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hard reality

stringleech

stringleech

PMA Member
i know this is off the subject of the forum but know that there are prob a few guys in here that have faced the reality of what i wanna post. just looking for a few thoughts from some guys that have gone through what im about to experience..as i write this im sitting in the neuro ward of a hospital in northern wis with my Dad. He has had a pretty bad stroke and is in intensive care and has been on and off for the last week..hes done good and hasnt lost alot of his memory and stuff but what i thought was going to be a couple week recovery appears to be more like a 3 to 6 month recovery and even possibly nursing home care for awhile. This man has been my role model and favorite hunting partner for ever..hes seen my love for Iowa hunting grow and was tickled when i came home with my first Iowa buck in 07. Now he doesnt look like he will be in the woods this fall or at least not as he has been.. its a struggle with me now to even think about grabbing my bow or going out in the woods scouting or even thinking about hunting. I have had this talk with him before and hes told me to never give up hunting for him and i have hope that that will sustain me..i guess i know there are guys that pray in here and he needs them now and i also know that there are guys in here that have dealt with this..just looking for some wisdom...thanks alot
 
Pray.... As I will be for you.

I have ZERO experience in this, but stick by him. This is a tough time and regardless of the outcome, he and you will be glad you are there for him.
 
Don't give up the things that bring you joy in life. You may need them now more than ever. Cherish the memories and do all you can to help him recover so you can make more of them! And by all means, tell him you love him all the time!

Prayers are with you and your family.
 
So sorry about your dad, I will pray for a full recovery for him. Stick with him through this as I'm sure you will. Please keep in mind that the guys who pray do so for a reason. There is most certainly a higher power that is in control. And although there may be times where it doesn't seem like He is there, He is. Without trying to change the subject or prod into your life, if you are in the midst of some questioning or searching, I'm more than happy to help to the best of my ability if you have questions. Just PM me. Keep your head and attitude up, you being happy will only help your dad.
 
Hope he makes a full recovery.
I have not experienced this first hand myself, but am coping with a similar situation with my brother-in law who;s father is very sick. My bro-in law is like a brother to me, so him and I have had some deep talks. He and his fathers thing to do together has always been cars and motorcycles. They recently went on a little short ride around town on the bikes. My nephew snapped a photo of them and he will cherish it forever. When talking we both came to the conclusion he will probably never ride again without thinking of his dad.
So with that said, I would say hold your hunting close, it may be hard to get into the swing of it like you would if not under these circumstances, but no matter the outcome, you should honor his wishes and keep it on and do it with gusto. Your time in the field in the future should be your time to reflect on your memories being with him, and your time to honor his memory and and give thanks for his guidence to your outdoor lifestyle.

JMO
 
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Prayers sent. Hope everything goes well for you both. Whether to take a season off is a personal choice that only you can make. But if you bring him a picture of the deer you harvested this fall, well that might be some of the best medicine he can get. Best wishes!
 
Prays go to u and family. I had this happen to me about 20 years ago my grandpa past we would go camping and fishing. Well after he past i gave up on that i didnt think i would enjoy it anymore well after i started to take my kids fishing i was kicking myself for sttopping it. If i were u i wouldnt stop it might no it will be hard hard the first couple of times but it will get better.and im sure he wouldnt want u to stop. And again my prays
 
I know exactly how you feel.
My father suffered a massive stroke in 2007. He is also my mentor and lifetime hunting partner. I know things are hard right now and I felt the exact same way as you about hunting. At that time I did not care if I ever set foot in a treestand again. This will pass in time, trust me. My father told me the same thing, to never let the bad things in life take the hunting out of me. Regardless of what happens with your dad, remember he will/would want you to carry on the life style he has spent his life teaching you.

Things are very difficult for my father still, his speech is not good, his entire right side does not work. I actually moved him into my home last week.
I can tell you this, even as difficult of a task it is to take him hunting, he still goes along and sits in my truck watching and waiting during shotgun season. I've also taken him to Nebraska turkey hunting for a week and still take him gobbler hunting here in Iowa a few times a season. He doesn't seem to care if he shoots a bird or not, he simply enjoys our time together still, as do I.
It'll be a long road recovering for him and all I can say is to stick by his side no matter what as he will need your support to help with the depression that inevitably will set in at some point and the difficulty in doing the simplest tasks that we take for granted in our everyday lives. A HUGE prayer has been sent your way! Stay strong and GOD bless you all.
 
Prayers sent & best of luck to you guys in his recovery. Your experiences in the woods this fall may be his best medicine. Tell him we are all pulling for em.
 
Im humbled as i read each post sent by all you guys...thanks so much for every one of them...its motivating me to keep on going and i will..The prayers will be appreciated for him for a long time..(forever actually) he seems to be holding his own and his nurses have said he is showing some progress but to just not expect to much to soon so im going to just try to keep the optimism strong. i sent a few pm's and appreciate hearing about some of the other guys who have went through this it makes it easier for me to deal with when i hear from guys who have went through similar stuff.. feel free to keep the pms coming
 
Prayers sent. As for hunting this fall, its all up to you. Like previous posters have said, it might be the best medicine for him and yourself. Keep your head up and try to stay as positive as you can.
 
Greg,

Our talks have demonstrated to me your character and values. I am sure those traits have been instilled into you from your father/mentor. I will keep him and your family in my prayers. Balance in life is so important. There may be days ahead where you will need some of that balance away from the situation and days when you will know your place is by his side. I am confident that the proper balance of those decisions will come to you when you need it. Seek the proper guidance and you will know what steps to take.

Take care and keep in touch,
 
I can't relate, as this sort of thing hasn't happened to me, although I have thought about it many times...wondering what it would be like to step into the timber the first time after my dad is gone...if I can do it at all. So I won't tell you what to do, other than take it a day at a time. As much as we want it, work for it and believe it, God never told us life would be easy, but He did tell us He would ALWAYS be here for us. He will never fail us nor forsake us. Sometimes He brings us to the point where we realize we have nowhere to turn but to Him, but that's a good place to be. It's in those times we learn how real He is. As some of the other guys said, don't give up. Keep hoping, keep loving, and ask God for faith.
 
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