~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~42~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Lake St. Joseph, in Canada, I got to be “The Other Person.”  It was a yell-out-loud, hoot-n-holler kind of thrill after you work and wait and finally don’t fail when a chance comes along.

I had a great boat partner, Ed, who netted my big girl and who did other things to manage the pike that would not have been wise for me to then attempt.  Recently, part of my index finger had been “pulverized,” according to my doctor.  While I was wearing a splint, the wires had been removed just 13 days ago.

My only unfulfilled wish was that the picture could’ve been of both Ed and me holding this fierce-fighting fish with our friend John there to share in the excitement.  John had earlier motored off to prospect other water.

Last year in the Northwoods, John had been trying hard to get me on a big musky… And he did so.  It happened a couple times on a particular day, but I’d failed to convert. The following day I was in the zone but the fish weren’t cooperative. Late afternoon we had some action and a particular fish I converted felt like +40 during the fight.  In reality, its exciting, rod-bending action became 38 inches of musky in my happy hands.  No “+40” To A River Guide Service hat (yet) for me.

Also last winter, John convinced this frugal musky-hungry fly angler to take a 5-day, Canadian trip in search of pike.  The trip cost would eliminate my musky guide trips for this year since I’ve still not received payment greater than a dollar from the Mega-Millions. However, due to my proven faith in John’s ability to plan a trip and prospect good water, I decided I should grab a rare opportunity when it was given. Ultimately, we had a great group of 5 for the trip.

I got a Visa and then on May 25 laughingly predicted John’s minor frustration at seeing me pictured with my personal-best Esox… in a net on my lap.  A thrashing head or tail from a 42-inch pike with a 15 ½” girth does not mix well with a broken finger, and my poor grip could cause the fish to fall in the boat.  I'd elected to "Play smart to fish more, then practice safe release.”

I know that John missed converting a couple super-sized pike, including one right at his boat, and First-Cast Ed had a few mid-30s. The always-funny Steve and his daughter Sam, who was a novice fly angler, daily returned last to the cabin after competing for how many pike each could get.  Yes, there were some slow moments, but we all caught lots of pike. 

While it took me until the final day on the lake, we all landed walleye on the fly.  I cheered just like it was the 42-incher, having joked previously that I would become the first walleye fly fishing guide.  That wally also came to one of my 8-inch BB’s Forage flies, just like 42 did.  Those who tie flies understand that pleasure.  Another bigger pike was coaxed to my fly that day.  After a brief fight, it was gone because I forgot to set the hook a second time.  Right after that, I got a huge snag.

During those days on Canadian water, in beautiful surroundings shared by an excellent mix of people, I experienced many firsts.  42 was a blessing, and I’d always longed to feel the weight of a big girl and feel the release when she left my protective hand.  That pike was also a grand fighter, forcing my rod tip to circle the boat, making 2 short runs, and jumping twice from the water and tail-wagging.  This was Ed’s first big-pike experience too.  To top it off, I discovered she’d also left me with a tooth.  I gave Ed my fly.  I also had my first top-water experience, and that pike was boated with the only surface fly I’ve tied. Really, the fly is an embarrassment, and I call it Ugly Big Head.

Near the cabin, I waded and landed a pike one evening, fly-line-jigged and missed fish from the dock a couple other days, found blue crayfish claws and caribou prints and felt a greater intimacy with Canadian land and water.

Despite my finger, as the days progressed I started to learn how to safely manage my own netted, small pike.  The final evening at the cabin I went out to fish before the imminent lightning and thunder arrived.  I planned to fly fish off the dock but also explore a tiny point viewed from our cabin’s kitchen window.  The point had been a popular spot for beaver, a merganser pair, and gulls.  Would fish like it too?  After fishing the dock, I made the short, rocky hike to the point.  First cast and I had a pike!  Ultimately, I netted three pike while fishing a fly over the steep, rocky drop along that point.

Thunder chased me back to the cabin and we five friends soon enjoyed a final supper, including 4 racks of barbecued ribs, foil-grilled potatoes, and baked beans, with a great salad prepared by Steve and Sam.  Since John did the bulk of each evening’s cooking, the rest of us did the cleanup.  We’d planned for one meal of walleye, but John had brought and prepared so much good food for suppers that we didn’t harvest any walleye.

That evening, I ate with my waders on, having decided to fish again after supper.  If I got one special fish or a few smaller pike then I’d be satisfied.  I would not need to get up early the next morning for 30 minutes of last-hope fishing before the float plane arrived. The second time at the dock, with waning light and a post-thunderstorm sunset, another small pike was netted.  Did I once see a long, white belly turn from my fly in the haze of deeper water?  I’ll never know, but I ended up setting my alarm for 5:15. 

The first time that evening at the dock I’d landed two pike.  The first pike managed to get the fly moderately deep.  All my solo musky have been mouth hooked, so I had to put on my big-girl pants to get the current job done. I learned to keep the fish in the net and learned why the jaw spreaders kept coming undone.  I am, by nature, a jumpy person.  Whenever the pike would thrash, I would jump and squeeze the previously-placed spreaders, allowing the pike’s mouth to again close.  Ultimately, the good fingers on my left hand held the ring of the spreader while my right hand managed the pliers and the fly.  My butt was put in charge of the net handle. The second pike inhaled the fly more deeply.  After calming myself and mumbling that I might have to catch & keep for the first time if the pike did not consider my hook removal a success, I went to work.  I looked through the spreaders in to the mouth and down to its esophagus.  I’d never seen an esophagus before.  Deep breath.  The fly came out more quickly than the first pike’s fly had.  A safe release coupled with much relief.  The big-girl pants fit well so I need to keep wearing them.

By 5:30 am I was back on the dock with the previous night’s popular Umpqua fly on deck.  Then, it was my minnow-patterned BB’s Forage.  No fish sign.  With time running out, I put on a Supercharger; a red, flashy fly created by Jared Ehlers.  Ultimately, nothing was hooked, but it was worth getting up early… 

I had a follow.  It was another broad, 40+ pike, following inches away from the gaudy fly, right toward the dock!  When I look back, she seemed to be the fishy equivalent of the slow walk while scanning the morning newspaper, followed by an unhurried turn to the kitchen to relax and enjoy a good coffee.  I’ve imagined hooking and fighting her, all others rushing to the dock, with Sam, the youngest person and novice angler, being guided on netting a big toothy critter and ultimately getting to feel the heft of that scaled, powerful body.

We all want to return to the cabin, to those Canadian waters and to its pike and walleye.  And I sincerely hope that everyone gets their own chance to be “The Other Person.”  ~Trip dates: 5/21-28/16. Story finished 6/11/16. Thanks for reading it! Twitch

Back at Slate Falls Outpost office, I was the first person with the honor of filling out the board for landing a 42" or greater pike!

      MORE PICTURES FROM TRIP TO LAKE ST. JOSEPH, ONTARIO, CANADA:

View of  the 154,348 acre Lake St. Joseph just prior to the descent to our cabin.

Another view from the Otter float plane. Note that the land at the  lower right corner looks like a beaver. There were many beaver lodges on the lake, and they attracted finned toothy critters too!

John taking the time to appreciate life.

Steve, left, his daughter Sam, Ed, and I visit on the deck while John grills bbq chicken around the deck's corner.

Waiting out a morning's cold, wind, and rain with breakfast, a book, and a nap.

Ed  adds a little more warmth to the cabin on a chilly, late afternoon.

Our bathrooms 2 & 3 are located outside.

Ed was happy with small fish, big fish, in the rain, and in the rarely-seen sun.

I think this was Ed's first larger pike. It was 34" and d/t its girth it appeared large!

I put the netted 42 in the water. Ed removed 42 from the net and initiated a safe recovery (above), then I held her tail to finish the recovery. Meanwhile, Ed returned to his rod and another pike he'd hooked!

The first pike I decided to mug with for the camera. Even the pike is smiling!

Discussing a particular stretch of water.

We enter the channels on a particular stretch of water prior to entering the main body of the lake and heading the boats back to our cabin and supper.

Our cabin in the morning.

Travelling at 133 mph and 1000 feet, I enjoy a ride in the cabin of the 1961 Otter with pilot Rich as we return to Sioux Outlook.

Our group and luggage have been removed from the plane and we ready to begin the drive back through International Falls and to our home, the U.S.A.

One of 2 bears seen (at the start) on our trip as we headed through northern MN to International Falls.

My Journey as 3 Paw

March 18 - April 30, 2016

   On March 18, 2016, I trekked down to a favorite fishing hole in search of beauty and browns. I soon held a Brush Creek brown in my left hand and took a picture, already hoping to return again the following afternoon. However, by mid-morning on March 19, I'd suffered an injury to the proximal phalanx (about 1.5 inches of bone) of my left index finger & would not be holding brown trout again anytime soon. On April 4th, I was able to take pictures of my hand and the 7 K-wires holding the 15-20 fragments of bone together. The surgery had occurred on March 29, but since March 21st I had been (& still am) immobilized from my mid-forearm down to my 2nd & 3rd fingertips.  

   Yesterday (4/28), I was told that the doctor wanted the wires to remain in the finger for 2 more weeks. Seven total weeks of immobilization.  It's official; my index finger is going to have all of the flexibility of a carrot. Occupational Therapy began yesterday to my wrist, hand, & other 4 fingers. My middle finger is very rigid & everything else is tight. My goal is to regain 50% of my range of motion (ROM) by my next OT appointment on May 2nd and to have enough movement to tie flies at our club meeting on May 1st..

   Life deals us problems or challenges, & most of the time we get to pick our hand.  Our hand is also known as "attitude."  So far, I have decided that I have a challenge, and I decided to figure out how to fly fish (nearly) 1-handed.

to be continued...

   During April 13-17th, 5 of us gals made a roadtrip, spending much of our time at Mountain Home, Arkansas' Sowbug Roundup. I observed a double haul casting class & took notes by using voice-to-text to send myself emails.The fly tiers & other people in the region were friendly, & the bbq was great. We got to meet Tom Schmuecker, owner of Wapsi Fly, Inc., and tour the business. Tom is also one of the founders of Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association, the club that 4/5 of us belong to. My friends spent some time fishing the White River, & I spent a morning with the hook cut of of a Guelk Nymph, honing my new 1-handed casting technique. I could cast & shoot line out fairly well.  But despite coming up with a 1-handed system to strip line under tension, I still resorted to stripping in line between my left thumb and the part of the hand below the index finger.  Located above this area were two wires helping to hold the bones of my index finger together.  A friend and I returned to the cabin to fashion a baggie over the stripping area to prevent my splint from getting wetter.  It was then that I decided to stop casting for the day, knowing both that I should not be using the left hand and that I currently did not have the discipline to only use my right hand.  I yet thought that I would fish another day, but another good opportunity didn't arise.

   The day prior to the trip I used a piece of cane to mimic a fly rod and discovered that placing the butt end in a waist pack with my left arm wrapped around the upper portion of the "rod" gave it enough support to allow line stripping with the right hand.  After Googling 1-armed casting, I noted the assistive devices often incorporated a strap around a thigh to aid line management.  I used a long and a short carrying strap, & the sheath for my long-nosed pliers to make my own line-management system. The longer carrying strap connected the shorter strap buckled around my lower thigh to my wading belt or waist pack, keeping the shorter strap from falling.  My woman's shape would prevent the thigh strap, which the sheath was attached to, from riding up too much.  I mimicked stripping in line, wrapping it below the sheath to get tension & then releasing that same section of line just as I grabbed more line to allow me to strip again.  Due to my nature to overthink things, I hoped that one evening in our Arkansas cabin we could come up with ways to simplify the 1-handed casting system.

   The first night at the cabin, Scott, a MN friend and invited tier to the Roundup, paid us a visit.  Scott has made his own dubbing tool, among other things, and was the perfect person to simplify the casting system.  After his suggestion, the leg strap was removed, and the sheath was attached to the right side of my waist pack. The line was stripped, and then wrapped only below (not around) the sheath to provide line tension but still allow an aggressive fish to take line out.  Scott also suggested using a cord to attach the rod to something on my body. Due to the inability of my left hand to grip the rod, there was a chance the rod could dislodge from the pouch of my fanny pack.  Taking the small coiled cord from the unused pliers, the cord was looped around my rod and reel and the opposite end could be clipped to my clothing.  Near the end of the evening, Scott mimicked a hooked fish flopping around on the floor, to test how I would contain him and remove the hook. During this visit, Scott also dubbed me with the moniker "3 Paw."  I liked it.  

to be continued...

   I keep my hand out of the splint as much as possible, and I stretch and exercise my fingers and wrist... at home, while working out on a recumbent bike, while visiting a friend, when at the library, etc.  I try not to attempt too much movement of the index finger, but it can't move much anyway (carrot-like, remember?). I also have mixed feelings about the very skilled doctor, who was on vacation when my injury occurred but gave me surgery right after he returned & also changed surgical sites to ensure my insurance covered the surgery.  Yet, after a surgery and 2 visits to the clinic, I don't think I've seen him a total of 10 minutes.  To him, I am the severely comminuted finger fracture and feel I received the human patient assembly line instructions.  When you don't see a doctor enough to communicate with him, you don't know why you can't move a joint, and it becomes challenging to follow doctor's orders.  The OT will be my bridge to the doctor, since the OT will also treat my muscles and tendons, and consider how well my personality, my discipline, and patient goals will figure in to my treatment.  I wish I'd insisted on having OT ordered 2-3 weeks after my surgery, but if wishes were fishes...

   My next OT appt is tomorrow and I will see the doctor or his PA again on May 12th, when the wires will likely be removed.  On May 20 I leave to meet up with a friend in Michigan where we embark on a long-planned group trip to Canada to fly fish for trophy pike, and walleye.  I accept that I will have plenty of challenges, and I hope for no problems. 

First Real Fishing Expedition

   Yesterday (4/30), I went smallie fishing on a creek close to home.  Shortly after hitting the water, I hooked one but quickly lost it.  I hadn't honed my 1-handed technique yet and was unable to keep enough tension on the line.  I spent hours on a cool day walking and fishing.  I had more chases but no further hook ups, yet still had a great day.  I believe I thought every day last winter about springtime smallmouth fishing and summer float trips for smallies, and I am one day closer to my first smallie of the year.

  

   I keep my promises, even ones made to myself, and a few weeks ago I promised myself I wouldn't use my left hand in a manner to risk injuring it.  My left arm can stabilize the rod when the rod butt is in my waist pack, and I use the tip of my splint to slowly wind line on the reel when I'm moving to the next hole.  But when I'm actually fishing, the left hand and fingers are currently out of a job.  The right hand initially wrapped the line around the lower part of the sheath with each strip & captured more line.  It was slow and awkward.  Now, I strip line, let go, and immediately catch more line with the hand.  I occasionally reach line back to the sheath so I am still in practice for when I need to manage and strip in a tauter line, i.e. line with a fish on it.  Still not ideal but fly fishing 1-handed isn't ideal.  I haven't waded, and I don't know that I will, since wires entering the skin are also the same areas where bacteria could enter.  However, I haven't made myself any promises.

   I kept the rod, rigged up, in the car along with my other gear.  It's a chore to get ready to fish, so I wanted to take that out of the equation.  Besides, I might not be able to break the rod down without assistance. ;)  However, now it's been raining and the creek will be running too high for a couple days, so it is time to find more morels. ~April 30.

to be continued...


May 1

   Part of the reason I am writing this is because I work in the healthcare profession.  I want to share that sometimes our bodies change and we can't do things in the manner we previously had.  But, our greatest tool is the brain.  If one is willing to be creative and flexible, we can often come up with a way to still do the things we love and do them safely, too.  

to be continued...


May 6

   Went fishing yesterday at the same area. One can usually sight fish and find smallies here, but I only saw suckers. No luck at all except that I met "Ken," who gave me a good tip on where to find sizable smallies. I guess it is a little treacherous in a rocky way to get to the hole, so I will either go with a friend or wait until my wires are removed...unless I get a wild hair.

   Tomorrow is the annual local fly casting clinic, held in Bettendorf. Dan Johnston, St. Croix rep, is the main instructor, and others give him a hand.  I'm looking forward to providing instruction, and this can be done 1-handed.  It will be a pleasure to help others again, especially since so many folks have offered to help me since I became a "3 Paw."  

   I watched the latest episode of "The Voice" tonight while using lotion and a wash cloth to scrub off what seems to be the tenth layer of dead skin from my hand. There is definitely muscle atrophy up to the forearm and some swelling remains to the fingers and hand, but at least it now the appendage looks alive.  I think "the Voice's" season finale is on May 24, and I will be well into a big pike fly fishing vacation in Canada by then.  My buddy John called tonight to discuss food ideas for the trip.  My hope remains that the wires will be gone, and that I will have a splint that will allow me to manage line with my left hand.  I can manage a rod fine with either hand, but double hauling with a 10 wt has mostly always been a L-handed affair.   


   I wonder if I will wake up tonight doing range of motion to my hand with it out of the splint-- as I had managed to do in my sleep a few nights ago.


May 9

   Our casting clinic went well. I want to be a better instructor. Still learning too much there! LOL! ...The OT is happy with my progress. I am hoping wires are removed on Thursday, otherwise 2por1 margarita celebration will be 2por1 margarita bit%# and moan session... I layout the newsletter for our fly fishing club, and it will be finished tomorrow. Time to set sites on Canada trip for big pike!!! (still need to post hilarious pics from Sowbug)

to be continued...

May 12

My finger has turned into a carrot, but the final 6 wires have been removed (the last 2 required a little twisting and harder pulling)! More protective splinting and OT to come. Weird sensations in the broken area at times that make me jump like I just  realized something was crawling around in my shirt with me, but overall not too bad. Celebrated with margs & Mex then went to the monthly "Music Night" in my friends' basement.

Trying desperately to find intermediate line prior to Canada. Time to start packing and will likely have to skip an invitation of trouting and camping for this weekend so I know I can be ready for the big trip.

More gross pictures to come...

5-12-16: Wires are removed!!

Finally landed smb 5-13-16. OT made splint
after wires removed 5-12-16.

Friend John met me at the stream.

May 18

I've been able to fish a little locally and finally landed some small smallies. I'm wearing a less restrictive splint on my hand to protect the finger that is always rudely pointing. It is challenging managing the fish since I can't sufficiently pinch, grip or lip yet, with the fingers on the left hand. But, casting is improving and all is slowly progressing. 

5-17-16, took pic to show OT the movement
 I can force at the joints of my finger.

Sinking (type 6) and intermediate lines have arrived.

Tied 4 Clousers, so far, for the trip. After 3, the middle finger and wrist are sore.

After small modifications to my 2 splints, one feels worse and the other rubs in new places. Must return to clinic again tomorrow. Going out to practice cast again tonight to make sure no other concerns with splint I'll wear when fishing in Canada. I leave on Friday for Michigan and a friend's house. We leave for International Falls and Canada on Saturday.

to be continued....

May 20-29

Driving to SW MI solo and then MI to/from Sioux Outlook, north of International Falls, with friends, and from Superior, WI, to home solo I spent most of my time exercising my finger by forcing it to bend at a single joint or at multiple joints, or by moving it the little it would go under its own power.  Listening to audio books makes all my travel time for fishing trips go much smoother.  I stopped wearing a bag over my finger when showering at our cabin, located along Lake St. Joe, Eagle Island, in Ontario, Canada.  I also got my personal-best Esox, had another +40 follow the final morning, and did get one walleye on the fly, too.  

See my post titled "42" about this great trip with 4 other fly anglers.  My splint worked great, allowing me to double haul, pull up the anchor, and eventually remove flies from my own pike, safely.

Safest way to then pose with my personal-best Esox

Another friend John who consistently casts beautifully.
In winter, he invited me on the trip & kept faith that I would still go
following my injury. This and timeliness of my recovery was something
I had  to choose not to worry about.

June 1

The day of another doctor's appt.  The surgeon, my OT, and I all agree that my goal to return to work by June 6 will not be met.  Progress is good considering the trauma and length of immobilization, but the finger is still too stiff and Dr. V wants to see more radiographic healing. Doctor actually giggled when viewing current Xrays. "Remember," he said, "that bone was smashed to smithereens."  He went on to detail the current, generally good shape of the bone and the good alignment between joints.

June 13

Doctor doesn't giggle when looking at this date's Xrays, he laughs.  He is very happy.  More healing present, but still a couple wider, darker (less healed) areas on Xrays that will keep me guarded and wearing my splints more often than not. My range of motion continues to improve and I have about 47* of flexion at PIP (middle knuckle). Moving 2-3 joints simultaneously is expectedly more difficult with less movement present. We still know a tenolysis (surgery to remove tendon from bone) is still a possibility, but we both agree that continuing therapy with OT and on my own is still the best option to see what other gains I can make. Doctor agrees that it is time for me to return to work. He didn't mention a splint, but my OT and I have one in progress that I've dubbed my "mini splint." I'm hoping to wear it without Velcro or other material needed to keep it fixed to my hand. Small enough to pull a glove over it, and hygenic and eassy to clean without any fabric-type of material attachments.

June 15

I return to work with all 3 splints available to me, but am blessed to be allowed to get all of my learning assignments on the computer completed first.  It takes all day. Tomorrow I begin patient care on my favorite floor, but it is also the floor where therapists see the greatest number of patients in a day.  I'm a bit nervous about that, but throughout this experience I've made decisions at particular times to decide not to worry about things and those things worked themselves out very well. A fortune cookie fortune I got during my recovery reads, "Fear is interest paid on a debt one may not owe."

It will be harder to make time now to continue to give my finger the intense amount of therapy it needs, but I must make time to do it, or suffer the regret later.

***** I sense this post is winding down, as I am more of a 3 2/3 or 3 3/4 paw now!  However, basic life challenges still exist, such as writing, cutting food, pulling my rod sections apart, etc. Work will also be challenging and my risk for re-injury is still very much present. There is still much modified fishing to do, but I CAN fish! ( I also rowed my little pontoon and caught LMBass at a local lake on my 50th birthday - June 10th. It was my best day on this lake. My friend kate paddled her kayak and hunted agates, also finding success.)

So, I will continue with this post until some of the fog of the unknown clears, such as will I heal without incident and how much range of motion can I get back (without tenolysis) after a crush injury and 7 weeks + 5 days of immobilization?

Remember you can often decide if you have a problem or a challenge!!!***** 

July 19

I went on a float trip for smallmouth bass yesterday.  It was my first one of the year and the first time I fished with Doug. We had a good time and my finger held up quite well.  I am still wearing a splint but can hold the rod in my left hand again.  That is very, very nice except that using a larger weight rod (and rowing!) in that hand with a splint on taxes my wrist and the 3 non-splinted fingers. Those fingers have to grip harder and move at an odd angle. So, I fished one day, not two, knowing it would be too hard to resist also casting with my left hand. I did lip a smallie for the first time with my left hand!  It took a bit to get my hand in position, but it was done. Near the end of the float a large smb catapulted up from the water to attack my chartreuse popper! It was hooked after the aggressive attack but I was managing line then with my left hand and I fumbled the line between the splint and my free fingers, failing to set the hook like I normally would. The biggest, most aggressive fish of the float was gone. I yelled something like, "Son of a fish!" and my tantrum was done.

I wear a different splint at work. I will be happy when I no longer have to wear this one but with the different splint needs at work, it does the job. Work can be challenging but it is getting easier each week. My co-workers still have difficulty reading my handwriting (with either hand), but some days that is better too.

July 23, 2017. Passive ROM

July 23, 2017. Active ROM

The range of motion of my finger continues to improve, especially the passive range of motion (PROM). By force, the pad of my finger can occasionally be made to touch the palm of my hand. Should I need the tenolysis surgery, it is very important to have the best PROM possible. Active range of motion (AROM) is improving but at a slower pace now, and one of the 2 muscles that bend my finger joints is being especially stubborn. This is attributed to the usual culprits, tendon adhesions.  I continue strengthening, stretching, and doing vinegar soaks. I also continue with Mark, a Certified Hand Therapist and Occupational Therapist, who has been fantastic. He also gives me iontophoresis, again using vinegar, AKA acetic acid, along with exercise/ROM. 

Unless Mark or I am forcing my finger to move, I have very little pain.  I did mow the grass without wearing a splint for the first time a few days ago. The vibration from the lawn mower started to cause me discomfort, so I will return to the splint for mowing.  It was a gentle warning telling me that that bone is still not healed enough to perform moderate to heavy tasks without added protection/support. As of today, it has been 4 months and 1 day since my injury.

I return to the doctor on July 21.  I will start to make plans for and learn about the tenolysis surgery while still working very, very, very hard to avoid needing it. I am guessing the doctor will want me to continue to wear a splint when I'm doing more aggressive tasks and that he will say I don't need it at night.  We'll see.  I will be curious to learn what else he has to say and wonder if he will giggle or laugh again out of happiness due to how my bone has healed.  I only hope I can do the same someday due to my tendons freeing themselves up from the bone and letting me move my finger more actively again.

Examples of things that remain awkward and/or hard to do: knocking on a door, using round door handles, brushing my teeth, using a zipper, lipping a bass or managing any fish. Anything that requires a grip is now challenging.  I believe I read that when one loses an index finger, around 50% of grip strength is lost.  So, I will continue to do all I can to get that finger moving better again.

November 12, 2017.... yes, 2017!

My final doctor visit was May 30th of 2017, over 1 year since the accident. My grip strength and pinch strength, but especially my range of motion at the 3 joints of that finger had improved sufficiently for the doctor to discharge me from his care and to happily report I would not need a second surgery.  

The 2nd joint (PIP) still feels tight, and I continue to stretch and do range of motion at the three joints but not as frequently. I can extend my finger until the PIP joint is fully straight (0*), but I cannot hyperextend it actively like I can with my other fingers.  The finger gets stiff in the cold, but remains usable with some TLC.  About 3 times this year my toothbrush has flown from my hand while brushing my teeth!  Thank goodness, no toilet landings. (:  I do have to be aware of my finger (pinch) position when stripping fly line. 

A much better "hook!"

I've recovered, to date, about 93% of my movement and even more of my strength in that finger and the hand, after being told I would likely need another surgery to free tendons from bone.  No 2nd surgery and a very good and continuing (as far as I'm concerned) recovery because of my very hard work, frequently and consistently throughout the day, every day, as the months went by after the surgery.  Of course my doctor and my OT played an important role in my recovery!!  But, as I tell my own patients, when it comes to recovery, others can guide, but the individual has to put in the work.  I never want to look back and think of what could have been if only I'd given my maximal effort. I gave all my effort to recovery and am happy with the results -- very functional movement and strength!  If I gain more ROM, time will play a role in thinning tissues that thickened due to the K wires being in place for so long. I may never hyperextend, but will continue to try. It won't really affect me unless I decide to play the piano... and that isn't going to happen! I do hope to gain more flexion if scar(?) tissue thins out which will gain me more control when brushing teeth and fly fishing.

Please look back at the first pictures.  Even after that final May doctor's appointment 14 months later, I still gained in strength and range of motion.  The greatest degree of recovery available was literally in my own hands.  I write this to encourage and inspire others.  IF you give it all you've got, you will get the best you can and won't have to think, "If only....."

I would never wish for this to happen, but the journey was rewarding.  Thanks for letting me share my journey with you.  I am happy to be back fishing and catching again and am happy to say that my casting is better than before the injury!  I've been working on that, too.

Comparing fingers, especially index. Left proximal phalanx and knuckle (PIP) are slightly larger. 

Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association Fly Fishing Show: Feb 19-21, 2016, near Des Moines, IA

I'm looking forward to attending our annual fly fishing show, and I hope to see lots of anglers there and enjoying themselves!!!!   It's a friendly group of people and the members who organized this year's show have really put a lot of hard work into it. 

Reflecting on this Fly Angler's Life

With three napkins from Subway and a load of hand-picked wood, my thoughts were on coaxing up a nice campfire and setting to work on blackening some hot dogs.  The day's fish were also on my mind but not on the menu.

With late-evening sights of an Iowa summer as a backdrop, I looked past my fire to the Turkey River.  Just as I wished for fish-sign to ring the watery surface, it appeared in silence, and I watched the rings merge and fade with the ripples of a slow current.  Locusts buzzed and the fire popped.

The waters of small rivers and streams enrich my soul and return to me the peace that so frequently slips away during the work hours, days, and weeks.  No matter the rewards; the beeps, alarms, & people-sounds of my work in healthcare still extract a toll on me.

Three weeks ago, nearing the latter half of August, I sat in the same place, same chair, overlooking a campfire along this river for the first time.  I never thought I'd light a campfire when tenting solo, but acting on a whim may have started a comforting new habit.

That weekend threatened wind and rain.  Twenty to thirty-mph wind reigned supreme while clouds and sun battled for second place.  The rain never came despite the forecast, but oddly enough, planning smallie Iowa float trips nearly always seem to elicit bad-weather forecasts.

I'd needed to escape the day-to-day world and rediscover my peace.  Sharing this with like-minded friends would have been welcome, but I ultimately explored new water alone & had been grateful to do it.

And now, 3 weeks later, I sit here again in my Farm & Fleet clearance patio chair.  My pen, paper, headlamp & Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale keep me company by the fire.  Darkness is nearly here, & swallows, silhouetted by calm river water reflecting rays from a setting sun, will shape my memory of this extended weekend.

This time, yes, work was still stressful - very stressful - but this time I really wanted to enjoy the company of friends on what might be the final smallie float of the year.  But, it just didn't work out that way.  All were too busy doing other things.

So, once again, I'd made plans for a solo-camping & smallmouth float trip.

Strange, but it seems like I've returned to where I started.  But there aren't many fly anglers, especially in the Midwest.  Back in 2008, when my only fly fishing friend lived 8 hours away, I mostly fished, traveled, made lots of mistakes, and got lost -- alone.

Then I learned to network - at the local fly fishing club, fly fishing shows, on-line, with conventional anglers, and then slowly the world opened up.  I've been able to travel to go fishing with others in NC, MI, MT, and AK.  I can text, call, or email fly fishing friends anytime.  I lay out our club's newsletter, and there are so many known friendly faces at the shows.

Yet, it still frequently remains hard to find someone who has the time to go fishing for a few days, especially on smallmouth float trips, which I love nearly as much as fishing for musky.

I'm pretty happy by myself, which is probably a great reason why I shouldn't be alone too much.   When does finding a little peace transition into becoming a recluse?

But, I personally know people who won't go somewhere unless they have company.  Some of my best discoveries & most memorable times have been shared with others.  But my memories & my life would be far less rich if I'd waited for company to happen prior to venturing off on many things fly fishing.  The ironic thing is that I've met many of my fishing friends because I was willing to go someplace on my own & was willing to meet others.

I wonder if coming full circle also means that I will get to meet more wonderful people.

I live my life, and life has been great.  If I'd waited for life to happen to me, I think I'd still be waiting, or I'd have given up on this fly-fishing thing.   Don't wait!  And then someday, maybe we'll meet on the water & share some stories beside an evening campfire.
 (Written fireside 9-13-15 & finished while lounging in bed 12-13-15, because 100% heavy rain forecast would make for poor fishing and unsafe driving on gravel roads...& it's deer shotgun season. But, I did fish yesterday & it was good... but it wasn't enough. I think you know the feeling.) 

Detours

On a slow fishing day, if I can't take any pictures of fish, or friends with fish, there is always something else to do and to to take pictures of:

But... when the fish are biting, these are the people and things I like to have pictures of:

Happy fishing and I hope you enjoy the outdoors as much as I do!!

Musky Tackle, Prep, Fishing

Excellent article on how-to and prep when fly fishing for musky!  The guys pictured (Brad Bohen and Lucky Porter) are also exceptional anglers and guides.

http://www.flyfisherman.com/uncategorized/fly-fishing-for-muskie/ 

the Silent-Water Day

The "silent-water day" is a day bereft of much of any life aside from myself & my fishing partner.  One is lucky to hear woodland sounds or birds, & at and below the water's surface is utter desolation.  I struggle to stay on my A- or even my B-game on these days.  But, I know that to land a musky on one of these days would be the epitome of success and simply finding one and enticing it to follow would be cause to get jazzed up.  My gut says a musky would not mess with a follow on a silent-water day.  They are either going to strike or not.  Do or don't do, but likely the human version of sleep in all day.  That is the kind of day that brings to life the much-used saying, "A fish of 1,000 casts."

May God bless you with plenty of fish landed at your boat, successful catch and release, and just enough silent-water days to reflect upon and appreciate your memories and the path you have chosen to create a well-lived life.
 ~Twitch, May, 31, 2015

Niklaus Bauer Displays Keen Pike Perspective

   A very cool & fishy FaceBook friend & musky brother posted a link to a YouTube video on FB tonight.  I figure if Corey posts something, it's worth a look-see.  Almost thirty minutes later, I'm posting his link & another link to my blog.  Why?  The Swedish host of these episodes of Fly TV, Niklaus Bauer, is excellent.  It seems strange that I've only found Niklaus and Fly TV on YouTube  & not on a major outdoor television network.  The man is an excellent angler, personable, & shares what he knows about tackle, flies, and pike while obviously having fun.  I'd hire him for a pike (or musky!) trip in a heartbeat!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh3VYrUBlqM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqOKoveDm04

Striking the Balance Between Fly Fishing and Casting

  Last fall a friend of mine laid it on the line about my day's less-than-stellar fly casting while we hunted for musky.  The up-side to that brutal but needed conversation was the man would not have said the things he'd said if he didn't feel I should have been & was capable of becoming a better caster.

   My goal since that day was to finally step up my game, throw out the bad habits, & start casting some serious line.  But the same problem continued to stonewall me.
  

   Hello. My name is Lisa.  Some know me as "Twitch", & I am 
addicted to fly fishing...

   Following the fall musky frenzy, it was time to go trouting.  Next, I learned I could actually fish for the musky cousins, Mr. & Ms. Pike, intermittently during the winter & early spring!  Oh my!  Then, as those early spring days this year grew longer and warmer, I simply could not get smallmouth bass out of my mind.  I even fished a local creek for smallies well before my rational mind knew they would have moved there from the Mississippi River.  Every cast equals hope, right?  Of course, now it's time to fish for musky again. 

   My problem is that I'm fishing and I'm fishing as much as a person who has to work full-time can fish.  My house is a mess, I substitute take-out for the grocery store & cooking, & I should be visiting family more often.  Yet, I choose to chase fin, again and again.  

   One might think fishing is the perfect opportunity to improve the casting game.  However, if the bulk of the waters one fishes are skinny waters,  it's easy to roll cast, get away with lobbing, & hone all sorts of bad habits that make for a poor caster of a 10 wt rod being loaded by 10 wt sinking line and a large, wet musky fly.

   Today, I and other Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association (HFFA) members had the opportunity to share our skills with others at the annual K&K Casting Clinic, sponsored by K&K Hardware, Bettendorf, IA.  Dan Johnston, a St Croix Rod rep from Cedar Rapids, IA, was the primary instructor & he also enticed another instructor, Jen Ripple, editor and founder of Dun Magazine, to the clinic.  Dan's casting skill and teaching ability are well-known & respected in the region.  Dan reported we had a record turnout for the event held at Bettendorf's Middle Park Lagoon.  At the start of the clinic I counted 43 attendees and believe we met or beat the 50 people attendance mark. 

   As is the case when teaching others anything, the instructor can learn a lot.  In my case, I learned I was a better & more confident instructor than last year.  I also learned that there are a few skills that I can get away with performing but am not yet skillful enough to teach.  At those times, I asked other HFFA members or Dan for assistance with the particular caster & then I, too, paid close attention to the instruction.

   At the end of the day, Dan kindly gave me a bit of one-on-one time.  I learned to initiate my haul just as the fly line left the water and I also polished-up my roll casting technique.  Dan then gave me a couple of casting exercises to practice.

   I neglected to share with you that this lagoon (pond) is located right next to a small creek inhabited by smalllies.  My intention was to fish the creek after the casting clinic had ended.  I'd loaded my car with rod, reel, and fanny pack of everything I needed to fish for smallies early this morning.

   But, I didn't fish.  I stayed at the lagoon and practice-casted.  I honed my newly-refined roll casting technique.  I also practiced one of Dan's casting exercises & realized how many levels that exercise could improve my casting abilities!

   Feeling the tiredness that likely comes from being dehydrated & exposure to a day of sun,  I gave another longing glance at the small creek and its finned inhabitants, but headed for home.  

   Almost 2 hours later, I pause to look out the living room window while finishing this blog post.  My ginger ale is nearly gone and I see that it's now cloudy outside.  In so many ways, I reflect that now is a perfect time to go fishing.  With a clear conscience, I go.  ~May 9, 2015