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Anyone with limited disabilites or medical problems who wants to continue to enjoy kayaking, canoeing, camping, fishing, hunting or just being in the outdoors, but needs some words of hope and encouragement from someone whoes been their, I've put my personal experiences in writing.
Don't let the Doctors dictate what you can & can't do. Healing your body depends a lot on you and your will to heal. Doctors perscribe pills, physical therapy and surgery. But in many cases its up to you the patient that determines the outcome.
I am a very blessed man, in 2007 my aorta in my chest near my heart actually split open while I was at home. The only pain I felt was in my jaw. No chest pain or other heart related pains. I felt a little clammy so my wife called the ambo. Para-Medics checked vitals & did a cardiogram & could not find symptoms other than my appearence and complaint of jaw pain. They wanted to take me to hospital to be checked but would not take me to the hospital of my preference because it was out of my district.
My wife drove me to hospital of my choice. Good Thing. This hospital is well know for its heart treatment & cardiac surgery. Plus most (all) of my other Doctors are in the medical center at this hospital. I carry a printed copy of my complete Medical History, Medications, attending Doctors, Blood Type, Surgeries, allergies and ongoing medical conditions, folded in a pocket size shape with me whereever I go.
Until now I had no history of any heart problems, I exercised and worked out 3 days a week walking 3 miles with 5lb hand weights. When I arrived at the hospital all the bells & whistles went off. Luckily a well know Interventional Cardiologist was their on another case. The emergency room doctor said he was sure my condition was heart related but had to call for the Cardiologist to locate the problem.
The same Cardiologist Dr Medae that is in the news today examined me and said I need a Cath Procedure to confirm his diagnosis and I would need emergency heart surgery if he was right.
I had the cath procedure and could hear the Doctor say Code Blue Dissected Aorta, patient is critical, call in the Thorasic Surgeon Dr. Sell and his excellent team of Cardiac Surgical Nurses and Anastesiasts.
I didn't know it at the time, they told my wife about the dissected aorta leaking blood into my chest and I need emergency open heart surgery. They also told my wife that I had a 20% chance of surviving this surgery, as this was as serious a cardiac event as it gets.
After 9 hours on the operating table I was taken off life support and wheeled to IC. They sawed open my rib cage, put me on life support, stopped my heart and repaired the split aorta using a gortex tube. While they had me opened up they also did a triple bypass on 3 partially clogged arteries and check out everything else inside me. The Surgeon and Surgical Nurses all told me afterwards that they were amazed on how well I withstood all that trauma and if I would not have been in the shape I was in, I probably wouldn't be hear.
I made a quick recovery through in & out patient cardiac rehab and a lot of hard work & exercise on my own. The driving force & motivation to fully recover was I wanted more time with my wife and daughter, and I wanted to be able to fish and hunt again. Here is a list of other surgeries that I have had:
2010 Total Left Knee Replacement
2009 Total Right Knee Replacement
2008 R/Eye Vitrectomy, Lensectomy & Cataract,
2005 TURP Prostrate Surgery
2003, L/Eye Cataract Surgery
2003 Corrective Cataract Implant Revision Surgery
2002 Arthroscopic L/Knee Surgery
2000 Laproscopic Upper Colon Sectioning Surgery
1986, L5 Lumbar Disc Surgery
I only listed these surgeries in hopes that others who have or will experience medical problems won't give up that which they love and enjoy most about life, family, friends, fishing, hunting and everything else. I have been very blessed by God. But I believe that God gives you the strength and will to help yourself but its up to YOU to do the heavy lifting.
Now at age 69 with a few medical problems behind me, I have taken on a new & exciting challenge of learning how to fish from a canoe. Due to my physical limitations, I had to make some adjustments and adaptations to my methods and gear that I need to pursue the art of canoe fishing. I am still a rank novice and have a lot to learn.
It is not easy to overcome a physical limitation. It requires a lot of forethought, planning and trial and error. But it also takes a lot of heart, determination and a willingness to strengthen that which you can strengthen both physically and mentally. And understand from the beginning that no one can do it for you. Often the road you will travel is usually long, bumpy and can break your spirit, if you let it.
I began by taking some in-water canoe lessons. Then I rented both canoes and kayaks to see which one would suite me the best. I decided on the canoe because of the leg room and comfort factor. But it has its draw backs. It weighs 75lbs and not as fast or agile as a kayak.
Factor in my physical limitations, I worked out a set of written procedures on how to move, load, unload, transport, enter, exit, paddle & fish from my canoe. I still need to refine these methods but that will take a lot more in-water practice and learning from experienced kayak fisherman. This is why I am seeking the company of more experienced canoe & kayak fisherman so I can learn from them the art of kayak/canoe fishing while enjoying their company, and the safety in numbers, as opposed to going it alone. Plus I hope to make some longtime fishing buddies that enjoy fishing from kayaks and canoes.
Joe P
Don't let the Doctors dictate what you can & can't do. Healing your body depends a lot on you and your will to heal. Doctors perscribe pills, physical therapy and surgery. But in many cases its up to you the patient that determines the outcome.
I am a very blessed man, in 2007 my aorta in my chest near my heart actually split open while I was at home. The only pain I felt was in my jaw. No chest pain or other heart related pains. I felt a little clammy so my wife called the ambo. Para-Medics checked vitals & did a cardiogram & could not find symptoms other than my appearence and complaint of jaw pain. They wanted to take me to hospital to be checked but would not take me to the hospital of my preference because it was out of my district.
My wife drove me to hospital of my choice. Good Thing. This hospital is well know for its heart treatment & cardiac surgery. Plus most (all) of my other Doctors are in the medical center at this hospital. I carry a printed copy of my complete Medical History, Medications, attending Doctors, Blood Type, Surgeries, allergies and ongoing medical conditions, folded in a pocket size shape with me whereever I go.
Until now I had no history of any heart problems, I exercised and worked out 3 days a week walking 3 miles with 5lb hand weights. When I arrived at the hospital all the bells & whistles went off. Luckily a well know Interventional Cardiologist was their on another case. The emergency room doctor said he was sure my condition was heart related but had to call for the Cardiologist to locate the problem.
The same Cardiologist Dr Medae that is in the news today examined me and said I need a Cath Procedure to confirm his diagnosis and I would need emergency heart surgery if he was right.
I had the cath procedure and could hear the Doctor say Code Blue Dissected Aorta, patient is critical, call in the Thorasic Surgeon Dr. Sell and his excellent team of Cardiac Surgical Nurses and Anastesiasts.
I didn't know it at the time, they told my wife about the dissected aorta leaking blood into my chest and I need emergency open heart surgery. They also told my wife that I had a 20% chance of surviving this surgery, as this was as serious a cardiac event as it gets.
After 9 hours on the operating table I was taken off life support and wheeled to IC. They sawed open my rib cage, put me on life support, stopped my heart and repaired the split aorta using a gortex tube. While they had me opened up they also did a triple bypass on 3 partially clogged arteries and check out everything else inside me. The Surgeon and Surgical Nurses all told me afterwards that they were amazed on how well I withstood all that trauma and if I would not have been in the shape I was in, I probably wouldn't be hear.
I made a quick recovery through in & out patient cardiac rehab and a lot of hard work & exercise on my own. The driving force & motivation to fully recover was I wanted more time with my wife and daughter, and I wanted to be able to fish and hunt again. Here is a list of other surgeries that I have had:
2010 Total Left Knee Replacement
2009 Total Right Knee Replacement
2008 R/Eye Vitrectomy, Lensectomy & Cataract,
2005 TURP Prostrate Surgery
2003, L/Eye Cataract Surgery
2003 Corrective Cataract Implant Revision Surgery
2002 Arthroscopic L/Knee Surgery
2000 Laproscopic Upper Colon Sectioning Surgery
1986, L5 Lumbar Disc Surgery
I only listed these surgeries in hopes that others who have or will experience medical problems won't give up that which they love and enjoy most about life, family, friends, fishing, hunting and everything else. I have been very blessed by God. But I believe that God gives you the strength and will to help yourself but its up to YOU to do the heavy lifting.
Now at age 69 with a few medical problems behind me, I have taken on a new & exciting challenge of learning how to fish from a canoe. Due to my physical limitations, I had to make some adjustments and adaptations to my methods and gear that I need to pursue the art of canoe fishing. I am still a rank novice and have a lot to learn.
It is not easy to overcome a physical limitation. It requires a lot of forethought, planning and trial and error. But it also takes a lot of heart, determination and a willingness to strengthen that which you can strengthen both physically and mentally. And understand from the beginning that no one can do it for you. Often the road you will travel is usually long, bumpy and can break your spirit, if you let it.
I began by taking some in-water canoe lessons. Then I rented both canoes and kayaks to see which one would suite me the best. I decided on the canoe because of the leg room and comfort factor. But it has its draw backs. It weighs 75lbs and not as fast or agile as a kayak.
Factor in my physical limitations, I worked out a set of written procedures on how to move, load, unload, transport, enter, exit, paddle & fish from my canoe. I still need to refine these methods but that will take a lot more in-water practice and learning from experienced kayak fisherman. This is why I am seeking the company of more experienced canoe & kayak fisherman so I can learn from them the art of kayak/canoe fishing while enjoying their company, and the safety in numbers, as opposed to going it alone. Plus I hope to make some longtime fishing buddies that enjoy fishing from kayaks and canoes.
Joe P
I've met a few over the years and they were all an inspiration! As for helping wounded soldiers get on the water, I'm not around right now but I would love to give some time to doing just that when I get back. Poor SOB's over here go through a lot of shit that not many people can even imagine. They deserve all our respect and gratitude no matter what your opinion is of the reasons we are here and in Iraq. Good Fishin
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