Your experience, please...

[Darreld Walton]

Pain finally got bad enough that I had to go in and have three neck vertebrae fused a week ago. In the discussions with the Doc, I never thought to ask about shooting, especially the rifles that recoil a mite...
If you've had a similar situation, how did it affect your abilities afterward? What kind of recovery time am I looking at here before I can pick up the .375 again, and not worry about things coming apart?
Is each recovery different and more dependent on the individual, their recovery effort level and general health, fitness and commitment?

[dwhunter]

surgery

I would definitely ask your Doc those questions before doing any shooting with larger calibers and not take the word of any forum members as the gospel, I would think that every case would be different and your Dr knows your case intimately and he/she could better advise.

My 2 cents.

Doug

[mauserboy]

Rehab time

I think the important thing here is to confer with the doctor, who, hopefully, has an understanding of felt recoil vesus freshly procedured vertebra. I have not had direct experience with cervical repair, but have had both my shoulders heavily repaired, and I have a number of friends who had cervical procedures done. I recommend, after you check with your doctor, to wait at least 6 months before firing any long gun with a decided amount of recoil. Maybe I'm being conservative, but laminectomies need time to fully heal, stabilizing the fusion. Even now, after several years of healing, my right shoulder will not tolerate recoil much above heavy '06 loads, because of the bone material removed in the procedure done. I had to sell off my #1 Ruger in .416 Rigby because of this, a sad day for me.

[Darreld Walton]

Thanks, Fellas

We'll see what happens. I've about decided that this year, if nothing else, I'll hit the fields with a camera if I have to.
The Doc did mention that I should be able to resume all prior activity within a year's time, dependent of course on recovery effort and healing quality.
Not in the mood to push things just yet, but I am itching to get going on something. TV got old about a half hour into it, and I hate that couch!
Thanks for your responses!

[Ripface]

My mom and my cousin just had similar surgeries, and from what I gather, a complete heal would be 2 years. It would be borderline to risk it at one year. Maybe take out the .22 rifle and bust some caps in rabbits or game birds or cats.