elkoholic

Re: Muscle Car... I would love to have my old 68 Comaro SS 396 back. I had the engine bored, balanced and blue printed, with a full racing cam. Come to think of it, the cost was excessive but it sure was fun to drive around. Thought I was impressing the girls, but they just thought I was crazy. Those were the days.........

Re: Big Bucks I have taken several deer that have field dressed over 200 lbs. The largest being 242 lbs. I only have a picture of the antlers of that buck. I did manage to find a picture of a buck that dressed out at 227 lbs. I am not sure, but from the look on his face, my son was not overly impressed.

Re: No business hunting There is no excuse for seeing a deer and yanking up your rifle/muzzleloader/pistol/bow and blasting away in the direction of said animal. I have seen too many deer that were reduced to burger and surely must have succumbed to the shear weight of the lead that they were packing. The thought that if one fires enough times, surely one of the bullets will hit a lethal spot, is repulsive. The old saying: one shot, one deer; two shots, maybe one deer, has some truth to it. I can see a follow up shot, but to keep shooting until the deer quits moving is crazy. I doubt a deer hit in the vitals will die any faster if you shoot it in the guts/legs/butt as it is running away and this is surely not more humane.

Re: Neck shots I have taken two deer that I shot in the neck, and they both dropped like a sack of potatoes. Both were at less than 30 yards. Much preferred is the broadside shot in the heart/lung area. Sometimes you take the shot that presents itself, but most important is that you know that you can make the shot.

Re: new medicines and how they are used? From a pharmacist perspective, I can say that the idea behind the medications was to decrease inflammation (Vioxx and the steroids) which can allow the injury to heal and they also help with the pain. The cortisone (a steroid) shot would do basically the same, only it is delivered directly to the site. These can be extremely painful for several days after the injection. Instead of the Vioxx the physician should have used ibuprofen, which is much less expensive and just as effective. The only benefit of Vioxx is less (maybe) chance of causing ulcers. Another important aspect is that you need to rest the arm to allow it to heal. I see way too many people who continue to use an injured body part and do not allow it the time to heal and then complain about it still being messed up, I hope this is not you. Most of the time medications to reduce inflammation take weeks to have any effect. As for the bone problem itself, I think reconstructive surgery would be the only true fix and even then there is no guarantee. Most of the time this type of surgery is only done in larger cities and sometimes that is because of available facilities. At any rate, there is no quick fix as this appears to have been a long time problem that has come to a head (there is probably scar tissue, adhesions and calcium deposits). Even with surgery, things will not be "normal" again. I realize your frustration, as I have gone through a similar thing with some ruptured discs in my back, but time and patience are your best friends at this point. The physicians were correct in trying a conservative approach first and while there may have been a lack of communication between you and the physicians, you need to remember there is no quick fix and you must have realistic expectations. Your insurance company probably would have required conservative therapy at first anyway. I wish you well and hope you can keep a positive attitude. That big buck is waiting for you this fall.

Re: Turkey or Deer, which is more exciting to hunt I would have to pick deer over turkey, although an old gobbler can be just as tough to get as an old buck. The vocal part of the turkey hunt in the spring is the best part. But, I still get more excited about deer hunting. My overall winner would be elk during the rut, but then that's another story.