My biggest challenge

[Crackaig 0]

Yesterday I started the biggest challenge I think I have ever faced. Since I was 14 or 15 (I'm now 56) I have been complaining of back and joint pain. "Get on wi' it, there's nowt wrong wi' you." Has been the reaction. Well this year I discovered why I was in pain. I have ankylosing spondylitus, an inflammatory type of arthritis that starts in your teenage years. The result is that vertebrae T1 to T12 are all fused into two solid lumps. My spine has been broken above and below these fused vertebrae.

Yesterday I went in to a physiotherapy rehabilitation for two weeks of intensive physio and hydro therapy. My goal is that I will be able to get out fishing after this. I haven't been able to go at all this year because of this.
The damage is not limited to my spine. That is just a major area of concern. The damage now is done, and cannot be undone. Physio will be a part of my life for as long as I want to be mobile.

My plea to you is, if your children are complaining of pain, don't dismiss it out of hand. Find out what the cause is. Early intervention will help. It can save a lot of suffering.

 

Regards,

C.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Sorry to hear that. Even if they can't fix it, hopefully they can help keep the pain down and mobility up with the therapy so you can still enjoy many more years on the water.

[Mlandry 0]

Sorry to hear this. I hope your rehabilitation goes well.

 

Mike

[FishnPhil 0]

Hope you can find some relief and get back out fishing

[mikechell 0]

Man !!! I sure hope the therapy works. I have some minor back pain ... I can imagine it being immobilizing. I don't WANT to imagine it, but I have the basic idea.

Get to feeling better !!! Go fishing !!!

[chugbug27 0]

Wow, that's really tough, so sorry to hear. I met a guy who had it real bad last September at the Eastern Sierra Rodmakers Gathering, probably in his 40's. Nicest guy, had to take a lot of breaks, but still tying, making rods (and machining reels), fishing and loving life. Keep on truckin, CG, it's a real challenge you've got there.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

So sorry to hear that Crackaig; I hope the therapy works and you are able to remain mobile and keep fishing. And thank you, too, for the caution about listening to our children -- my son complains of back pain; I wouldn't say frequently, but more often than you'd expect from a kid his age (17). It's probably just growing pains (or something), but you're absolutely right, it needs to be checked out.

[saltydancindave 0]

Crackaig, have a fishing friend who underwent kypoplasty fusion surgery & since he was elderly found a way to need another kypoplasty to an adjoining disc. Little did he know since was never informed that once one procedure is done odds of needing another are almost certain as the adjoining discs are prone to crack from not so graceful movement stressing areas above & below the fusion. He also needed a third surgery. Time consuming, debilitating, painful & no fun.

[vicrider 0]

Hate reading that man. To hear of others who have been unable to fish for various reasons hurts but since I'm one of those having gotten very little fishing the last few years for various reasons and now trying to recover from a bad fall and ending up with a pinned femur I find myself very discouraged from living with pain from longer than I thought I was going to. Pain is a nagging and debilitating source of misery that wears a person down. I had a friend with something that must be similar to what you have and he did retire early and did some traveling but wife did almost all the driving and he had to take breaks out of car every few hours.

 

Hopefully you and I will both get to share fishing stories again soon. Fly tying helps mentally and the fishing I'm going to be restricted to for future is either sitting on shore or in a drift boat. I'm going to get out and soak some catfish baits at local ponds if nothing else soon for the mental health of it.

[mikechell 0]

As much as I love fly fishing, spinning reel fishing and baitcaster fishing ... I realize I won't be able to do it forever. So I still look forward bait fishing for 'Gills with simple gear and cane poles.