Bad day in the bush

I was out last Thursday setting up the Turkey blinds and deer blinds .
Started getting chest pains , they got worse and worse and worse, yep is a heart attack I was sure of it .
Took me 2 hours to walk a quarter mile back to my truck, could only walk about 10 steps then had to rest, even had to lay down a few times. The thought of dying in the woods was on my mind as the family would take a day or two to find me, and the Coyote's would have found me sooner( that was on my mind).
Finally made it to the truck pain was awful at this point, laid down in the truck and the pain just got worse.
Started the truck and pulled out onto the road as a car was coming my way I tried to flag it down , it was an OPP car and he just waved back at me and kept going, Cant blame him I guess may have been on a call.
Well I made it to the main road , and it was my lucky day an Ambulance was parked on the side of the road , I pulled over next to them and just kept honking my horn . They came over and took great care of me , got me to the hospital .
I spent 5 days in CCU , they told me I need a triple by pass and as soon as a bed is available in London. That's were they will do the surgery.
I do not own a cell phone that would have been a lot easier.
Looks like Turkey season will be a bust this year , not sure about Deer season.

Just wanted to give you a heads up you never know when or where something like this could happen.

Any way resting peacefully at home right know waiting for the phone call .

Wow glad you made it out OK. That's something I have always been worried about especially since I take my little boy with me all the time. Heart issues run in my family so I try to usually remember to carry some baby aspirin with me.

Get better soon Judge and good luck!

Your one lucky man, things could have ended worst. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR RECOVERY.

wow I was with my uncle when he went down right in front of me with a massive heart attack ,,me did make it but if he had been alone I could have been much worse .get well soon and look after yourself ,,Dutch

Except for Moose and Deer,I've hunted alone almost all my life. It's always been in the back of my mind that something like this could happen,but,then again,I could get hit by a bus tomorrow,too. Just to hedge my bets,I carry 500mg. Aspirin and a cell phone with the locator turned on. Good luck to you,Judge.

Best of luck JUDGE.
Hope you still get some enjoyment out of the spring woods.

Wow, that is scary. Thanks for sharing. Someone was watching over you to have had an ambulance there.

I worry about things like a heart attack or serious injury, especially since I always hunt solo. To improve my odds a bit whenever I go hunting I carry some aspirin, a whistle, my cell, and a SPOT.

Glad to hear you made it out and got the help you needed.I have always been worried about what could happen when I hunted alone even a broken ankle or leg could turn into a real big problem fast. I carry a cell phone but the reception is not very good and not to many people around to help.

Glad it worked out as well as it did under the circumstances.... If missing turkey hunting is the worst thing that happens, that ain't so bad. May God be on your side
All the best and look forward to reading about your full recovery


PS Scary sh-t for sure

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. My Mom required a triple bypass back in 1987 and is going strong nearly30 years later, in fact still working at age 78. This surgery will make you feel like a new man. Tou have probably felt tired all the time for ages without really knowing why. Be well!
Kevin

All the best in a speed recovery.

Good luck and I hope your surgery and rehab go well. A good point by Great White about bringing some baby aspirin with you. Also having a cell phone and letting someone know where you are and when you expect to be back.

Wow! Close call indeed and I'm happy you made it to safty!

That is scary spit! As we get older , we need to not be as cavalier as we were when we were young. Some good advise re asprin, phone etc. Get well soon my friend. The woods await!

you sir are bad to keep going like that

there are some that would have just given in

get well

Wow very scary indeed and i wish you all the best in your recovery. This past November I lost my brother from a massive attack and he was only 57 years old with no history of high blood pressure or cholesterol issues. He arrived home after work and was having chest pains and called an 911. The ambulance arrived in six minutes but unfortunately he passed away in that short time. Enjoy every day to the fullest and i wish you all the best.

Glad you made it out and hope you have a speedy recovery.

Here's wishing you a complete and speedy recovery!

Yes, speedy recovery to you Judge. All the best

I had my heart attack and resulting quad bypass at 49-50. After the surgery they told me that I should be good for another 7-8 years. Turned 70 last winter, heart is still OK but hips are worn. New one on order....
I had to wait about 9 months for surgery but things have improved since then. So has the attitude of the medical profession. We were told to take it easy, to the point that I went from 200 to 240. My MD thought this was fine....they even had a smoking room in the hospital (St Mikes) for us to use after the surgery.....

That would be a whole other thread.

Tell us when you go in and where..You'll try to get by with a timmies..
Best luck and a speedy recovery.

Yikes, glad you got help relativrly quickly , take it easy and follow the doctors orders .

good wishes to a speedy recovery
here is a link that any solo hunter should read
its about plb personal locator beacons
https://www.cbr-rcb.ca/cbr/presentat...tre/faq.php#Q1

Good luck Judge. Keep in touch.

I truly wish you a quick recovery, but I hope you also take a moment to think about another risk taken. How much farther would you have gone( given your personal terror at the time) looking for help? What if you collapsed behind the wheel and your vehicle went into the other lane and somebody else got hurt.? I know of 2 such cases like yours where both got behind the wheel instead of dialing 911 in the first case my buddy Dave pulled over and died, could have been way worse. The second made it home from work( he left 20 minutes into the shift without telling the nurse his issue or his wife who was at work with us too) but 15 minutes later died on the floor in the kitchen trying to put cold water on his face. I guess your story hits me harder than I thought. I bet you were terrified and I don't blame you. Savage308

Scary situation, get fixed up and feeling better, there will be plenty of time to get out next season your health is more important now. Keep us posted on recovery.

You'll get great care in London. That's why I take a cell phone- $17 a month for 30 minutes - only for an emergency.

I've thought about lying there with a broken leg. , but never thought about that coyotes getting me. Thanks. :)

I live in London ; if someone needs a bed overnight let me know.

Holy smokes.....Really glad you made it out okay. Hoping for a speedy recovery.

All the best to you Judge. WHEN you get back out in the woods, a beacon or a cell phone sound like a worth while investment. Take care.

Thanks for all the concerns , I will keep you posted how it turns out.
Right know its just sit and wait for a phone call from the London hospital.
I really don't know how this will all turn out, I am not a man to just sit around and wait , but have no choice right know.
I wish you all a good season, I think I will probably spend more time fishing this year , as it seems to be less strenuous than hunting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kilo Charlie

Tou have probably felt tired all the time for ages without really knowing why. Be well!
Kevin

---

Good to hear that fate looked favorably down on you, means you have more to do in life yet

I was reading your story to my wife (a Critical Care /ER Nurse) and she says this type of scenario has become far more common than it should be. Like KC mentioned, you must have been feeling sluggish for some time, she wonders why men, in particular, just ignore those symptoms. If you had mention of it to the Dr. during your last medical they would have found the problem before it got so bad. Hindsight I guess, but good advice for other guys to talk to their Dr. more often.

Bad time of the year to be on bed rest....a man's DNA is programmed to kick into full gear come spring...no one minds laying around on forced bed rest in Jan/Feb :)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Good luck in your up coming surgery and no doubt you will be back in the bush before you know it!

Nice to hear you are in good hands, wish you all the best.

All the best with your surgery and recovery. You'll be deer hunting, no worries.

I'm glad to hear that you ended your outing on the right side of the grass. Best wishes and a speedy recovery!

Best wishes on a speedy recovery

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sharon

You'll get great care in London. That's why I take a cell phone- $17 a month for 30 minutes - only for an emergency. ...

---

Good time to remind that any charged cell phone -- with or without a service chip, can call 911

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by C.A. in TO

Good time to remind that any charged cell phone -- with or without a service chip, can call 911

---

Good advice!

Judge,

Very sorry to hear about your close call and impending surgery. Your one strong willed individual self rescuing yourself and this kind of will power will have you back in your beloved woods in the fall I'm sure. Looking forward to your posts this fall.

Wish you all the best for a speedy recovery.....FB

Glad to hear you made it out OK. Hope the surgery goes well for you.

It's scary stuff, I lost one of my best friends a little over a year ago. He pulled over on the side of the road in January and the truck got a little hung up. He called his mom for help and between that call and her getting there (maybe 10-15 minutes) he had a massive heart attack. He was only 28 years old. It can hit anyone.

Glad you are ok...........................I try to show 3-4 people where my tree stands are.....in case I go missing..........turned 70 two days ago...................too many ticks for turkey anyways,,,,,,thanks for reporting in

That must have been quite a scare Judge, a real eye-opening story for all of us. Glad to hear that things worked out. All the best to you and a speedy recovery.

that must have been so damned scary. glad you made it and got to help before things got much worse.. sucks turkey season is a bust but at least you'll live to hunt many more years.. all the best and keep us updated as to your health.

glad to gear your going to be alright.

as with my injury in December while hunting, this also poses a reminder of the precautions we can take to help in case something happens while taking part in our beloved hobbies. IMO a cellphone is the minimum, as well as required safety gear etc. I know cellphones aren't on the minds of the older guys and in some cases may not get reception, but it sure would have helped in this case.

best of luck in your surgery and recovery. lots more time to hunt, now is the time to take care of your health!!

Best of luck in your surgery and wishing you a speedy recovery back to the woods.

Good luck all the best.

ill bet your going to buy a cell phone now good luck with your health man take care !!!!!!!!!!!I lost my dad to a heart attack 3 of 4 arteries blocked solid

Glad you made it - am sure this will not keep you away from this forum - all the best with the surgery!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JUDGE

I was out last Thursday setting up the Turkey blinds and deer blinds .
Started getting chest pains , they got worse and worse and worse, yep is a heart attack I was sure of it .
Took me 2 hours to walk a quarter mile back to my truck, could only walk about 10 steps then had to rest, even had to lay down a few times. The thought of dying in the woods was on my mind as the family would take a day or two to find me, and the Coyote's would have found me sooner( that was on my mind).
Finally made it to the truck pain was awful at this point, laid down in the truck and the pain just got worse.
Started the truck and pulled out onto the road as a car was coming my way I tried to flag it down , it was an OPP car and he just waved back at me and kept going, Cant blame him I guess may have been on a call.
Well I made it to the main road , and it was my lucky day an Ambulance was parked on the side of the road , I pulled over next to them and just kept honking my horn . They came over and took great care of me , got me to the hospital .
I spent 5 days in CCU , they told me I need a triple by pass and as soon as a bed is available in London. That's were they will do the surgery.
I do not own a cell phone that would have been a lot easier.
Looks like Turkey season will be a bust this year , not sure about Deer season.

Just wanted to give you a heads up you never know when or where something like this could happen.

Any way resting peacefully at home right know waiting for the phone call .

---

glad you made it out, all the best in your surgery

always good to leave at minimum an explanation of where exctly you will be hunting... i rolled my atv (at a low speed) onto myself 2 years ago, while baiting bears, and pinned my leg under it... luckily i was able to get my leg out and bike back on all 4's... always make sure now to text my wife when i go out and when i get back (when she's at work). like you all i could think about is the bears are gonna get me, as i was only about 50 yards from my bait site...

Glad the best came out of a worst case scenario Judge, wish you the best of luck during your procedure, and a speedy recovery after! the woods and game will be waiting for you when you get back!

As someone mentioned, baby aspirin in the pocket is not a bad idea, it is important to remember that it should be chewed, not swallowed whole as it will start to work faster.

Some may recall a few years ago the whole "cough cpr" thing, which suggested you cough deeply if you think you are having a heart attack, and this would act as compressions.

Cough CPR can help, in correct cardiac circumstances, IF done correctly (at the correct time, for the correct cardiac condition) since most of us are not healthcare professionals, this is not recommended, as it can actually do more harm then good in the more than likely chance that you don't do them correctly.

Baby aspirin, and a cellphone, are your best chances when you are alone, chew the aspirin as quickly as possible, and hit the emergency call button on the phone, even if you cant talk, they can at least get your location. I know not everyone is in the position to pay a monthly bill for a cellphone, but even a pre-paid one will do, and in some areas, even a phone that isn't activated, will still let you make the emergency calls out.

It is amazing what your body and mind can do in a situation like that..
My Bro-in-law owns a bush and cuts wood in the winter for his wood stoves.
While cutting down a big oak tree it twisted and fell pinning him to the ground..
He laid there a while trying to figure out how to get out of this mess..
The chain saw was close enough that he started it up and cut his way out.
But he had a broken pelvis..Now what..

He crawled over to his tractor..climbed up on..got it started..
and drove it a mile to the house..
Once there he didnt have the strenght to stop it..so he just drove it around and around the house untill his wife wondered what was going on.
So she ran out and he hollering..so she ran behind and climbed up on and got the thing stopped..
Called 911 and medics come..
Spent 3 weeks in Hosp..
All mended now..
Lesson learned...now when he goes to cut trees..she goes with him.

Just amazing what adrenaline and Balls will do..when faced with danger

Not to bore you with anotherone..but
A freiind of mine was bow hunting..and went to let his bow out of the tree..
When doing so he toppeled out and broke his back..
So he craweled on his hand and knews for 1/2 mile till the farmer happened to look out the window and seen him..
so he 911 it and got him out..
Spent a while in Hosp.
Siince then has passed on..form heart bypass operation..
But another story of determanation.

Glad to hear you made it out OK. Just another note on the aspirin thing, make sure it is quick dissolving not coated. According to the numerous first aid/CPR (I'm still certified) courses I have taken it's best to place the aspirin under your tongue as it will be absorbed much quicker than by chewing. TC

That was scary.. Good thing is that you are recovering right now. Please get well soon.

Glad you made it out safe. Here's hoping your recovery is quick and you'll be able to go after deer in the fall.

Al

Wow, count your blessings. Probability is that could have ended up a whole lot worse.
Glad you're okay.

Glad u made it out as wel....someone was diff watching out for u on that day...many have not fared as well! Keep reading oodmag as it will help your recovery and spirits! Good luck.

Jeez, a little shocked here, I can only say thank god you are ok