A beautiful sunrise greeted me! In November of 2014 just after I received information I had Pancreatic Cancer I went fishing, thinking perhaps it may be my last fishing trip for a while. If I caught some bass, great! If not, it did not matter. Still, I had no preplanned surgery date.
All I really wanted at the time was to just get away. So, knowing I had a lot weighing on my mind, my sole and my body at the time, I truly believe the good Lord was with me that day as I fished Alabama’s Lay lake, all alone except for the company of God above. He gave me comfort and a day to remember.
I caught bass after bass that day, most came on topwater lures, my specialty. Big bass too! A largemouth bass weighing close to 5 pounds, two more spotted bass weighing about 3-4 pounds each! I could have went home right then, content. But that was not all. Another 4 pound largemouth bass, several “spots” weighing 2-3 pounds and other smaller ones ended my day with a smile. My first in days.
In all, over 15 bass that day and I went home at 1 p.m.! My five best bass would have topped 20 pounds! No one at the boat dock and it raining, I just let them all go without taking any pictures. The negatives were in my mind forever.
* MY SURGERY on Tuesday, January 20 of 2015 - After over 8 hours in microscopic surgery from Tuesday morning at 5 a.m. until after 2 p.m. both my wife and I were relieved to here the skilled surgeon, “Dr. Hewlett” of Baptist Princeton Medical Center in the West End Section of Birmingham, declared the operation was a success and I would be going home in about ten days to two weeks, that is after a successful recovery! And I did!
Also some good news, I got to keep my gall bladder! They removed the cancerous area of the pancrease, but still as with most cancer cases the doctor suggested I take chemotherapy afterwards. Afterwards, they watched me and my vital signs constantly. Checking my blood and my blood pressure, my lungs, my heart, my temperature, IV’s, constantly giving me pills and shots at least every couple of hours, both day and night.
Then, over 4 hours in an X-ray room with doctors taking shots from every angle possible. Boy, after about ten days of that anybody would be ready to go home. I walked the hospitol halls every day, dragging my little IV cart with all my wires and bottles dangling, hoping an improvement in my situation would get me a ticket back home.
Over one week after surgery, on my last actual walk down that hallway full of nurses on 6th floor West, I ran into Dr. Hewlett my surgeon, the guy thats says, yeah you can go home now! He had planned on keeping me another day.
I then exclaimend,”If its OK with you I can go home, sit on the couch and be with my wife, just as easy as sitting in that hospitol bed another day.” To my surprise he simply said, “OK” but with exceptions of course.
First, they were going to remove that irritating tube from my nose! It ran a few feet down into my stomach to pump it out the last week or so. The nurse took it out, it was painful, but a real relief! Then, they disconnected my IV’s, changed the dressings on my stomach (holes where the drainage tube bottles were) and lastly, much to my surprise…took out the staples (no, not stitches), that held me together. But I was healing and the Doctor said they all looked good!
Actually, I was operated on Tuesday, January 20 and I was out of there by Wednesday evening on January 28! Eight days…maybe record time!
So I went home and rested, took frequent walks, drank right, ate right and began to heal up and feel good for the first time in months! By Sunday, February 1 2015 I was ready to go fishing, no not alone, but with my close friend Jeff handing it all!
He launched the boat, handled the trolling motor and I just sat in the back of my boat and slowly awaited another wonderful day I’m sure would be provided only by God above. And he did not disappoint either one of us!
Jeff just watched at first. In total amazement I’m sure, especially after my very first bass came aboard and it weighed close to 7 pounds, caught on a zara spook topwater lure. Then several more nice bass, oddly enough about 15 bass in all that day, including a 4 pound largemouth bass, then as Jeff joined me, a big spotted bass weighing close to 5 pounds Jeff then caught and on the final hour another!…what a day to remember forever!
So now I’m scheduled for Chemotherapy for the next six months and maybe I’ll get in some quality fishing time, when I’m feeling OK in between sessions! If not, soon. Like they say you can’t keep a good man down. I’ll be back soon, out there fishing either way and I will see all of you then!
Until then, I sincerly want to thank all of you for all your prayers, your help and your donations. We are still facing huge medical bills of over $40,000 now and still need your help, if your able. Prayers do not cost a thing! With God all things are possible!
Thanks! Reed and Margie Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service 141 Reese Drive Alabaster, Alabama 35007 Website www.fishingalabama.com Phone (205) 663-1504.
