Fishing Tales & Adventures in Montana

[riverbee]

while i was on vacation and visiting my family in montana, i didn't really have an opportunity to post photographs or updates let alone check in to the forum. i thought i would share some photos/descriptions and maybe a story or two, i hope you enjoy. 

many of you have asked or sent me pms about my brother.  i thank you and thank you for your well wishes and prayers.  for those that don't know, one of my brothers suffered a rather severe/ life threatening accident on a mountainside. his side by side rolled over him a number of times causing 6 compound fractures to his right leg below the knee. really a miracle he survived given many hours and miles from medical treatment. amputation of the leg was considered but the docs decided to save his leg, it was a risk the docs took  with amputation a high probabaility if problems developed, infection, etc..... no problems. no infection. no complications. he has struggled a great deal emotionally,  physically and financially since then.  he was very angry with himself for a long time.  after the surgery to put his leg back together, he wanted the leg amputated. he is still in a boot and on crutches, no weight is to be applied to that leg, but he has broken the pins/screws 3 times since last yr. ; from falls, or placing weight on it that he shouldn't have. while i was home, he showed me recent photographs of the leg.  it is finally starting to heal.  one year later. 

i think sometimes about what my 'challenge' has been with an allergy to the bees. it is nothing compared to what he's been through, what he faces everyday and what he faces in the future. i don't get to see him often, or talk with him, and he doesn't really like the phone so it was good to see him and talk heart to heart. his spirits are good.  we are so much alike, and so cut from the same cloth......but i think he is stronger than i am in so many ways. think i'm a squirt?........
oh by the way, you ought to see the ice maker in his garage........

so off to fishing tales......or tails......?!..........

a westslope cutthroat trout .......enjoy!



more pix to follow.....

[Jen]

Nice story Riv, and gorgeous pic of the trout 

[riverbee]

thanks jen!

[Perry]

That's an incredible photo!
Magazine material. I bet there's a few fishing mags would love to get a hold of it.

[Riverrat]

Great story Riv.  Glad things are looking up on his healing. One day we hope you will never be able to tell it happened.I know a couple of people around here that was in a similar situation with there leg and recovered but its a long painful journey with years of recovery. But well worth it to save the leg. Great pic of the fish.

[riverbee]

thanks perry and riverrat.......

very true rat, it will be a long painful journey for him and a long recovery.  it was worth it save his leg.  it just took him awhile to get that through his brain.

[Gypsi]

Beautiful fish photo!  I would think Field and Stream would pay for the right to use that one.  And your brother is lucky to have you!

[efmesch]

 Don't know how I missed this thread when it first appeared.  I had been thinking that it was time for me to ask for an update on your brother, and here it appeared, answering the questions I had wanted to ask.  I'm overjoyed to read of the progress ---both the healing and the improvement in his spirits.  Now that things have begun to show real improvement,  let's pray that all the progress accelerates.

[Bamabww]

Don't know how I missed this thread when it first appeared.  I had been thinking that it was time for me to ask for an update on your brother, and here it appeared, answering the questions I had wanted to ask.  I'm overjoyed to read of the progress ---both the healing and the improvement in his spirits.  Now that things have begun to show real improvement,  let's pray that all the progress accelerates.

Me too, how did I miss this? But glad to hear of the progress, both physically and mentally. My brother went thru a similar period after his motorcycle wreck. He's also adjusted now and doing better but it took almost two years for him to realize how blessed he was to just be alive.

My prayers for him will continue.

[riverbee]

thanks gypsy for the very nice compliment.
thanks ef, and thanks wayne. i appreciate your thoughts and prayers. wayne i still think of your brother often. 
i have never said so, but the uncanny part about this accident....one week before it occurred, i woke up in the middle of the night from a very unsettling 'dream'.  i won't go into detail, only to say that i 'saw' something being rolled over him a number of times. he works in the logging industry, or did, driving logging trucks.  this is the second time in my life that this has happened with something that happened to him.  anyway, i called him the next morning. no answer, i left a message on his cell phone. not unusual, he drives in areas where there is no cell coverage.  i called my other brother, who also works in the logging industry.  no answer. they usually get back to me when they can.  i couldn't wait.  so i called my mother......just checking in type conversation, waiting for her to tell me there had been an accident.  i didn't tell her about why i was calling.  i heard from both the brothers later in the day, 'hey what's up' and 'how's them bees'.....   i didn't say anything to either one of them. 

when i received the phone call one week later, very late, and after midnight about his accident, and the details, i had already 'seen' part of it.  i couldn't sleep the rest of the night.  i wanted to pack up the jeep and drive the 28-30 hours to see him.  i have yet to tell him.  someday i will.  maybe someday when we are back in his drift boat floating the river, fishing, catching up, telling stories and enjoying a few cold ones.

about the dream? i think there is something to be said about the bond we have or share with our siblings.