I am having a 2 level fusion done on june 1st and wanted to know if anyone here has had this done and if so how long did it take for you to be able to get back in the tree with your bow.
No back surgery, but I had my hip replaced last May and was hanging stands in August. Good luck with the surgery.
Michael, first off good luck. I am not a doctor but just like any other surgery, specific things make a big difference in one's recovery. How physically fit you are plays a big role. The extent of the injury. The location of the injury. How willing you are to rehab like mad. Pain.
Thanks for all of the wishes, My doc said taking my strength and conditioning in account that he thinks my recovery would be fairly quick and that I should be good to go by October. But I keep hearing all of the horror stories form everyone else. Last year August I had a prcoedure done and was almost finished with rehab (4 days away) when my disks ruptured so now they are fusioning 2 levels. I just do not know if I will still be able to hunt like I am used to and that sux.
Hey Mike, if your currently in good shape and have a little snot in your nose you won't have any trouble. In sept of 1998 I had 5 of my thoracic vertebrae fused and titanium plated. They gutted me from sternum to my spine, they had to go in from the side wall of my ribs. I was one messed up dude for a few weeks after ICU. But I was determined to get to whitetail hunt. I had to start walking all over again. I was in a turtle shell for 4 months. WALKING (was the best therapy) daily starting with baby steps from my hospice bed. My neuro surgeon told me that there was nothing better nor would there ever be anything better for me for the rest of my life that simply walking and hiking.. so thats what I did. Everyday I made myself walk a little fruther. From getting to the bathroom on day one to walking up my mothers stairs at her house to walking outside and eventually walking up her county road... everyday I just kept pushing harder and fruther. Before Nov 1 ( opening day of whitetail season back then) I could walk almost a mile. I had dropped 40 lbs after the surgery but slowing began to build my strength and stamina back up. I met with my surgeon on Nov 4th and begged him to release me to try to hunt. He did but only because I could walk a mile and under the condition that if I killed a buck that I would NOT try to drag our pack it out. And I had to wear my turtle shell at all times.. while upright... It was the mountains and whitetail that motivated me to get better. I started off hunting by walking into the woods as far as I could with my turtle shell on and just sitting by trees. Somedays I would be so sore and tired that I would just curl up in a ball and sleep in the woods for hours.. then wake up and get back to my truck ... by Nov 15 I was getting a little better everyday and on that morning I crawled in on a scrape line and shot a beautiful whitetail buck off the ground at about 12 yards.. probably to this day the most important buck I've ever shot. Yup, you can do it man.. with determination and some hard work you can get you back out there. I went to physical therapy too, but all they did is piddle around with me, I swear my therapy was the biggest joke, but the walking made a huge difference.
hey raceway i am gonna do my best to be there if I can get someone to drive me. Shed thank you for the post walking is what got me going last time. I really think it physically and mentally helps. I have buddies that will be dragging and gutting them for me so thank god that will be covered. the first theraphy I went to was a joke but my work rehab was great 4 hrs a day 5 days a week for 4 weeks and I was kickin ass. I am one of the most stubborn and determined person most people know so I really think I can do it. But reading your story really puts alot of hope back in me to be able to go.
Well today is the day. Hopefully the surgery goes as good as planned and I'll be able to go to the GTG this year.
Remarkable story Troy... I'd never heard that for some reason. Saying a prayer for you right now, Michael.
