Now that I am truly middle-aged, there are some things that I just cannot do. It is not because I am physically constrained. It is because I’ve just gotten the peek at the consequences, and I know better.

So it is with this lung thing I’ve been nursing for over a week now. I probably could have gone out in the rain on Saturday and bowhunted. I was not feeling all that bad. I could have also gone out Sunday. Even though I had a fever on and off, I was controlling it and most of the other symptoms with Dayquil.

I didn’t and I am glad I did not. I had three days of agony– hot, burning throat and lungs, weakness, difficulty breathing, fever, and a painful dry hacking cough that had me doubled-over and nearly passing out.

In 92 I was a much younger man. I’d gone bowhunting in with the flu. I’d gone bowhunting with colds. Nothing was going to stop me. A little cough was not going to stop me. I went out on opening weekend, and shot one of my best bucks ever. A month later, I was in an Oncology wing with tubes hanging out of me and the family doctor telling me he didn’t know what I had and that they were going to have to get aggressive, or they were going to lose me.

Now, in 2004, I went to the farm, but I slept in and stayed close to the house. When I realized things were getting worse, I called the doctor, and he gave me some anti-biotics, and told me to go home and get some rest. I’m feeling much better. I try not to kick myself about missing a weekend of bowhunting. This weekend will be the rut, and I may have better luck than what I would have had in the rain last weekend.

Sorry I haven’t written much lately. I’ve just been busy.

 

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