A difficult decision time I’ve dreaded

[Shambam1962]

I have finally made the decision to give up shooting, due to my health.

I started shooting 45 years ago after leaving school and thoroughly enjoyed my time over the years shooting and meeting different likeminded people.

At this moment in time I’m unable to walk on uneven ground as I’m still waiting for a full knee replacement, and suffer a day’s shooting only to find my knee swelling up the following day and in severe pain and unable to walk.

I’ve had a couple of episodes with heart attack like symptoms, where I have keeled over, and taken to hospital, and received various tests, only to be sent home later, and all clear.

My certificates expire June  next year, but I will start, and try and sell the rifles and shotguns I’ve acquired over the years over the coming months.

I did consider making this decision last year, but put it off and thought it will all be okay, but realistically the time has come.

 

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Well I admire your sensible approach.

Good luck.

[ditchman]

sorry to hear that...made a similar desision 4 years ago........

[marsh man]

It will come to everyone one day and there is no age limit , mine run out next August and if I buy another dog then health permitting I will apply for a new one , if my health go downhill and I become dog less then it will be time to part company with my guns . I have had a good run and with luck it will last a bit longer .

GOOD LUCK in getting your knee sorted and hopefully you will be well enough to enjoy the countryside even if you are no longer in owning guns .   MM

[HantsRob]

A tough call regardless of age, but sometimes it's just time. It's good you are doing it on your terms, and not someone elses!

I hope you find something new to use your free time with, that gives you as much pleasure!

[TIGHTCHOKE]

11 minutes ago, HantsRob said:

A tough call regardless of age, but sometimes it's just time. It's good you are doing it on your terms, and not someone elses!

I hope you find something new to use your free time with, that gives you as much pleasure!

He does do some lovely stuff with wood.   

[mossy835]

sorry to here that hope you find some thing to do,

[Shambam1962]

Thank you all for your comments.

I will definitely miss working the spaniels and especially shooting the woodcock and ducks on the farms I’ve had since I first started shooting.

The one farm was taken over by the son, and I remember knocking the door for shooting permission, and he went off to ask his father if I could shoot rabbits 

He would come out with me shooting foxes with the rifle, and was amazed by how you could squeak them in, before shooting.

Thanks to Cerwen, I had numerous farms and land to shoot over, and all because of his few outings out with me, and his recommendation.

 I will still keep the spaniels, and hopefully, I will have my knee replacement done in the foreseeable future.

At this time the dogs are still out on their daily walks, but I have to choose the easy flat routes.

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, Shambam1962 said:

Thank you all for your comments.

I will definitely miss working the spaniels and especially shooting the woodcock and ducks on the farms I’ve had since I first started shooting.

The one farm was taken over by the son, and I remember knocking the door for shooting permission, and he went off to ask his father if I could shoot rabbits 

He would come out with me shooting foxes with the rifle, and was amazed by how you could squeak them in, before shooting.

Thanks to Cerwen, I had numerous farms and land to shoot over, and all because of his few outings out with me, and his recommendation.

 I will still keep the spaniels, and hopefully, I will have my knee replacement done in the foreseeable future.

At this time the dogs are still out on their daily walks, but I have to choose the easy flat routes.

WOW , What a stunning team of dogs , I would certainly miss working the dogs than having a gun under my arm , have no fear , you will get back , might be without a gun but rest assured you will be back .

[Dave-G]

I initially felt your shooting was likely shotgun based - but the rifle and fox mention prompts me to suggest you don't need to completely give up shooting if rabbit and fox are among your activities. I have lung issues where I cannot breath calmly enough for a humane shot when walking about carrying gear. So I use what amounts to a portable bench rest that doesn't leave me panting and wheezing during a shot. I'm sat back in the seat with my right arm out the window, the door ledge supporting my underarm and the mirror supporting the forestock.

See my video here, filmed with a dash mounted NV spotter - and some of my others on the same site might give you some idea of how to carry on, particularly if you can take somebody else along to pick up for you. I was confined to driving only on the margin in that video but others in my channel can be seen taking the shot whereever i can point the car, with or without headlamps. I can go into greater depth if its of any value to you.

 

Edited September 27 by Dave-G

[bruno22rf]

Maybe you could think about using your experience to teach others while you wait for the knee Op? Is there a range nearby where you could maybe offer your services? Or with there being a world full of carp Dog owners out there I would imagine you may find plenty of owners more than happy to boast that their little PooChitz has been "Gundog" trained.Maybe a quad would be useful for you? In the current climate I would worry about giving up my ticket but things may be different where you are so lot's of thought needed (I'm guessing you've already done that) before making a final decision. I wish you all the very best whatever decision you make, fingers crossed that the knee gets sorted and then you can get back to what you love doing.

Edited September 28 by bruno22rf

[Shambam1962]

12 hours ago, Dave-G said:

I initially felt your shooting was likely shotgun based - but the rifle and fox mention prompts me to suggest you don't need to completely give up shooting if rabbit and fox are among your activities. I have lung issues where I cannot breath calmly enough for a humane shot when walking about carrying gear. So I use what amounts to a portable bench rest that doesn't leave me panting and wheezing during a shot. I'm sat back in the seat with my right arm out the window, the door ledge supporting my underarm and the mirror supporting the forestock.

See my video here, filmed with a dash mounted NV spotter - and some of my others on the same site might give you some idea of how to carry on, particularly if you can take somebody else along to pick up for you. I was confined to driving only on the margin in that video but others in my channel can be seen taking the shot whereever i can point the car, with or without headlamps. I can go into greater depth if its of any value to you.

 

Well done Dave and a cracking video.

I have had a couple of episodes where I’ve collapsed unconscious, and luckily not while shooting.

The latest episode was a few weeks ago whilst walking the dogs, and felt really light headed and had difficulty walking in a straight line, and felt I was going too collapse.

I managed to get to a spot where my wife could collect me and the dogs off the mountain, and the ironic part was I sat on the floor against the railings of the local cemetery, awaiting her collection.

After that day, the decision was a no brainier 👍

Most of my shooting is carried out around the Presselli Mountains in West Wales and is roughly 65 miles from my house one way.

At the moment I’m not driving, and chauffeured around which makes a change, as I’m normally the chauffeur 😁

[Shambam1962]

2 hours ago, bruno22rf said:

Maybe you could think about using your experience to teach others while you wait for the knee Op? Is there a range nearby where you could maybe offer your services? Or with there being a world full of carp Dog owners out there I would imagine you may find plenty of owners more than happy to boast that their little PooChitz has been "Gundog" trained.Maybe a quad would be useful for you? In the current climate I would worry about giving up my ticket but things may be different where you are so lot's of thought needed (I'm guessing you've already done that) before making a final decision. I wish you all the very best whatever decision you make, fingers crossed that the knee gets sorted and then you can get back to what you love doing.

Thanks for your comment 👍

It’s not the knee condition which is the deciding factor, but the few episodes I have had collapsing unconscious with minimal warning.

When I come around, I’m sweating like a pig, chest pains and pins and needles in my arm.

I end up in hospital and the necessary tests are carried out, only to come back all clear and no heart attack indicated.

Which is good news, but still can’t explain what causes it, and just put it down to a blip.

Not exactly the prognosis I want to hear from the hospital.

[Touchstone]

8 minutes ago, Shambam1962 said:

Thanks for your comment 👍

It’s not the knee condition which is the deciding factor, but the few episodes I have had collapsing unconscious with minimal warning.

When I come around, I’m sweating like a pig, chest pains and pins and needles in my arm.

I end up in hospital and the necessary tests are carried out, only to come back all clear and no heart attack indicated.

Which is good news, but still can’t explain what causes it, and just put it down to a blip.

Not exactly the prognosis I want to hear from the hospital.

I was admitted to hospital in August 2021 for a suspected heart attack.  It took a while to get a diagnosis but it turned out to be myocarditis which mimics a heart attack.

Good luck.

T

[bruno22rf]

4 hours ago, Shambam1962 said:

Thanks for your comment 👍

It’s not the knee condition which is the deciding factor, but the few episodes I have had collapsing unconscious with minimal warning.

When I come around, I’m sweating like a pig, chest pains and pins and needles in my arm.

I end up in hospital and the necessary tests are carried out, only to come back all clear and no heart attack indicated.

Which is good news, but still can’t explain what causes it, and just put it down to a blip.

Not exactly the prognosis I want to hear from the hospital.

Ask your GP to let you have a heart monitor fitted before you go out, as long as someone is with you then hopefully you will be OK if an attack should happen - if it does then the heart monitor will reveal all. 

[Shambam1962]

18 hours ago, bruno22rf said:

Ask your GP to let you have a heart monitor fitted before you go out, as long as someone is with you then hopefully you will be OK if an attack should happen - if it does then the heart monitor will reveal all. 

Yes, I’ve had them fitted previously for a week, and the all singing and all dancing model for 10 days, and all clear.

Sorry if your having your tea, and view the photos 😳

 

 

Edited September 29 by Shambam1962

[bruno22rf]

Yep,that's kiddy. I believe that you can buy a system that detects your heart rhythm on your fingertips - this relays to your mobile and can be recorded - might be worth thinking about but I would have thought your local cardio unit would be exploring every avenue. If you are getting attacks without warning I'm afraid you might have to involve DVLA which brings a whole world of pain with it, you may think you have experienced incompetence before but DVLA are next level. Keep pestering your GP as it's not fair to have to suffer - not only the attacks but the worry that comes with them. I wish you the very best of luck.

[Shambam1962]

Yes regarding the DVLA, my daughter works in the Driver Medical Dept. In Swansea.

I’m not driving since I had the last episode, and to be honest I don’t miss it.

Both my wife and daughter drive.

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, Sorry to hear that but as said it will come to us all sooner or later, Please keep posting your Crafty work 👍

[clangerman]

fingers crossed you find some way to continue I really struggle with the copd now 50yrd walk I’m sucking the inhaler dry but not giving up they only have to collect my corpse once 

[Old Boggy]

I`ve only just seen this post and can only reiterate what others have said.

So sorry that it has come to this Kevin, but I think that for your`s and your family`s peace of mind you have made the right decision, as difficult as that may have been.

No doubt you will still be able to walk those lovely dogs on level ground and of course you still have an abundance of woodworking skills to keep us all enthralled in the future.

I sincerely hope that things improve and that you can also get some closure as to cause of those attacks. As said, keep pursuing your GP to establish the cause. Please don`t wait to anticipate the next one.

Also, not to be forgotten, I hope that the knee operation goes well.

Please keep us informed of your progress and of course any new woodworking projects that you manage to achieve.

Take care my friend.

PM on its way

OB

 

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Nicely put OB.

[Shambam1962]

22 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, Sorry to hear that but as said it will come to us all sooner or later, Please keep posting your Crafty work 👍

Cheers, yes sadly it comes a bit quicker than I anticipated.

I will always do something, as I can’t sit in the house, watching carp on TV.

21 hours ago, clangerman said:

fingers crossed you find some way to continue I really struggle with the copd now 50yrd walk I’m sucking the inhaler dry but not giving up they only have to collect my corpse once 

I won’t shoot any more, but hopefully will be able to work the dogs once sorted out 👍

6 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

I`ve only just seen this post and can only reiterate what others have said.

So sorry that it has come to this Kevin, but I think that for your`s and your family`s peace of mind you have made the right decision, as difficult as that may have been.

No doubt you will still be able to walk those lovely dogs on level ground and of course you still have an abundance of woodworking skills to keep us all enthralled in the future.

I sincerely hope that things improve and that you can also get some closure as to cause of those attacks. As said, keep pursuing your GP to establish the cause. Please don`t wait to anticipate the next one.

Also, not to be forgotten, I hope that the knee operation goes well.

Please keep us informed of your progress and of course any new woodworking projects that you manage to achieve.

Take care my friend.

PM on its way

OB

 

 

Cheers, thanks Chris for your comments and it’s not fair on my wife worrying if I’m going to be okay.