No Moose this year

[bigmoose]

About five months ago, when I went for my morning walk I had pressure in my upper throat and chest, I throught I had indigestion, same thing the next four days, I decided to
take a few days off, since I had no problem lifting weights I know it was no big deal. As all lifters know you rest between sets, with me one minute for the first five sets two minutes for the last five. To make make up for not walking I just keeped increasing my load.
I started have a problem walking so I went to a Cardiologist, he gave me an Echocarliogram....normal, a Nuclear Stress Test, I passed the test going 115 percent over my max.Medicare refused to pay for the test since they said it was not needed, billed me 2000.00
Next a gastro Doc, had all four test they Top and Bottom normal a pulmonary doc all tests normal, but I was getting worse each day..Still lifting five sets of 20 reps with 60lbs, 5 set of 25 reps with 60 and one last set of between 45 to 52 reps with 60lbs. at 75 how could it be my heart
When it got to the point I had trouble moving around the house I went back to the Cardio Doc. and had a Cardiac catheterization, before we started the Doc, one of the leaders in his field, said if he was a betting man he would bet the test will come out normal, with my stress test results and my lifting program, my heart had to be strong, I asked him if the test came out normal what do I do next, he smiled and said go see a psychiatrist. the test was to take about 20 minutes, I was thinking its taking much longer, finally, the doc said Marty, forget about the nut doc, I found a bomb in your heart, I had a 98 percent blockage in my LAD the Widowmaker.
I was then asked if I wanted open heart or stents, He said he could repair it with two 33mm stents , I said do it.
In the recovery room he said Marty I don't know why your still alive, your a lucky guy, you just won the biggest lotto...no money but life.
No way I can get ready for the Hunt, I have spoken many times to my outfitter and Guide Fred Sorenson, who I consider a friend,
not only can't I get in shape but a drop off camp, were weather decides when the plane can come, just doesn't add up.
I am one unhappy camper, from now on, my name is no Moose.
But there is next year.

[whyohe]

At least you will have next year!!! getting that found and fixed is and being healthy is more imprtant than one hunting trip. now that it is fixed you will have more hunting trips to plan cause you are ALIVE!!! start planning the following year and go for that peak season!! get that big bull!

[ozark]

Your experience clearly points out that what a patient feels has a cause and the doctors can't always make a correct diagnosis. You are lucky some doctor didn't advise you to go on your hunt and forget the signals the body was sending you. I am not all that sad you will miss out on the Moose hunt. I am just glad that you found and hopefully corrected the problem. This might be a good time for you to look at moose hunts as someting for younger men. I keep advising people to adjust to their limitations and learn to be happy doing what they can do rather than brooding over what they can't. There are many things I can't do anymore but I am a super driver of a power chair. Good to get the good news from you before it was too late. Ozark.

[pposey]

Hey you missed out this year but now you will get a next year!!!! Big payoff

[chuck41]

Sorry you gonna miss the "great '09 moose hunt", but I hear they are gonna be even bigger in '10.

So glad to hear you got your problem fixed before it resulted in "the great dirt nap". Anybody that works as hard as you do to have good health ought to be able to enjoy it.

[bigmoose]

Whyohe. Ozark, PPosey,

Thanks you for your kind words, Since this happened I have read a good deal about stress test, they are a good indicator, but only 80 to 85 percent accurate. If I was not lifting weights, I think the Doctor's would have found out the problem much sooner.
Your right about acting your age, according to the doctors I am here now, because I have been a gym rat all my life in my 40's and 50's I had a gym in my house and spent two hours a day, six days a week working out I developed and extra blood flow on the right side of my heart, thats what keep me alive.
That said and done if I had the five month that I lost, I would be more than ready for the Tundra. I hope to go next, year, we Jews have a saying "Man Plans, GOD Laughs"

[deadeer]

Hey buddy,

This will just be a small glitch in your hunting career. Like a weeks vacation in a years worth of work. It will pass soon enough and you can plan next years hunt with the knowledge you are stronger, healthier, and wiser. Besides, "No Moose" does not have a catchy ring to it, sorry! Rest up buddy.

deadeer
Jay

[smokeeter]

this year and every year you'll be bigmoose.
I know how much you look forward to this trip, it probably has alot to do with your motivation, don't give up just get better.
Show them what for next year.

[bigmoose]

Smoke, I still have the report you will make on your hunt to look foward to. And I plan on calling Fred Sorenson on his Sat Phone to get updates on the hunt.

Two downers meds the rest of my life, and I have to go easy on Italian Sausage and Hots Dogs, now that's cruel.

[Dave W]

Your health and the opportunity to take several more hunts is far more important than missing out on one hunt, even though I'm sure you and we will miss hearing of your exploits this year. Get em next year!
Fat free hot dogs aren't all that bad.

[boarhog]

Bigmoose,
I can relate to your heart troubles, even though my trials so far have not been so scarey. My nuclear stress test was good also, but for about 2 weeks after, I felt a pressure or a slight ache in there. The heart Dr said nothing in the test should linger at all, and he gave me another ekg before releasing me, but I am a bit concerned that the test missed something. Not sure what to do next, but I have an appt with my primary care Dr soon, and will discuss the deal then.
I am so sorry that you will miss your moose hunt this year, but please don't try to push it.
Boarhog

[rjhans53]

I'm really glad that this worked out and that you are still here amongst us although I'm a lot more selfish ;D. I'm glad that you are still here to impart wisdom to the rest of us. Part of what makes this board is that we as a group realize that we have more knowledge together than we do as individuals. But seriously glad you are around to share (hopefully) many more seasons in the future.

[bigmoose]

boarhog,

The only definitive test for your heart is Cardiac Catheterization, but there must be some indication of heart trouble before a Doctor will preform it on you. Its invasive, its interesting to watch {if it was someone else on the table] They set up two big screen TV's. Before and After.
On the the before screen I couldn;t see the LAD after its 3mm wide.
My Very Best Wishes to You,
Good Luck

[dpoor65]

sorry your not going to make it...I know how you feel since transfering jobs I have been unable to elk hunt in colorado (bow season) for the last three years and had hunted the previous 8 very successfully....

[Richard]

Chin up Bigmoose. Better to be alive and anticipating next years hunt than to be laying dead in the tundra of Alaska looking down on Doug's board and not being able to respond to a subject you have the answer for!
Richard

[bigmoose]

Richard,

How right you are.
As Always my Best wishes

Marty

[dans]

My advice is to take your life savings and head for Vegas. Anybody as lucky as you are will win a fortune for sure.

[ozark]

I keep harping on the need to adjust to the circumstances that our aging causes. I could create a long list of things that I have had to give up doing. But so far I have been able to replace them with things I enjoy doing. Sure you miss being able to do the things that you did so effortlessly before but life can be great even when severly handicapped. If I had the power to give each one of you a gift that is truly worthwhile it would be the gift of adjusting, of changing, of creating new interests and finding happiness and excitement in those new things. I have a dislike for the lady on the GPS that is rude and in a tone of voice that I hate continues to say: RE CALCU LATING. I get a feeling she doesn't like me and if I am alone in the car I tell her what I think about her kind. RE CAL CUL ATING. Is not a friendly term to me. Bigmoose, you will be fine. Glad you are still with us. Ozark

[bigmoose]

Ozark,
As always much wisdom flows from your words.

My Very Best wishes to you and yours.

Marty

[jims]

I hope everything continues to improve.

[bigmoose]

jims,

Thanks for the good wishes

Marty

[davewolf]

There are hills and valleys we often don't want to climb. I understand your disappointment, but keep on keeping on! Happy to hear that you're alive and kicking!
Since you've worked so hard in the gym, I'm sure you'll work hard at full recovery!
All my best,
Dave

[Buckrub]

Welcome to my club, man.

Five years ago I had a major heart attack. COMPLETE blockage of the LAD (widowmaker). Wife drove me to hospital and somehow I lived through that and they put in 2 back to back stents. There are a lot of people who find and fix the LAD before an Infarction but I wasn't one of those. Tim Russert died of this same thing. Only 5% of the people who have an LAD heart attack survive. I'm one of the 5%. I was 56 at the time. Short, fat, and sedentary.

I had 3 more heart caths in the months to follow, all good. One was AFTER I flunked a Stress Test. They were convinced I had more blockage and were ready to wheel me out of Heart Cath into open heart surgery bypass. OOOPS. When they got in there, my arteries were clean as could be. When I woke up, I blew up. I asked why I flunked the Stress Test if my arteries were so good???

Answer? "Oh, Stress Tests are not very reliable"!!

Yep, that's what they said.

I said "NEVER give me another one".

At least now my insurance can't balk since I have heart disease and history of such things, and neither can yours.

I lost 35% of heart function. I can do anything but not for long. You caught it before you damaged your heart (barely).

I'm the luckiest man on Earth, God Be Praised.

You're 2nd!

Go shoot something.

OH!!! P.S.....when I woke up from heart attack, five years ago, I asked doc what I could do and not do. He asked me what I WANTED to do. I said "have sex, shoot deer, climb deer stands, drag deer, run a chainsaw, clear shooting lanes, and eat". He said "You can do all of those things, but you cannot ELK HUNT in the mountains and you cannot run a marathon."

I don't even DRIVE a marathon, so I was pleased about that, and really never wanted to Elk hunt that much. But the point is that your stents have 'repaired mechanically' your condition and without an actual heart infarction, you should be fine.

You'll be shooting meese long after I'm gone. Keep lifting. Keep shooting. Keep praying. And never forget to breathe in and out, repeatedly.

Bill

[bigmoose]

Backrub,

Great advice, breathing in and out, 2rd, Cath 2 more stents.

Marty

[sw]

Marty I'm glad it was caught before a heart attack. Bill, I wish yours had been also. Rob, I hope and pray that your tests will come out ok. Ozark, I'm just glad you're still around. Incidentally, I just noticed that 4 of us in this conversation are Arkansans. So, I'll make it 5: Chuck, stay healthy!
To a degree, genetics play a part in such things as do diet, physical activity, and mental disposition. 3 of these we can control more or less.
Marty, I hope that next year will go well for the moose hunt.

[bigmoose]

Steve,

Thank you as always you are a fine gent

[bigmoose]

On Agust 21, I had a second Catheterization, two more stents, total of four,
But now I'm on the fast track, walking, lifting and felling like my old self [is that good]
Weight down to 208, If the hunt was today, I might not be ready, but I'd go.
The SCI insurance company, Paid the money I had invested in the trip, so I'm back to my starting point, with some extra metal in my heart. Life is good.