How shooting helped my recovery

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jaybo

jaybo

Member
Aug 31, 2016
35
1
New Mexico
I had triple bypass cardiac surgery about two months ago. To my surprise I was affected mentally as well as physically post-surgery. Of course I had to stay at home almost all the time (except for appointments) so I decided that one of the things that I should do was to setup a target stand at the side of the house and shoot my CO2 air rifles and pistols. The main advantages are that 1) I am at home, 2) there is little noise, 3) the target distance can be small, and 4) pellets are cheap. Another advantage is that with CO2 there is no strain from pumping or barrel-breaking up to pressure.

Even though I expected it to some degree I was pleasantly surprised at how much my mental state improved. I had to pay extra attention to being careful about my shooting routine of course, but more importantly the intense focus of positioning the sights on the target, holding my body still, and carefully squeezing the trigger did a lot to improve my concentration and thought processes. I couldn't allow my thoughts to wander if I wanted to hit the target with any consistency!

I'm writing this to the forum so that, if you know someone who is in a similar situation, you might recommend shooting an airgun as a means to rapid recovery.
 
I have similar thoughts for recovery. I have to dissolve two blood clots in my left thigh before I can get left hip replaced. Besides getting my L2 disc replaced, or whatever it is they do these days? Hunting & BR shooting would be my recovery. I need to get me & the wife out fishing again. And I really need to hunt once more. So getting fixed up to walk decent again will aid in recovering that which was lost to me. So I know the feeling. Just having to shoot my new air guns after cleaning the bores for the first time rekindled such a joy as I had not known in many a year! God forgive me for the time I've wasted. Besides, a couple months ago, my #2 son mentioned really wishing he had his AIR17 back again, after I'd talked about getting back into pellet guns & shooting in general. I hope I too can " turn things around"?
​Anyway, I decided that, after cleaning up, lubing & testing the mint condition AIR17, that I'll surprise him with it for Christmas.
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Complete with this new hard case; https://www.walmart.com/ip/20893853 Tube of lubricant; https://www.walmart.com/ip/19866113 And this tin of Gamo lethal pellets in 5.56gr that wound up being too light for the Winchester 1400cs; http://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/Gamo_Lethal_177_Cal_5_56_Grains_Domed_Lead_Free_100ct/1100 Who knows, maybe his mother is right in that this might make him wanna go hunting with me again? His fiancé is Vietnamese, her mom is really nice & remembers cooking on a real wood fire, like me. So maybe they're familiar with eating small game?
 
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My surgeon forbade me to hunt this fall, which was a shame considering that I had drawn tags for both deer and elk. He said (correctly) that the recoil from my big game rifle (7mm Remington Magnum) would be way too much for my healing sternum to handle. That is why I decided that I was going to shoot regardless and brought out my two air rifles (.177 and .22) and three air pistols (2 x .177 and .22). I normally put them aside during big game season but this year was different. What surprised me was how much the act of shooting refocused my mind. I always took sighting in and benchrest shooting as a warm up for hunting, but I had no idea of its therapeutic value. And of course I don't have to travel to the range as I did previously.

BTW, I shoot iron sights on one pistol, a red dot sight on another pistol, and scopes on the third pistol and the two rifles.
 
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jaybo, shooting is the best therapy for the mind. After my heart attack my doctor told me that most people have a bout with depression after one. And for me to expect it. Well my wife knows how I like to shoot and went out and bought me some airsoft guns, targets, and plastic bbs. She set the targets up around the house and told me to shoot all I wanted to. She would bring home different targets for me to shoot all the time. I didn't suffer from depression, well not bad anyway.
Thank you for sharing your story. People involved in the shooting sports, that suffer a medical set back, need to know there are ways they can shoot and have fun. It helps one see that life is still fun and you do have a reason to wake up each morning.
 
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Bless every one of you. I hope your Holiday season is a good one and everyone who is in recovery or ill gets better quicker than any of you expected. I am lucky to be only 64 and I promise I will stop whining about my aches and pains. I can't complain as I am in reasonable health. Bless all of you and speedy recoveries to all.
 
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Thanks everyone for the kind posts. I know that I'm not the only one with health issues, that others have their issues to deal with, and I wish them well. It is great that airgun forum members are also kind people that offer well wishes and advice. Something more to be thankful for in two days! Have a great holiday everyone, and "keep on shootin'"!

P.S. How many remember R. Crumb?
 
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So im not the only one who have figure it out that you feel much better after a couple of pellets trough the barrel, god for you! I burned myself out a couple of years ago, with that came some depression also, but when you have to focus on one thing, like breathing correctly (Yes it helps) or have a target to look at trough a scope, you feel much better after a while, have a good recovery you guys and gal's!
 
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