Pulling out of Wilderness Island Trip - shoulder still in recovery!

[arpie]

Hi guys

Sadly, I have been pretty quiet since the start of the year as I haven't been fishing much at all, from land or yak, when it became obvious at the end of last year, that I needed shoulder surgery to recover from Rotator Cuff problems, aggravated by the hard yak fishing I did in NZ last October for the snapper fishing comp!

The surgery was done in late Feb - and I have now passed the 8 week mark ......... but Sadly, it is taking longer to recover than I'd anticipated. As I don't want to risk damaging it further by doing anything silly (which is TOTALLY unlike me, normally!) I have had to make the difficult decision to cancel my 60th birthday present to myself - a kayak fishing week at Wilderness Island in WA (off Exmouth!) as I still only have limited range of movement and discomfort. I still can't sleep on that side - and am not allowed to put any weight on it yet or 'resistance' - til i get that range of movement back. This includes lifting my arm up above my head and being able to reach behind me & scratch the middle of my back! It just takes time & lots of exercises (which I HATE!) but have to do.

I tried a short yak outing a couple of weeks ago but came back early, as I had great difficulty getting in & even more difficulty getting out of it (Michelle had to PULL me out!) as I still couldn't't put weight onto the shoulder and it is amazing how much you use your shoulders when fishing & yakking in general. So, sadly, I had to make the realistic decision that I wouldn't be able to do beach starts & re-entries off WA without assistance, let alone pull in BIG fish, when I couldn't even hold a net with a bream in it ...... so I had to cancel my booking.

I am pretty gutted by this turn of events & there has been some & to be honest, lots of But, on a brighter side, I'll try & book it forward to next year and enjoy it when I am fitter!

I'd been planning this for years & was supposed to fly out on May 18th, in just 2 weeks!! Check it out!

My Perth Buddies were even going to lend me a yak & take it up there for me!! It is a private island, so you don't even have to take your gear off the yaks!! Just pull them up the beach past the high tide mark & off you go the next day!!

Ah well, I'll be dreaming about it whilst I think up something else to celebrate my 60th!!

Got any ideas??

cheers

Roberta

Keith & I are off to Byron Bay this week for the final Triathlon of the season - and I wasn't even bothering putting in any fishing gear til Jewhunter told me you CAN fish from shore there now (according to the new Marine Park Rules ......) but as I can't do a 'full shoulder' cast yet - I may just take my ukulele up & bore everyone to death by playing it!!

Edited May 5, 2013 by Roberta

[Jewhunter]

Damn shame that you will miss out on the Wilderness adventure Roberta.

I'll get you a jewie for you 60th if you want.

I've sussed out the perfect spot at a creek entrance 700 mtrs north of where you're staying

that hasn't been fished for years.

With the mullet running, the new moon & hopefully a good barometer from Wed's to Fri nights I am there!!

Bloody hell. I'll even cast for you on one of my rods if I have to.

I know how hectic this trip is for you guys, but I hope to catch up if we can.

Cheers,

Grant.

P.S We hope Keith has a great race on the weekend.

[Big-Pete]

Roberta,

shoulders are the worse things to get right, I had mine done a few years ago full width tear and it took a long time to recover. Do Not rush it do all the exercises and bear with it.

I used to sleep or should I say try to sleep on a pyramid of pillows, pain killers are good.

Keep up the good work and the result will be well worth it.

Big-Pete

[arpie]

Yeah - good thing you didn't ring last week - I would have blubbered all over you, being the sook that I am! I am more accepting of the situation now tho!

:074: You are a GEM, Grant, Truly!! I'd LOVE to catch a jewie & if it was with YOU, it'd be worth DOUBLE points!! Would it still be 'my' fish if you bait up, cast & then bring it in - but I hold the rod?

I know that creek mouth - I wandered up that way, chasing beach worms once & couldn't find any!! I also walked up past the railway track once & got to the edge of of the creek further up from the mouth - it was very much full of tannin ...... so good to hear it it has jews at the mouth!!

(PS all of Fishraider knows where that spot is now ..... as welll as the 'lurker's' ...... do you think it will remain 'secret' for long??)

If you are in the area, give me a yahoo ....... it would be terrific to catch up - I will play you a song on my ukulele!! Hope the kids' school has them playing! SO much fun!!

Thanks Pete - I have been playing the Pillow Game as well but trying to stay off the pain killers!! he, he, it Could be tricky next week in the campervan - not as much room!! I may have to kick Keith out for my pillows!

cheers

Roberta

Edited May 5, 2013 by Roberta

[bassboy888]

Dreadful news Roberta I can only imagine how devastated you are! Hoping your shoulder heals up quickly from now so you can get back to flicking in the yak for Forster bream! My fingers are crossed for next years wilderness island adventure for you, and I will be waiting for that awesome report to come!!

[arpie]

Thanks mate - all going well, I'll be able to 'forward' my deposit to next year's trip. Luckily, I was able to get a refund on my Perth-Exmouth flight and hadn't booked from Sydney-Perth at that point! So, no $ lost ..... yet!

I attended the ABT Kayak Comp here in Forster yesterday (as a spectator!) and saw some really nice fish weighed in, tho some of the best in the business couldn't get ANY yesterday, after reasonable bags on Day 1! I enjoyed catching up with a lot of my yakking buddies - if you haven't tried it yet - give it a thought!!

CHeers

Roberta

[Hodgey]

Slow and steady, Roberta. No good undoing the corrective surgery and prolonging the day you're back out on the water terrorising the piscatorial fraternity!

Great to see that you could transfer booking fees etc. I reckon the ukelele is probably good physio so strum away to your heart's content.

Loking forward to your first report back on the water.

Cheers

Ian

[arpie]

Thanks Ian - I keep remembering your sage advice & try to do the right thing (but am not REAL good at the exercising bit - tho I can see improvements virtually every day.) Going behind the back (tho I can get it half way up now) & across the front (scratching the other shoulder) are the 2 hardest movements so far - plus getting it ahove shoulder height .... I am amazed at YOUR dexterity after your own experience - and they were bigger surgeries than mine!! It is amazing how such a little bit of work done - can cause so much angst!

Michelle is coming up the first week in June for a weekend's fishin - so I am hoping to jump on the yak then!! Should still be some topwater to be had! I hope!

cheers!

Roberta

[LeoB]

G'day Roberta

Sorry to hear. I've had 2 recos on the same shoulder, after workers comp got me back to work too early, after the first operation.

Take it slow and steady and do the exercises as often as possible. It took me about 12 months to reach my best the second time, and was hard work but it paid off. But trust me you only want to do it once if you can help it. Good luck!

Cheers Leo

[arpie]

Thanks Leo - glad to hear you have come good, too!! Patience is not a virtue that was handed out to me when born!

Definitely don't want another op, that is for sure!! I didn't recall my recovery from frozen shoulder procedure (manipulation, not surgery) 10 years in hospital as being anywhere near as difficult - tho it was still quite painful & required lots of rehab/exercise. I suppose it did take some months, I guess! Oh what short memories we have .... of pain!!

cheers

Roberta

[arpie]

.... I reckon the ukelele is probably good physio so strum away to your heart's content.......

I have just had a strum of my neighbour's old Maton Guitar - tell you what - that REALLY gets the shoulder moving BIGTIME! It is Massive, compared to my little ukes!

Roberta

[wizza]

Hi roberta I know how slow it is having both done.My happiest moments were putting on alifejacket and getting back in the ocean doing aweak breastroke.cheers wizza

[arpie]

Yeah - I can't wait to pull the life jacket back on, Wizza ....... Michelle is coming up in a couple of weeks ...... I can move it more now than I could a couple of weeks back - but 'scratching my back' ...... now THAT is still pretty hard to do!! Also can't raise it straight above the head yet - tho, with assistance get get it almost to my forehead, but not unassisted.

Hoping for gradual improvement - the quicker the better tho!

cheers

Roberta