Craig Boddington Sick/Ill/Injured?????

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25 March 2011, 05:19

Paul Reed

Craig Boddington Sick/Ill/Injured?????

Mr. Boddington, "Hang tough" and Godspeed to a full recovery.
Best wishes

Paul

"Diligentia - Vis - Celeritas"
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Member DRSS

25 March 2011, 07:17

Antlers

Praying for a total and speedy recovery. God bless you and your family.

Antlers
Double Rifle Shooters Society
Heym 450/400 3"

25 March 2011, 07:26

JudgeG

Colonel:

Semper Fi and Godspeed in getting back to complete health!

As an encouragement (and I'm 15 years older than you) I've been there and actually am in better health because of a bad ticker incident while in Africa three years ago.

After an ablation proceedure, losing 35 pounds and walking 4 miles everday, I think Lou Hallamore and I will die about 30 years from now by a campfire at Matetsi, hopefully while listening to lions and hyenas fight over the remains of a 70 pounder we took in our terminal dotage and on our last evening on the earth.

I think neither he nor I (or you) would mind that too much!

I hope you find yourself stronger and more full of piss and vinegar than before!

I've been on four more safaris since about dying that day, climbing out of the Zambezi gorge. (BTW, I went back and climbed up and down that damn thing in September just to show that I could beat that s.o.b.)

I still pine for Africa and will be in Zimbabwe this July with my daughter for my fifth elephant since "my" heart attack. Can't wait!

We'll all be looking for you on the tube or writing a new book or article.... Keep the faith and continue to share your experiences with us.

You are the real thing... a fine Marine and a good man... But don't get too big a head, 'cause you shoot from the wrong side of a rifle??? But, I guess, we can't all be perfect like me.

JudgeG ... just counting time 'til I am again finding balm in Gilead chilled out somewhere in the Selous.

25 March 2011, 07:46

crbutler

Get well soon!

25 March 2011, 08:16

Junior

Craig,
Best wishes for a very speedy recovery.
Chris

25 March 2011, 08:47

Ongwe

Get well soon, Craig.

And do like the Docs tell you to!

25 March 2011, 08:54

RCG

Craig:

I am enjoying "Boddington on Elephant" as I prepare for my first trophy bull hunt in Zim this Sept. Get well and be ready for the ivory trail again soon. Take care.

Regards, RCG

25 March 2011, 08:54

jdollar

praying for a speedy recovery for you!!

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25 March 2011, 08:57

Bill/Oregon

Can't add much. I'm just another faithful fan, Craig, who over the years has always found you down to earth, frank, informative and a good, clean writer. Wish you the best on your redirected journey, and congratulate you for getting a second opinion.
Bill

There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author

25 March 2011, 09:41

L. David Keith

Craig was released today, at home now. His wife Donna said how phenomenal the Doctor's, staff and Nurses were at French Hospital Medical Center and to please let them know how grateful you are for the wonderful fast care they did to save Craig's life. She said they are in the top 100 cardiac care centers in the USA. This is very good news.
LDK

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25 March 2011, 20:30

Eland Slayer

Glad to hear Craig is doing okay!! I have spoken with him a couple times and he is truly a kind man. Hopefully he's got another 40-50 years of hunting and writing in his future....

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25 March 2011, 22:10

Blank

Not much to add that hasn'tbeen said already. Glad we still have him to look forward to, as he is truly a class act. He's a great guy to talk with, and always treats you as if you're the most important thing going on right then. Never been rushed off or brushed off.

25 March 2011, 22:27

Oldsarge

Damn! I step out for a couple of weeks and all Hell breaks loose. With all due respect, sir, get the Hell well!

Sarge

Holland's .375: One Planet, One Rifle . . . for one hundred years!

25 March 2011, 23:20

Alan Bunn

All the best to Craig, and prayers for a speedy recovery.

Cheers,

~ Alan

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26 March 2011, 00:22

craig boddington

Wow!!! Thanks so much to all for the kind words and encouragement! It's not possible to reply to all, but I truly appreciate the support.

First off: I'M GOING TO BE FINE! I'm home now, and probably will be for some time (which isn't really all that bad a thing.)
Second, and perhaps of greatest interest to all who have not had the experience of a "cardiovascular event" (uh, I definitely don't recommend it!), this came as a complete surprise, and in multiple ways. None of us are in as good shape as we can be, but I work out regularly and haven't completely lost the battle of the bulge. There is ZERO history of heart disease in my family. So I didn't see this coming. But that is largely my fault because I realize now I've had a couple of subtle warnings in the last few months. If you have such, please don't ignore them!

The "event" itself did not have classic symptoms. No chest pain, no pain in extremities. My buddy Bill Jones and I were in the final phase of a safari in Uganda, and it was a very hot midday when we got onto a really good Nile buffalo bull. We got him down and were dancing and celebrating when I felt the world go upside down...catastrophic loss of blood pressure, turned white as a sheet, had trouble breathing. I didn't go all the way out, so remember the event with a very odd detached calmness. Bill, PH Tony Moore, and cameraman Andy MacDonald poured water on me and in me. The symptoms were actually much more akin to acute heat exhaustion than a heart attack. I am not sensitive to heat, so this didn't make any more sense, but a heart attack didn't seem the most likely problem.
They got me cooled down, and after a while (as someone noted) I did indeed rally for both photos and video ("the show must go on," right?). I felt like shit, but definitely better.
We got back to camp and, with the last major animal secured, decided we would all head to Kampala. The big disconnect, if there was one, was that the International Hospital in Kampala diagnosed a pulmonary infection, gave me antibiotics, and sent me on my way. Honest, I couldn't disagree with that: I was having trouble breathing, but not really any chest pain, and both blood pressure and pulse were fine.
Fortunately flights were open and I was able to get out of there almost immediately. It was the longest flight of my life, and my situation was clearly deteriorating rapidly. When I got off the plane Donna took one look at me and got me to the emergency room. At that point things started happening very fast. It's amazing I survived the journey home, and the doctors seemed fairly confident I couldn't have lived through the night had I been stubborn and insisted on staying home.
We here in the United States enjoy many blessings. One of them, in my view, is the best health care in the entire world. I freely admit that my appearances in church are not as regular as perhaps they should be, but I can promise you I'll be there this Sunday, and I'll be including a great team of doctors, nurses, and technicians in my prayers...along with all of you.
Again, many thanks!
Craig Boddington

26 March 2011, 00:30

Clem

Very glad to see you are doing better.

26 March 2011, 00:30

butchloc

now just be a good boy - we want you with us for a long long time yet

26 March 2011, 00:45

trophyhunter5000

quote:
We here in the United States enjoy many blessings. One of them, in my view, is the best health care in the entire world.

Amen...

Glad you are ok...

______________________
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Just the wind that smells fresh before the storm...

26 March 2011, 00:48

Nemo .450

Mr. Boddington,

Good to hear you're OK.

Best Regards,
Nemo.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. -- John 3:36

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26 March 2011, 00:57

CCMDoc

Well Mr. Boddington I will respond with the following:

I am persoanlly relieved that you are alright because though we have never met nor spoken, you have brought a world to me that I never would have otherwise enjoyed.

As I read your description above, it is exquisitely clear what was going on based upon that very brief but vivid description. All I can say is HOLY SHIT - YOU ARE LUCKY!

You are old enough to remember those 1970s 10PM TV commercials - one was "It's 10PM, do you know where your children are?" and the other was "High blood pressure - the silent killer." I bring up the latter not because I know anything of your medical history but the "silence" of so many things that might cost us our lives. It's almost never truly silent, we just learn to downplay their significance.

Like so many others here and everywhere, I am grateful you have been part of my life and grateful that you are on your way back to being so again.

Sincerely,

Paul

NRA Lifer; DSC Lifer; SCI member; DRSS; AR member since November 9 2003

Don't Save the best for last, the smile for later or the "Thanks" for tomorow

26 March 2011, 01:04

JHunter

quote:
I freely admit that my appearances in church are not as regular as perhaps they should be, but I can promise you I'll be there this Sunday, and I'll be including a great team of doctors, nurses, and technicians in my prayers...along with all of you.
Again, many thanks!
Craig Boddington

...may total healing and restoration be granted to you on your path of discovery, craig...

26 March 2011, 01:09

JCS271

"First off: I'M GOING TO BE FINE! I'm home now, and probably will be for some time (which isn't really all that bad a thing.)"

Sounds like all those prayers worked!

"The difference between adventure and disaster is preparation."
"The problem with quoting info from the internet is that you can never be sure it is accurate" Abraham Lincoln

26 March 2011, 01:12

Trophyman

So glad it's going well for Craig. He is such a good guy.
When he's resting for awhile, now is the time to go hunting, so there'll be some big ones left for us... LOL

Get well Craig. Semper Fi

Randy

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Drive a 69 Chevelle SS396

26 March 2011, 01:16

JohnDL

Craig. Relieved to hear that you are doing well.

Remember that death is nature's way of telling you to slow down.

26 March 2011, 01:21

Lhook7

I'm glad to hear that you are doing well and wish you a speedy recovery.

____________________________________________

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26 March 2011, 01:21

Donald Nelson

Just saw this post and want to add a Praise the Lord for all the prayers that have been answered.

Glad to see you are home and recovering. God Bless

Molon Labe

New account for Jacobite

26 March 2011, 01:26

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by craig boddington:
Fortunately flights were open and I was able to get out of there almost immediately. It was the longest flight of my life, and my situation was clearly deteriorating rapidly. Again, many thanks!
Craig Boddington

Mr. Boddington,

First off I am glad everything has worked out in a good way.

I can not help to wonder why you would not have used one of the medivac services available to international travelers? A commercial flight, pressurized to 7,000 feet tops, with no oxygen until you worsened and the flight crew applied it? Frankly you are very lucky to be alive.

If you don't mind the question, because I know how stubborn some of my patients can be as men especially like to ignore grave warning signs, did you not have access to the medevac option? Those planes are like a traveling ICU bed with well trained personnel that could have responded to a potential worsening condition. On a commercial flight you would have been SOL.

Again, I'm glad it worked out but I would hope you would use this opportunity, with the influence you have over many who watch you on TAA and read your releases, to convey the importance of having a good medevac plan in place.

Best wishes
Jim

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26 March 2011, 01:28

Nemo .450

quote:
Originally posted by Donald Nelson:
Just saw this post and want to add a Praise the Lord for all the prayers that have been answered.

Glad to see you are home and recovering. God Bless

I should have though t to say that.

26 March 2011, 01:34

jwm

Excellent news!

Now would be a great time to start working on the opening chapters of your next 10-year book! I want an autographed copy.

Good hunting.

John

26 March 2011, 01:37

craig boddington

To Frostbit--good question! I clearly should have called Medjet, wish I had (so do they!!!!)...but when what seemed to be a modern, well-equipped hospital in Kampala missed the diagnosis completely I figured I was okay to limp home without extra trouble or expense. That was a bad decision based on bad information...therefore the fact that I got home at all was pure luck and a whole lot more. Cheers, C

26 March 2011, 01:45

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by craig boddington:
To Frostbit--good question! I clearly should have called Medjet, wish I had (so do they!!!!)...but when what seemed to be a modern, well-equipped hospital in Kampala missed the diagnosis completely I figured I was okay to limp home without extra trouble or expense. That was a bad decision based on bad information...therefore the fact that I got home at all was pure luck and a whole lot more. Cheers, C

Thanks for the response. Please don't think I was bashing you. I think we all have the opportunity to learn from your experience and I am very glad you are here to tell us that.

26 March 2011, 02:05

Canuck

quote:
Originally posted by craig boddington:
Wow!!! Thanks so much to all for the kind words and encouragement! It's not possible to reply to all, but I truly appreciate the support.

First off: I'M GOING TO BE FINE! I'm home now, and probably will be for some time (which isn't really all that bad a thing.)
Second, and perhaps of greatest interest to all who have not had the experience of a "cardiovascular event" (uh, I definitely don't recommend it!), this came as a complete surprise, and in multiple ways. None of us are in as good shape as we can be, but I work out regularly and haven't completely lost the battle of the bulge. There is ZERO history of heart disease in my family. So I didn't see this coming. But that is largely my fault because I realize now I've had a couple of subtle warnings in the last few months. If you have such, please don't ignore them!

The "event" itself did not have classic symptoms. No chest pain, no pain in extremities. My buddy Bill Jones and I were in the final phase of a safari in Uganda, and it was a very hot midday when we got onto a really good Nile buffalo bull. We got him down and were dancing and celebrating when I felt the world go upside down...catastrophic loss of blood pressure, turned white as a sheet, had trouble breathing. I didn't go all the way out, so remember the event with a very odd detached calmness. Bill, PH Tony Moore, and cameraman Andy MacDonald poured water on me and in me. The symptoms were actually much more akin to acute heat exhaustion than a heart attack. I am not sensitive to heat, so this didn't make any more sense, but a heart attack didn't seem the most likely problem.
They got me cooled down, and after a while (as someone noted) I did indeed rally for both photos and video ("the show must go on," right?). I felt like shit, but definitely better.
We got back to camp and, with the last major animal secured, decided we would all head to Kampala. The big disconnect, if there was one, was that the International Hospital in Kampala diagnosed a pulmonary infection, gave me antibiotics, and sent me on my way. Honest, I couldn't disagree with that: I was having trouble breathing, but not really any chest pain, and both blood pressure and pulse were fine.
Fortunately flights were open and I was able to get out of there almost immediately. It was the longest flight of my life, and my situation was clearly deteriorating rapidly. When I got off the plane Donna took one look at me and got me to the emergency room. At that point things started happening very fast. It's amazing I survived the journey home, and the doctors seemed fairly confident I couldn't have lived through the night had I been stubborn and insisted on staying home.
We here in the United States enjoy many blessings. One of them, in my view, is the best health care in the entire world. I freely admit that my appearances in church are not as regular as perhaps they should be, but I can promise you I'll be there this Sunday, and I'll be including a great team of doctors, nurses, and technicians in my prayers...along with all of you.
Again, many thanks!
Craig Boddington

I have been following along on facebook. I'm very glad to hear that you have escaped this "near miss" and are on the mend. A very good friend of mine had a very similar event on an elk hunt with me here in BC, and we did not now it was a heart attack until quite some time later when he got back to Ohio....he was a very lucky man too, and knows how close of a call that was.

I trust that you are the type to take this "bio feedback" and make the necessary life-style adjustments! I understand you are not a smoker, but at least metaphorically speaking don't be like my Ma, who has resumed smoking only a couple years beyond quadruple bypass surgery!

It was really nice to meet you in Reno this year. I'm looking forward to having you sign another book and or videos at the next SCI show, and all the foreseeable ones thereafter.

Cheers
Chris

26 March 2011, 03:31

Hollis Perkins

Geez Craig,
I just got back in the country from a fishing trip in Guatemala aread all this. I'm really glad you're OK and know we're thinking about you.
Regards,
Hollis

26 March 2011, 03:50

PSmith

Best of luck sir!

Paul Smith
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26 March 2011, 04:07

L. David Keith

quote:
I freely admit that my appearances in church are not as regular as perhaps they should be, but I can promise you I'll be there this Sunday, and I'll be including a great team of doctors, nurses, and technicians in my prayers...along with all of you.
Again, many thanks!
Craig Boddington

Craig, I think you made us all realize how mortal we are, and how important prayers and friends are in a time of need. Each day that we wake up is a blessing. Many more to you, David

26 March 2011, 04:40

Daniel Hinz

"the Master has his reasons, life is his to give or take"...

just got word that the Master has found NO reason for you to go just yet. You still have lots of work to do. Hope to see you on the trail.

from the "Heartland of Wyoming"

26 March 2011, 04:40

J.R.Jackson

Wishing you a Speedy recovery. Semper Fi

26 March 2011, 04:55

ddrhook

Craig,
No thanks needed my friend we all just wish you the best and hope your ok and that you will continue to do well. and yes when I knew you where going to be OK I jerked your chain in and Email

AS a side note our friend Aubrey and a client get a whopper of an Elephant this week

26 March 2011, 05:30

2th doc

Craig: It's a real eye opener isn't it? I've been there myself and quickly realized what really is important in "LIFE"...faith and family all the rest really are window dressings in the end.
Congratulations on beating the Grim Reaper!

26 March 2011, 05:30

Sherrill Philip Neese

Glad you are feeling better. This is just outstanding!

Now get back to writing!

s/f

Sherrill

______________

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