and it's not good.

Sorry this is long, and I'm sorry about burdening you with it, but I just got home from the doctor, my wife is at work, and I really don't have anyone to talk to about this right now.

I don't have a torn rotator cuff, as the doctor thought. Turns out the MRI showed an "extensive posterior labral tear". For those of you who don't know what that is,(I sure didn't), it's a tear in the cartilage lining the inside ofthe ball socket of the shoulder caused by a dislocation. Evidently I dislocated my shoulder when I shot a 70 pound bow for the first time. I heard and felt the "pop", and I knew it hurt, but I didn't think it hurt that much.

Surgery is the only way to fix this one, and the surgery is scheduled for 18 October.

The good news is that I will still get one month of bow hunting.

The bad news, besides the fact that I will entirely miss the rut, muzzleloader and rifle season, is I'll spend six weeks with my arm in a sling andfixed in place bya "wedge". I won't be allowed to use my right arm for six weeks. (Keep your minds out of the gutter, please.) Then it'll be two and a half to three and a half months of physical therapy before I'll be considered "recovered and released". Even then, according to the surgeon, it would be risky to go back to shooting a bow until it's had plenty of time to strengthen.

I wanted to wait until after I retired from the Navy to get this done, but if I wait TRICARE won't cover the full cost, and since it's a condition that I could have had taken care of before I retired, they might not pay for it at all.

Some suggested using the VA. If you had a choice between letting a top-notch sports orthopedic surgeon work onyou orputtingyour health in the hands of theVA, which would you choose? Hey, these guys worked on Peyton Manning! They must be alright, huh?

Well, looks like Team 35 maywant to find a new team-mate.[:@]

Sorry to hear the news.Enjoy the month of hunting as much as you can. But, don't worry about us we got in this in the bag since RD is gonna shoot a 200 incher this year.

Well bud I just had my shooting shoulder operated on Aug.7th and I started therapy last Monday and since I started man I have been getting better by the day still a long way to go doctor told me the same thing that i will have a long vacation. My rotator cuff had a minor tear from a bone spur which they removed and stitched me up and also shaved my collar bone down approxamatly 40 stitches inside about a 3" scar. It does suck cause when they cut all those muscles you have no stregth thats what im working on now. you feel like you never used your arm before! I was shooting 70# my bow is now turned all the way down to 51# and I dont think I will ever turn it back up there is no need to!

Sorry to hear that. Hope things go well.

Sorry to hear about that! I hope you have a real speedy recovery. I think more guyshurt themselves by drawing too much weight than some realize. There is no need to "overbow" yourself. It will eventually lead to disaster. So if you like to shoot a bow DON'T try to be a superhero.

Sorry to hear the news,what a bummer.
I got a question: "The good news is that I will still get one month of bow hunting."

How?

I couldn't agree more. I wish now (more than you know) that I'd just gone with a 60 pound bow. The injury happened drawing 70 pounds for the first time while shopping for my first bow. I didn't know any better. I think some folks think they're invincible. I can draw 70 pounds with no problem, but you never know when somethings going to go wrong. Next year I'll be around 60 pounds. You can count on it. Lesson learned the HARD way.

TRYKON!! er.. I mean PABUck HNTR!!! Good to hear from you again.

I'm really sorry to hear that LittleChief , I was hoping and praying for the best for you.
Looks like your gonna have to learn to do everything left handed like us south paws do , I think your making the right choice by getting a top notch doctor instead of some quack at a V.A.
Don't worry about the team , your stuck with us wheather you like it or not , I'll just have give one of pep talks and ask the rest of the team to " win one for the gipper " but in the mean time you just take it easy and don't over do it.
I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers and you well , take care and may God Bless you.

Even though I injured my shoulder drawing a bow, I can still draw with no problem. The pain occurs when I raise my arm over my head. My season opener is this weekend, 15 September, and my surgery isn't until 18 October.

Sorry Chief, reschedule the surgery post rut... I feel your pain, literally with my ruptured Achilles tendon, difference is, I had my surgery and am working towards getting out prior to the rut, you better get the job done now so you don't need the rut.

Best of luck, and doctors make way, way too much money until you need them.