For many years I have fought to fish. My back would just scream at me at the end of the day. As time when on the back began to scream at me during the day. I tried to 'man up' and keep going. But two days after fishing I still was hurting. So about two years ago I slowed down my fishing. And over the past year I have not gone fishing. I read a lot here an kept the batteries charged up. New line rearranged all my tackle in boxes, resisted the urge to buy the latest hot bait, and watch way to many fishing shows.
Finally the back started to take over my job. I would have to go sit down till the muscle cramps would quit. I tried the shots in the back three times; the last time I was unable to walk for about two hours.
I live in Tyler where I could go in any direction an fish a different good fishing lake. While talking to a fishing friend, Frankie Burkett, He asked me about my back. I told him the back had me in lots of pain when I went fishing or at work. We talked while I was crawling around inside his new boat. Frankie said that there was a doctor in Tyler that had fixed the backs of several Professional fishermen, and the doctor was a fisherman himself. I said 'that's right Dr Detwilder!"
So the next week I walked into Dr Detwilder office an made an appointment. Took about 4 weeks for me to see him. My wife went with me ; as I sat in his office my nerves were jumping.
When he came into the room he said " how can I help you?" I said "First do you really drop shot at Lake Tyler?' This made for the best Dr/ patient visit ever. He was up front easy and made me feel so proud that I had chose Him. He told me I have 'Stenosis" a narrowing of the holes in the back that the nerves run thru. He told me that I had the worst case he had seen. Even wondered how I was walking.
So a date was set for the surgery, pre physical went well All was set. Dr Detwilder came into my room just before I was to go to surgery . He said " you ready to go fishing again?" My reply "YES"
My rehab was to walk a mile each day. I did this with my granddaughter we did not do a 4 minute mile more like a 40 minute mile for the first few days. I continued to walk the dogs once twice or three times a day. At times I sat in a chair beside my boat : could not get in it because of my back.
Finally my appointment with Dr Detwilder to have my back checked out. The nurses put me in a room with a mount of a 14.49 that Doctor had caught. When he came into the room I stood an shook his hand. We talked for a long time about nothing important, Then I asked " how am I doing?" Dr.said " you are way ahead of where most people are," "So can I go fishing?" "Yes but don't do any thing stupid like lift a battery into the back of the boat"
We I left his office I turned an HUGGED the Doctor.
Yesterday I went with my grand daughter and son to Lake Palestine cat fishing. I baited the 'noodles' that I had made during my down time. I stood on the front deck, dug in the storage box, an moved around in boat. That day was great! Over a year since I been in my boat. I was not sore nor stiff the next day.
It has only been about 7 weeks since my surgery and I am getting better every day and better than I was yesterday. I am not going to do anything stupid but feel so much better.
My back is better, I have bass fished for over 50 years all over, but this surgery has given me back a life on the water I thought was over. Thank you Dr Detwilder for giving me back what MY Dad gave me years ago. A special thanks to Frankie for reminding me of Dr. Detwilder.
wild bill
aka bill mcfarlin
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