Talk about timing !!!

[Skychief]

Yours truly took a little spill while working in the woods in late March. Nothing new, except the pain in my knee wouldn't ease up (nor would the clicks and pops from it).

Fast forward to yesterday.....Diagnosis is a ripped cartilage (meniscus).

The only remedy is surgery. I may find out tomorrow when it will take place (depending on worker's compensation agent and the Doc's schedule).

Our turkey season opens Wednesday, April 25.

Anybody want to guess when they will schedule my surgery? :shocked2: :shake:

I have looked forward to chasing turkeys for a whole year like a lot of us here, but, my season may be a bust. My only hope may be to get it done ASAP and possibly heal quickly enough to catch the tail-end of our season. :idunno:

Glad to be back on here and do some catching up. Some fine hunts have taken place. Good luck to all of you still hunting!

Best regards, Skychief.

 

[roundball]

Hopefully, based on what you described, it will probably be performed as arthroscopic outpatient surgery, which usually results in the fastest recovery time...good luck with it for sure.

 

[Skychief]

Thanks RoundBall. That is exactly what I am facing. Any idea how long it takes a guy to get back to gobbler-chasing staus after a surgery of this kind? :idunno:

 

[rabjr]

Sucks don't it...I didn't buy a turkey tag cause of my op and guess whats been hanging around the back 40? :haha: Ah well...

You should be good to go soon. :thumbsup:

 

[Skychief]

Haven't been around much lately Swamp'. If ya had a recent operation, hope all went real well.

Funny how those birds know when they aren't in harm's way, huh? :surrender: :rotf: :slap:

Glad to hear from ya, Skychief.

 

[rabjr]

Rotor rootered my rotor cuff, got lucky though, only had calcium deposits and other manure vacuumed out and didn't need to touch my cuff so down time is weeks instead of months but I missed turkey season.

 

[Skychief]

Sorry about turkey season. :shake:

Maybe you will have a better fast ball and a wicked slider, though! :thumbsup:

 

[reddog97]

Not to be the bearer of bad news but I had ortho done on my knee on March7,2011 and I'm still limping. Hope your's turns out better.

 

[hanshi]

I tore two ligaments in my knee some years back and the doc decided not to operate which, he said, would take even longer to heal. He had me fitted with a custom made "robo brace" I wore for maybe three months - had therapy exercises I had to go through. I still went deer hunting with that thing on and did okay, just couldn't do much walking. The dang brace was, IIRC, about $3000.

 

[sdhunter]

figured i would show you what you are missing skychief, lol. Got this guy after work today. Hope all goes well and you still get to head for valentine and put the hurt on em.

 

[roundball]

That is exactly what I am facing. Any idea how long it takes a guy to get back to gobbler-chasing staus after a surgery of this kind? :idunno:

Too many variables to even guess...Google it up and you might at least get a general sense for it assuming a "routine" sort of arthroscopic procedure.

Personal opinion only, I'd think the bigger risk would be walking too soon on uneven ground, stepping in a hole / falling, and re-injuring the knee before its fully healed...would think some form of good brace would be an absolute.
I know you'll be disappointed if you miss turkey season but you're not 16 anymore with elastic parts and overnight recovery...LOL...guard against machismo just for the possibility of a turkey.

Talk to the doctor...heck, with some form of good knee brace you might be OK doing some hunting now THEN have the surgery AFTER the season...but just wild speculation on my part.
Ask your doctor if any continued serious damage would be done for the sake of waiting a few more weeks...unless pain is the deciding factor right now.

 

[majg1234]

RB is spot on,talk to the surgeon and get his opinion on a good brace and waiting. Unless the knee locks up from the loose cartlidge waiting is not usually a bad thing if you can tolerate the pain.Walking with a brace is its' own set of problems but even lap surgery on a meniscus will take you out for the season.No bill for this professional advice :grin: I'm a primary care provider with 30+ yrs experience civilian and military,in my other life when not making smoke :thumbsup:

 

[Skychief]

Well guess what!

Yep, I am scheduled for surgery the first day of our turkey season. :barf: :shake: :bull:

Between my employer, insurance and Doctor, there is no wiggle room for a re-schedule. :shocked2:

This is why I don't buy lottery tickets.

I appreciate all the replies guys.

The Doc says I wont be too fit for much for 6 weeks (best case scenario). They have found a cyst that developed with the fall to go along with the torn meniscus.

BLAST IT!!!!!!! You all know how I feel about gunning for a Thunder-Chicken with my smokepole...

I am just sick about it, but, glad to know there is hope to fix my knee.

If you are reluctant about chasing turkeys for any reason....DON'T BE! You don't know what ya have 'til it's gone.

Good luck all and send us stories and pictures please!

Skychief

 

[roundball]

Well, I was afraid of that...OK, so now out that aside and move into "suck it up" mode...you can't afford to screw up the recovery as Fall seasons are now coming into view.

Do you realize that Labor Day Dove Season opener is just through May/June/July/August...and you'll be recovering for a month and a half of that time.

I'm going back in the morning and if I get lucky, I'll do my Dances with Longbeards Dance for ya !!

 

[rabjr]

Well guess what!

Yep, I am scheduled for surgery the first day of our turkey season. :barf: :shake: :bull:

Between my employer, insurance and Doctor, there is no wiggle room for a re-schedule. :shocked2:

This is why I don't buy lottery tickets.

I appreciate all the replies guys.

The Doc says I wont be too fit for much for 6 weeks (best case scenario). They have found a cyst that developed with the fall to go along with the torn meniscus.

BLAST IT!!!!!!! You all know how I feel about gunning for a Thunder-Chicken with my smokepole...

I am just sick about it, but, glad to know there is hope to fix my knee.

If you are reluctant about chasing turkeys for any reason....DON'T BE! You don't know what ya have 'til it's gone.

Good luck all and send us stories and pictures please!

Skychief

Mind if a giggle just lil bit here....just because I ain't the only one missing Turkey season due to a surgery?? :haha: Sorry man, I know all to well how bad this sucks....hopefully you will be good as new next season.

 

[Skychief]

Go ahead and giggle Swamp'. I will really miss out, but, am so grateful that I stand a good chance of better knee. Like Roundball suggests....it's time to "suck it up". :slap:

Thanks guys!

 

[Skychief]

figured i would show you what you are missing skychief, lol. Got this guy after work today. Hope all goes well and you still get to head for valentine and put the hurt on em.

Great bird there sdhunter!

I wasn't able to make the trip because of my knee. Five friends went out last Saturday and hunted closer to Wyoming. I talked with them tonight as they neared Iowa on the way home (Indiana).

They had a great time and saw a lot of sheep, antelope and mulies. One friend even watched an eagle swoop down on a decoy. Another had a close encounter with a "side-winder".

They said they were in the middle of tons of gobblers. One claimed each morning sounded like a turkey farm!

That's the good part. The "not-as-good" part is that they gobbled on their roosts and shut up when they hit the ground. None of the five was able to coax a Tom close enough to bag. They claimed that they just dissappeared after the morning rush.

I am told that Nebraska had a 2 week bow season prior to their arrival and the birds were call-shy.

I told them that they simply got whipped and the birds were smarter than they were. That sure got my pals a'talkin'! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

They are in store for a lot of ribbing from their friends that didn't make the trip (me included), but would expect nothing less. :wink:

They all loved the country in your neck of the woods by the way.

Glad you got a nice bird, Skychief. :hatsoff:

 

[Kapow]

Had two knee ops. The first from football, the second from rushing the recovery of the first. Don't put anything ahead of your health or you'll be the turkey. I'm a great believer in the earlier the surgery the better.

 

[smo]

My knee went out on me two weeks before muzzleloader season opened last fall. Same thing torn meniscus I could not walk or put weight on it for three days The Doc wanted to do surgery right then he told me it would not repair itself. I made the decision not to have it done since I could walk on it until after hunting season since I could get around with out too much pain with a brace on it. I went hunting on opening day and climbed into my 23 foot high stand one painful step at a time lol But I did take an 8 pt that morning after I got down out of the stand I realized I could not get down on a knee to field dress the deer so I loaded him up with my tractor into the back of my truck and had the butcher shop take care of the dressing for me went on to take another buck on opening day of rifle season out of the same stand I had to load him up and take him to the butcher as well. Now fast forward 6 months and I'm scheduled for surgery on May 3 I figure Crappie season will be slowing down by then and I can put my other priorities on hold for a while I mean a mans got to do what a mans got to do LOL I plan to have my shooting range in shape before the surgery so I can do my physical therapy while getting in a little practice Good luck and good shootin. Smo

 

[KyFlintlock]

Dang man!!! Praying for a quick healing so you can get out there!

Wess