My shooting days are probably over - Update 1

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 2:16 pm

NOTE: Updates start at the last post.

I've been having lots of health problems in the last 7 or 8 years, many of them neurological.

Recently I've had lots of pain, and now weakness and numbness in the right side. Right hand is all but useless as the small and ring finger have no strength and the ring finger can't be pulled up level by normal muscle action.

Went to an orthopedist last week due to my messed up shoulder and one thing lead to another and they ended up doing x-rays of my neck bones. They look like all the vertebra are just jumbled up in the neck. Neck bones are actually bent opposite the way it should be.
I've got copies of the x-rays and I'll post them when I can figure out how. That is if you want me to.

DR gave me some Tramadol for pain and some Prednesone for inflammation, then got me set up with a neurologist and hopefully an MRI ( if the ins OKs it) to get a better idea of whats going on.

As it sits now I can't get my cheek down on the stock of my rifles for a normal sight picture, nor can I handle a short gun right handed.

My right hand wont work to type either, so if I didn't have spell check this would be a mess.

These health problems have been coming along for some years now, but because they haven't been really disabling not one dr would take me seriously and do any thing to help.

The after effects of the move last year confirmed to me that I had major problems, now all I can do is hope the drs can do something to fix the neck.

Oh well, I just wanted to let you guys know what was up with me.

Joe

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 2:22 pm

Joe, I understand how disheartening this is, but don't yet give up all hope. You may be able to find ways around your hurdles that let you stay in the game -- perhaps in a different way than you are used to, but still in the game nonetheless.
I have been referred for yet another MRI for my lower back. Somewhere below my two fusions, I am getting nerve compression that causes my right leg to go numb and my foot to drop. I've been trying not to let myself think about no more deer hunting, no more sneaking up on grouse, no more working down a stream with a fly rod, no more looking for agates at the beach. I ain't a-gonna go there until I absolutely have to go there.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 2:28 pm

Bill,

Not giving up but don't have much fight left.

My lower back is junk too resulting in a very week right leg. Add to that the arthritis in the knee and I just need a body transplant.

Joe

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 3:11 pm

Don't give up, Joe. You got out of Illinois, against all odds, and you can get out of this Pelosi, too..... Motion is lotion.

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 5:33 pm

Learn to shoot left handed?

At some point that day will come for all of us most likely. I'm sorry. At least you can still talk about it?

Ben_Rumson · Post by **Ben_Rumson** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 6:35 pm

No they're not. Things can be figured out.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 8:24 pm

If the back gets fixed then PHYSICAL THERAPY (especially if provided by an OCCUPATIONAL therapist), and good nutrition/supplements can help nerves and muscles heal and improve greatly.

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Sun Aug 21, 2016 8:28 pm

Ben_Rumson wrote:No they're not. Things can be figured out.

EXACTLY!
Today I shot a round of skeet with a friend who cant walk....he shot a 23 out of 25....
and another guy who just finished his cancer treatments.....
and a bunch of other guys in their 70s....
NEVER QUIT!
get your butt out there and have fun!

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 10:13 am

I remember my dad saying, "Getting old isn't for the weak!"
I wondered what he meant then, and that was maybe 40 years ago! Now after shoulder surgery, several knee surgeries, a couple other surgeries. A right wrist that is nearly fused on it's own from an accident in 1971. I'm understanding what he was talking about.
It's a real effort to do almost anything, but I'm fighting it as hard and as long as I can. Can't shoot as well, and don't shoot as often; but I'm not stopping as long as I can get outdoors and still pull a trigger.

Old No7 · Post by **Old No7** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 11:02 am

Hi Joe:

My brother-in-law has suffered FOR MANY YEARS with back & neck pains and stiffness, lower leg numbness and all -- and he has avoided getting it checked out for years, because all along he thought it was his spine...

Lo and behold, he was just advised to try an Inversion Table -- and he has gotten 90% relief in just 2 weeks!!! A few minutes lying at a (-20) degree angle in the morning, at noon (the guys at work rigged up a padded wooden board for him in the shop!), when getting home, and then just before bed has him feeling like a new man. He can't believe how much better he feels without any pills or surgery!

He did find out that all along the problems are all probably due to a bad hip, and he may be a candidate for hip replacement surgery someday, but now he feels like that day is many years in the future...

No guarantee this will help your neck, but maybe it's "worth a shot"!!!

( Since shooting is what you want to do!

)

Good luck!

Old No7

mikld · Post by **mikld** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 11:12 am

I saw a hunting video of a quadriplegic shooting a deer (IIRC). He had an apparatus attached to his motorized chair that held his rifle, and he actuated the trigger with his mouth. Made me forget my neuropathy, and inability to straighten out my little finger, and my knee that hyperextends by 20 degrees.

My bout with cancer showed me that's it's over when I say it's over (give up). Never, ever quit fighting...

gregg · Post by **gregg** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 5:33 pm

J Miller

I hear you. work a lot years in pain. Not even to lift my arms over head high for while. that kind of healed? then it got where I could not hardy get down the floor . Go to doctors tell them I got problem . No help no sent me on to doctors. No pain meds. Made me think been better off saying I could not work, not I wanted to keep on working. So now times sleep at counter or chair. If you sleep at all. Have just enough hydrocodone keep me from ending it. You know you may become addicted.(so much better being house bound) Our Terry here I'm sure im mad at him . I don't go see friends or reload pour bullets. to much pain. By no skill dumb luck I may found help. Had blocks before did not work. now new guy has gave me way more pain relief than he thought he could. another block this week if it works then they will burn those nerves off. then start on my neck. So there may be hope.
There a place in Colorado regenexx http://www.regenexx.com/
I should of added regenexx is they use your stem cells to help your body rebuild its self. This place was recommended by my doctor. It sounds better than most. but I'm still looking.
This I'm going to keep studying. Pain can only held off to certain level. Or as nice man that drop by yesterday said 4 avails and puts on his 1.25 belt and goes doing his chores and he pain free then and after. Nice huh.
J Miller been with us along time . prayers to you

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 2:21 am

prayers sent... :)

JohndeFresno · Post by **JohndeFresno** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 3:36 pm

BlaineG wrote:Don't give up, Joe. You got out of Illinois, against all odds, and you can get out of this Pelosi, too..... Motion is lotion.

I agree with Tooby. Prayers up, buddy.

Bill, MarlinMan, Gregg - prayers sent your way, too. I can empathize; age ain't all that kind to many of us. But God is still Good, and He is still on the Throne!

John

piller · Post by **piller** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 3:50 pm

Prayers sent for both Joe and Gregg. Hang in there. New ideas and technology are coming out all the time.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 6:07 pm

You may not 'shoot' the way you did as a 20 year old kid, but one way or another you CAN shoot.

I have a wheelchair bound patient who could barely transfer from chair to bed, or to toilet, yet once I found out his testosterone was low, I got him on treatment, his muscle strength improved, his insulin-resistance (pre-diabetes) disappeared, and most importantly, his zest-for-life improved so much that he bought a Marlin 1894, and went deer hunting......from a wheelchair.....age 76.....incontinent, paralyzed legs, and chronic pain.

He saw three deer, none with a good-enough shot to take, but went out the next year, and bagged one.

Joe, I guarantee you could run circles around him, so no - it is NOT over - get out there and shoot.

You may need a physician's help, but there are tons of physicians out there, so go see a decent one and get them to tune you up as much as possible.

Watch THIS video, and re-think your position - https://youtu.be/tlMz2sCDCA4

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 2:46 pm

AJMD,

Many summers ago a MD in Phx said my testosterone was low. I suppose it could be lower now. Have apt with urologist and Fam doc coming up so I will ask for it to be checked.

Joe

gregg · Post by **gregg** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 3:11 pm

J Miller wrote:AJMD,

Many summers ago a MD in Phx said my testosterone was low. I suppose it could be lower now. Have apt with urologist and Fam doc coming up so I will ask for it to be checked.

Joe

AJMD so right. My doc 10 yr ago told me mine was rolling around in bottom of the boat.
thank AJMD for being here for us old dogs.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:41 pm

BlaineG wrote:Don't give up, Joe. You got out of Illinois, against all odds, and you can get out of this Pelosi, too..... Motion is lotion.

+1

Getting to a better climate (environment and political) will help. Prayer up for you Joe!

Dave B · Post by **Dave B** » Fri Aug 26, 2016 5:53 am

Hi Joe, I'm sorry to hear of your condition. I hope that the doctors can help you.
Prayer sent.
Best wishes,

Dave B

Ridgerunner · Post by **Ridgerunner** » Sun Aug 28, 2016 11:55 am

well......bye.....

tman · Post by **tman** » Sun Aug 28, 2016 12:08 pm

Hope things can turn around for you. May be some options out there. Perhaps a shoulder stocked revolver or single shot. I got a blunderbuss that I can shoot from the hip, light weight no recoil. Hang in there and keep swinging, you may be able to come up with some type of alternative. Some thing is always around the corner if you want it bad enough.

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 6:58 pm

Sorry to hear about your health, Joe. I sure do hope the doctors are able to do something about your neck. Pinched nerves up there can mess things up all over the place.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sat Sep 03, 2016 8:25 pm

Got the MRI done yesterday. Must be the season for MRI's. My neck is a mess. I asked the image center if I could have copies of the images and they gave them to me for free on a CD.
You can see the disks bulging into the spinal cord area and in one place the disk is almost touching the cord itself. That is probably the one that's causing me the most trouble.

Have apt with the DR in a week or so then I'll know what he thinks.

Joe

Camel73 · Post by **Camel73** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 11:11 pm

Prayers for you sir. Good thing you're getting it figured out with a decent dr getting you an mri.

Been trying to get my back looked at for 4 years now... Can't sit leaning forward because my arms start going numb. Now my neck has been bothering me.. only 42! I think they think I'm a druggy because I have long hair or something. ... turds.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 7:55 am

Camel73 wrote:Prayers for you sir. Good thing you're getting it figured out with a decent dr getting you an mri.

Been trying to get my back looked at for 4 years now... Can't sit leaning forward because my arms start going numb. Now my neck has been bothering me.. only 42! I think they think I'm a druggy because I have long hair or something. ... turds.

Yeah, I've been through the accusatory looks by Drs too. It's gotten worse sine Obama care put the insurance companies in charge of medical care. I finally got a prescription for a bottle of 30 Tramadol pain pills. Took like an act of God to get the Rx, then had to wait at the pharmacy while the gal did some creative writing to keep the insurance happy.

I long for the old days when Doctors were actually in charge of medical care.

Joe

Camel73 · Post by **Camel73** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 7:28 pm

!!! "then had to wait at the pharmacy while the gal did some creative writing to keep the insurance happy" Wow.

That's crazy. What part of "disks bulging into the spinal cord area" don't they get?? No wonder I'm turning into a bitter old man. Cheers to you, and wish you well.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:00 pm

J Miller wrote:I long for the old days when Doctors were actually in charge of medical care.

Yep....so do we.....

When docs thought they could rip off patients by billing 'third parties', and patients thought they could get 'stuff for free' by just whipping out the 'Blue Cross' card their union dues got them, the reality was that both were being played for dupes by a morally bankrupt insurance industry, propped up by a financially bankrupt government.

Now 75% of the energy and time and money going into 'health care' goes to fund the bureaucratic war fought between doctors and 'regulators'. The sick JOKE is that the regulators are allegedly improving quality and reducing costs...!

I probably save Anthem a half million dollars a year, in addition to the quarter million dollars of free, unreimbursed care they make me provide each year, yet they have the gall to treat me as the enemy.

The LibTards are actually right about one thing; our health care system does suck. The only problem is that their 'solution' (more bureaucracy) just makes it worse. Their 'price caps' simply raise the price of mediocre care, and lower the quality of good care.....typical 'progresssssive' socialist nonsense...

donw · Post by **donw** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 11:48 pm

so far, my only major complaint is the cataracts that are forming in my eyes.

hang in there...

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Sep 06, 2016 4:36 am

AJMD429 wrote:
J Miller wrote:I long for the old days when Doctors were actually in charge of medical care.
Yep....so do we.....

When docs thought they could rip off patients by billing 'third parties', and patients thought they could get 'stuff for free' by just whipping out the 'Blue Cross' card their union dues got them, the reality was that both were being played for dupes by a morally bankrupt insurance industry, propped up by a financially bankrupt government.

Now 75% of the energy and time and money going into 'health care' goes to find the bureaucratic war fought between doctors and 'regulators'. The sick JOKE is that the regulators are allegedly improving quality and reducing costs...!

I probably save Anthem a half million dollars a year, in addition to the quarter million dollars of free, unreimbursed care they make me provide each year, yet they have the gall to treat me as the enemy.

The LibTards are actually right about one thing; our health care system does suck. The only problem is that their 'solution' (more bureaucracy) just makes it worse. Their 'price caps' simply raise the price of mediocre care, and lower the quality of good care.....typical 'progresssssive' socialist nonsense...

Anthem is what I'm strangled with. But I'd gladly pay cash if I had it.

Hanging in there is about all I can do.

Joe

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:30 am

UPDATE;

Had a consultation with the neurologist Wednesday. He looked at the MRI pictures and saw the same thing I did at about the C4 - C5 point, that is a bulging disk that's actually pressing on the spinal cord.
This is the cause of the numbness, tingling and loss of use of my right arm and fingers.
Said that surgery is needed to fix it.
Surgery would include removing the bad disk, replacing it with a surgical plastic spacer held together with titanium screws, then the fusing of the two vertebraes.

I would be in surgery about 1.5 hours, then in the hospital overnight and home the next day. No neck braces, just take it easy for about 6 weeks. No lifting anything over 10 pounds.
After that we'll know how much if any permanent damage there might be to my right arm / hand due to nerve deterioration.

Surgery isn't scheduled yet, but the ins will cover it.

After the neck is worked on, then we'll do another MRI on the lumbar area. In 2006 there were bulging disks showing and now they are definitely worse.

What really ticks me off is that we have tried for 15 years over in IL to get the darn doctors to check my neck and they wouldn't do anything. Had then I might not be in the shape I'm in now.

Joe

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 10:17 am

prayers UP for the doctors and everyone else involved and for the greatest possible outcome Joe

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 11:22 am

I'm happy you're having something done about it. The bean counters surely hate to spend money on real people with real problems.

(I'm so disgusted with VA right now I could spit nails

)

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 12:02 pm

Joe, wishing you the best. I heard from my neurosurgeon two days ago. She want me to try another spinal injection before moving on to a surgical option on L2-3 compressed nerve.
If you had asked me as a high school kid slamming my elbows into the basketball floor doing as many situps in two minutes as possible if my back's disintegration would define my existence in later life, I'd have said you have to be kidding.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 6:15 pm

Bill in Oregon wrote:Joe, wishing you the best. I heard from my neurosurgeon two days ago. She want me to try another spinal injection before moving on to a surgical option on L2-3 compressed nerve.
If you had asked me as a high school kid slamming my elbows into the basketball floor doing as many situps in two minutes as possible if my back's disintegration would define my existence in later life, I'd have said you have to be kidding.

Yeah, tell me about it

Joe

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Sat Sep 24, 2016 10:13 am

Glad things are finally starting to happen with regard to getting medical attention and repair, Joe.

GunnyMack · Post by **GunnyMack** » Sat Sep 24, 2016 7:19 pm

Joe, have you ever been tested for tick borne diseases?
Recently my father has had medical issues and while I was researching his problem Lyme kept coming up. He doesn't have Lyme but Lyme can and does cause spine/ joint and strength issues!

Some of the reading I did about Lyme states that Lyme is not, NOT natural! It was created in a laboratory to be used against soldiers on the battlefield!! Lyme is known as 'the great mimic' as it can present as many different things.

My sister got Lyme before it was really understood. Now she has had a hip replaced, she has rheumatoid arthritis through out her body, her hands are the worst!

As for inversion therapy- TRY IT! I have a table and it helps my low back. Car accident 20 years ago, T-boned and took center console to lower rib cage.

Good luck & hope you keep shooting!!

w30wcf · Post by **w30wcf** » Sun Sep 25, 2016 6:13 am

Joe,
I am happy to hear that your shooting days are not likely over and that, hopefully, after the corrective procedure you can enjoy many more days on the range.......

w30wcf

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sun Sep 25, 2016 7:45 am

GunnyMack wrote:Joe, have you ever been tested for tick borne diseases?
Recently my father has had medical issues and while I was researching his problem Lyme kept coming up. He doesn't have Lyme but Lyme can and does cause spine/ joint and strength issues!

Some of the reading I did about Lyme states that Lyme is not, NOT natural! It was created in a laboratory to be used against soldiers on the battlefield!! Lyme is known as 'the great mimic' as it can present as many different things.

My sister got Lyme before it was really understood. Now she has had a hip replaced, she has rheumatoid arthritis through out her body, her hands are the worst!

As for inversion therapy- TRY IT! I have a table and it helps my low back. Car accident 20 years ago, T-boned and took center console to lower rib cage.

Good luck & hope you keep shooting!!

GunnyMack,

Maybe, but it would have been late 1990 and I don't remember for sure.

So it's man made? Wow, I'm surprised the human race has survived this long. They'll kill us off yet.

Joe

GunnyMack · Post by **GunnyMack** » Sun Sep 25, 2016 5:13 pm

Yes supposedly the syphilis germ was used as the blueprint. If you look at Lyme and syphills they are very similar.

Mankind sure has tried to wipe ourselves out, but when the sun burns out in another 4 billion years who is gonna know...?

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 9:43 am

I Pray for the Good Lords Help for You and the doctors Joe. It's truly amazing what the Doctors can do today. stay positive. You may rember last spring all the eye problems I was having after surgery. I shot a medium bore rifle last week. only ten shots but all went well.