perfect condition. They do not want to have an unfair advantage. It looks like you will be prepared to give them all they can handle. Congrats.

[Magic]

I had my "final" visit with the shoulder surgeon this week, got a good report, and was discharged. Don't be foolish and try to heavy lift or otherwise do crazy stuff that I know that I should not do. Just be reasonable and continue to do the stretches. He said that since I have the range of motion, the strength would gradually come about. I don't do golf nor archery so I am happy.

I have what should probably be my final knee surgeon followup visit on the 12th.

[Swede]

Sounds great Magic. Just be patient and follow your doctor's advise.

[Magic]

Thanks, this has been an "interesting" five months. The first time in over 60 years that I never went Deer nor Turkey hunting.

I did have a Grandson that took a very nice Whitetail on my property though. The picture shows this years on the right (top) compared with one he took a couple of years ago on the left (bottom). Sorry, I have not found the tools to turn the picture on this site.

[>>>---WW---->]

Glad to here you are improving Lynn. Looks like your grandson has found a good taxidermist. Great looking mounts!

[Magic]

I had my 6 month followup visit with the knee surgeon this week. He was pleased with my healing progress and my range of motion. His instructions to me was to use it like it was mine and if anything makes it hurt, don't do it. No restrictions, and come back in 6 months. I guess that he needs one more check.

That is basically the same instructions that I got following my shoulder rotator cuff surgery. Use it but don't do any crazy heavy lifting.

Anyhow, maybe I'm patched up good enough to make it a few more miles/years.

[saddlesore]

Good for you. Hope you get back on the mountain this fall

[Swede]

It appears you are on the downhill side of the stretch. Keep up the good work. The goal is just ahead.

[Magic]

Thanks guys. I believe that I posted it somewhere, probably about applying for license, but we will not be on the mountain this Fall. Marty (son) was "pink slipped" from AT&T this week so rather than plan ahead during his uncertainty, we chose to draw PP's and plan for next year. He will be involved with a business startup so it's best to let that be his priority.

I am still very active with my portable sawmilling business which he will also gradually take over. His son (my grandson) is already helping me.