On the road to recovery

[Goodoochaser]

Hi every one,

I have not participated on the Ausfish site for a while due to some heart problems which I guess kind of sneaked up on me, I thought I was becoming unfit and was loosing interest in many activities and dare I say it fishing (thats when I new to go and see the doctor)

I will have more time over the next 2 months watching this site as I recover from open heart surgery. It is 4 weeks since my heart valve repair and already I am itching to wet a line.

The Kookaburra has given up chaseing the casting plugs around the back garden, but the chrome spinners (without hooks) still tempt a strike.

I am currently working on the better half to learn how to start the boat engine and launch the rig as I have told her it will quickly forget where all the good fishing spots are and its not good for the bottom of the boat to dry out as it will stick to the trailer, plus the tow ball needs to remain shiney on the 4x4 (not sure she believes me ?)

Anyhow I will watch the site with envy and cry over the fishing reports and keep trying for a record Ha Ha Pidgeon.

All the best and tight lines

Howard (The Goodoochaser)

[Fishin_Dan]

Good to hear your on the way up Howard!

Keep with it. You'll get there!!!

If you need someone to "mind" those good fishing spots, I'm sure a few of us on here will happily keep them looked after!!! ;D

[2iar]

Yeah, great news Howard. Hope to see you out there before too long.

If you get the wife launching and retrieving, you'll be doing better then I ever have.

Good luck,
Mike

[bidkev]

Take it easy Howard and edge into it slowly. Here's hoping all will be well soon and you soon have the missus educated ;D. Were you at The Prince Charles Hospital?

kev

[Big_Ren]

Best wishes to you Howard. If it was the Prince Charles as Kev thought, they have a team of doctors that are just bloody out of this world. My uncle got the gift of life from them (and the extreme kindness of the organ donor's family) 12 months ago with two brand new lungs and he has not looked back since.

It's nice to know that you can put all your trust in the calibre of their work. I hope you have a speedy recovery.

Paul ;)

[finga64]

Can't keep a good man down eh ;)!!
All the best with the recovery matey.
Pity you're not a bit closer to the ocean. You'd stand a good chance of getting a 'trip' with somebody else and not worry the cook :-/.
Try the magpies, they fight better. ;D

[Navi]

Howard,
you don't know me but from one fisherman to another all the best for the future, I know how hard it is sitting on the side lines since I have been married and had to little boys we are only just starting to get back in to it.

Cheers chris. 8-)

[MAL]

Hi Howard, all the best on your recovery, "look out fish".

Cheers.

MAL. ;D

[Volvo]

Wish ya well mate, take care and hope alls well soon fer ya..
Cheers

[Goodoochaser]

Thanks for the supportive words guys.

I was in the Saint Andrews Hospital Brisbane and could not have been in better hands, the Cardiac team are unbelievable, each one visited me the day before the surgery and explained their role and made me feel completely at ease.

The profusionist (the person that operates the heart lung machine) said he was obliged to tell me the risks.
1 - you can die,
2 - you can have a heart attack during the operation,
3 - you can have a stroke,
4 - loose a limb due to circulation problems,
Then he asked how I got to the hospital, I told him by bus, to which he replied, that I took a greater risk by doing that than I would with him the following day that was good enough for me.

The only way I can discribe the way I feel at the moment is bloody dangerous compared to my previous condition and getting stronger every day.

As I said before the heart trouble kind of sneaked up on me and tests before the open heart surgery showed my Mitral valve to be leaking up to 69% of the blood flow under stress, back into the left heart chamber, this proberly explains why I was so tired and why I feel so good now.

Look out fish when I hit the water again.

I am already planning a trip to the coast and the mate down there will have me on the water quick as a flash, Bass in the Hinze, or fish the Broadwater, not sure of bar crossings to outside because of the healing of the breast bone. In the meantime I will be looking to con anyone around the Dams in my area, Glenlyon , Leslie, Coolmunda or Stormking, as I said, already working on the wife.

Planning to cast a lure or two from the bank over the weekend just to make sure my reels do'nt sieize up or get into bad habits (Birds nests) I am also planning to do some work on my Baitcasters, change the bearings to ceramic ABEC7s and fit the latest drag washer kits.

Another project is to convert 2 Shimano Bantam 10Xsg baitcasters to ceramic bearings instead of the bushes, these reels are approx 25 years old and great little light bass reels in beautiful condition, I am even going to see if I can fit an anti reverse roller bearing to them, I know they are old but they work so well, are light and low profile and it will keep me out of mischief, which seems to be the biggest problem the better half keeps accuseing me of.

Cheers

Howard

[Touchy - R.I.P.]

Ease back in slow mate,do whatever is told to you by the rehab people & I found it was very important TO BE PATIENT,long term is the way to plan, so many fish still to be caught eh!, glad to hear all went well, the hospital staff do a mighty job every day dont they,I have nothing but the utmost admiration for their dedication, When I came home from my triple bypass I told Mrs Touchy I felt like a new man & she said ME TOO.!!, See Ya On The Water, Touchy.><> ><> ><>.

[saphire]

Look after yourself and give yourself time to recover well.
All the best,
saphrie.

[oscar22]

go you good thing :)

[Dug]

Glad you are getting better good to hear some of our health system is working!

Queensland health just announced Caboolture hospital emergency department will be kept open at night by a skeleton staff.

What a frightening concept!

PS my mother-in-law survived 5 hours of heart surgery.

The surgeons spent the first 4 & 1/2 hours trying to find her heart :-X

Welcome back

cheers doug

[Goodoochaser]

Touchy,
Thanks for the advice , Its hard when you feel so good but every now and then somthing reminds you that you have a way to go yet. An example was the first week home, I woke up early one morning and thought I would make some tea, but someone glued the kettle to the bench or so I thought.
Mmm! The feeling like a new man bit must be a side effect common to heart surgery, I've been putting out a bait for Mrs Goodoochaser but not getting the right bites.

Dug,
Your game mate with the mother in law jokes, in my present condition I'm on the best of behavour as she could catch me with her wheeley walker and give me a good flogging.

Cheers

Howard

P.S. all my lures are starting to look sad, any one know why? :-?

[theoldlegend]

Hang in there Howard, and just do things as you're told to do. It sounds like you're doing pretty good though and given time, you'll be fighting fit like a mallee bull.

TOL