Near Miss...

[IronNoggin]

Sitting in one of my blinds last night and a medium sized Blacktail Buck wanders into focus just before last light.
I would not take this three point earlier in the season, but that is getting on, so...
I let him approach to 25 yards, quietly clicked the lowest illumination on the crossbow's scope on, and slowly shoulder the bow.
Crosshairs settling on target, and WTF??

Suddenly a "Dark Cloud" descends between my eye and the crosshairs.
Can't seem to even make those out, let alone the deer?
Drop the bow slightly, shake my head and try again.
Now the entire center focus in my shooting eye appears to be distorted by this "cloud" and I am getting weird flashes of light off to the right (nothing there?).
NOT taking the shot!

Drove home afterwards, and the cloud seemed to come and go on an irregular basis...
Vision blurred in the shooting eye more often than not. Took it Damn Slow!

As I wandered along, I painfully recalled a retinal separation in my left eye just a few short years ago.
The situation I was now facing had all the hallmarks of just that! Exception being this is my Shooting Eye! YIKES!!

Decided to see what happened overnight...
Worse this morning. Now little grainy floaters everywhere (right eye only) and one bigger swirling mass.
Enough. Emergency call to the Eye Sawbones - NEED to see you NOW!!!
Upon the explanation, he agreed, saying get here NOW!

Two hours of testing while I literally sweated bullets.
The dilation drops & various tests had me blinder than I had gone in with, and I had visions of the end of hunting for me...

Finally he came back, and informed me "Good News - you had a near miss, but the retina has not torn nor separated."
The wave of relief was one of the largest I have ever known!

Turns out the jelly like liquid inside your eye gets a little thicker as we age, and will occasionally adhere to the retina. When it releases, it can indeed tear the retina (as happened with my left eye years ago) or simply break free (causing the light flashes). The "Floaters" as the Doc termed them are a combination of a very small amount of blood, and other membranes that floated free when the retina was released.

He suggests I "should be back to normal" within a week or so. CRAP!
How am I going to hunt like this?? Blacktail still ongoing, late season archery on the mainland, and January elk in Alberta!!
I am HOPING he is right! A little better this evening, the "cloud" is dissipating, but vision still blurred some...

Told me to stay away from the computer for a spell, so I'll only be around infrequently it seems...

Anyone out there have any influence with The Goddess, now would be a great time to put in a word for me if you don't mind...

Man-O-Man this growing older chit SUCKS Royally!!

Rattled!
Nog

[GrassyKnoll]

Oh wow.. I hope your fully recovers.. I cannot image how scary that must have been for you... Good luck...

[mr meat]

Hope you have a speedy recovery!!

[j.krug]

Oh boy, that sounds a little scary. Hope you're back to 100% real soon.

[Hester0305]

Man Nog I hope your eye heals very soon I'm glad it didnt do any permanent damage to the eye. I know how much you love to hunt I'll put in some words to the man upstairs for you

[UPSMAN]

My wife suffered the same problem a few years ago while we were on vacation.

[paulaboutform]

DANG IT MATT! Thank the good Lord you're okay. I'd have been chasing you to emerge as soon as you got out of the bush. Buddy, I don't know about any goddess but I do know the God of all creation and I'll be praying Jesus heals you quickly and permanently and that He gets all the glory! .....and blesses you with a much bigger buck than you saw before. Listen to the doc pal!

Paul

[Kegbelly]

Sorry to hear that Nog, but it's very good news that your vision should be back to normal soon! Our eyesight is precious, take the doc's advice and let them heal so you will have many more years of hunting!

[vixenmaster]

I hate to hear that happened to you. We pray that you recover soon

[agingcrossbower]

Sorry to hear of this Iron. Hope it all turns out OK.

[nyexhunter]

Missing a short time hunting is no big deal in the big picture. Please be thankful that you have a chance to recover and take the doctors advice and do nothing including the computer thing until you are back to good.
I know from experience having a detached retina that cost me sight in my left eye two years ago. If I had had a doctor that gave me better advice, tough love instead of do whatever you want, I'm convinced I would have had a better result after my first operation. As it was things didn't go well, and five operations later I ended up virtually blind in my left eye after two years of hell.
I'm slowed down a little now but I can still do everything I want as long as I can get from point A to point B. I just need to be more cautious in my driving and not drive at night in a rain storm or go into busy city traffic.
I'm thankful for my good vision in my right eye and make sure to go out of my way to warn anyone to take time to recover if they have an issue with their retina. Again, do not do a thing for as long as it takes to get back to normal, it will be worth the wait, trust me I know.

[gerald strine]

Glad to hear you will be o.k.
You will have to shoot left handed for a bit it is not that hard to do if you practice a bit.

[IronNoggin]

... As it was things didn't go well, and five operations later I ended up virtually blind in my left eye after two years of hell...

Very Sorry to hear of your bad experience!
I got damn lucky with my left eye a couple years back now when the retina detached. Took four rounds of surgery, but it is back pretty much as good as it ever was now. Wish they had been able to do the same for you!!

Thanks for the well wishes folks! They are certainly Appreciated!!

My Lady actually disconnected the internet on my machine the day I wrote this.
Finally figured out what was wrong just now. Sneaky Gal!!

It was a little better yesterday, but bounced back to worse again today.
Forcing myself to stay home while the season is ticking away is Killing me!
No other choice it seems, but dammit if this had to happen, why not mid-winter when the regular seasons I pursue are closed??

You would simply not believe the Countless Offers I have received to round out my season, and especially so with the Alberta Elk hunt!
Most start off with "Hope you recover quickly" but then instantly degenerate to "If you need a Shooter for that bull"...
It's a fair ways off - Hoping things will be "normal" enough I can pull it off.
Damn Good thing I sighted in the Big Gun already!!

On the Big Gun front, the Sawbones said No Belted Magnums for a while.
Told him about the Alberta hunt in January. Come and see me a week before you go.
Given what that hunt is likely to be, I surely hope he gives me the green light to run with my 300 Weatherby!!

... Buddy, I don't know about any goddess...

The Goddess of The Hunt was worshiped by many historic cultures Paul:



I am not being flippant towards The Lord, but the superstitious part of me often believes it must be a Woman running that particular show! A Male would never be so inconsistent regarding favors one moment, and the exact opposite the next!!

Shooting "Lefty" is simply not in the cards for me. I've tried it, and it is just too awkward for me to pull off successfully... Thus I am hoping this matter clears up relatively soon...

Back to being damn Bored & Frustrated...

Cheers,
Nog

[paulaboutform]

Matt, I've got an idea that, if legal, may be an option for your elk hunt....and it doesn't involve me or anyone else shooting your elk. I'm gonna call you.

Paul

[Possum]

I have the same recurring problem with my right eye. Took too many shots to the head when I worked in corrections. That cloud has only caused me pass on a shot on one deer so far. Hopefully yours will not cause you any more problems.