Sterilization

[ken r]

Whatever you decide, best of luck to you.

[bloosfisher]

1 hour ago, Mountain Brookies said:

I'm proud of you for trying to find a way to do what you love while you go through with your treatment. I wonder if anyone could reach out to a fly tying oncologist? Lots of doctors fly fish and tie.

 

 

This is false.  Autoclaves/ steam sterilization are widely used and very effective. I used to work with surgical instruments (there are also other methods of sterilization). People use pressure cookers as home "autoclaves" there are plenty of peer reviewed journal articles backing up the practice. I would be somewhat concerned about damage to materials but it is worth a try. Maybe don't start out with your best dry fly capes.

 

Other ideas:

Experiment with synthetic materials.

Reach out to a local vet clinic they some times use ethylene oxide or vaporized hydrogen peroxide both of which would be less likely to damage materials. All they can say is no.

 

Thank you, good thoughts and info.  I do have a great local vet who is very accommodating. I'm not supposed to be in a sterile environment at home, just clean. I have worked with lots of synthetics, tied hundreds and hundreds  of slinky fiber Clousers, for example. Just made some artwork foam poppers that Maine smallmouth hammered on vacation last week. I'll look into tying some completely synthetic nymphs, and maybe buggers with rubber and estaz in place of wrapped hackle.  Marabou may be tough. I need nothing, my friend is fishing my flies but wants his own. F***  Zoom, if I can't hang with my brother, I'll check out.  After 3 weeks, I can have some visitors that use caution and discretion.  There's trout streams within a couple of miles of the hospital (Dartmouth Hitchcock, Hanover , NH) so it's likely I might luck into finding some patients or professionals that have some experience. Unfortunately, no one on my team is a fisherperson.

[slip n slide]

no advice to offer,just my condolences and best wishes in your dealing w/ your unique set of challenges...

[Rwb1500]

I only have one thought on fish handling, find a buddy who will be willing to pop fish off for you.  I imagine SOL might be a good place to find such a person. Where ya fishing? 

[bloosfisher]

9 hours ago, Rwb1500 said:

I only have one thought on fish handling, find a buddy who will be willing to pop fish off for you.  I imagine SOL might be a good place to find such a person. Where ya fishing? 

Partly, that will be the case. Cape Ann in the salt, mostly around PI Sound.  Hard to rely on people to coordinate schedules.  Gloves, barbless, a lip gripper and stainless pliers/forceps are likely to get 'er done. 

[Rwb1500]

1 hour ago, bloosfisher said:

Partly, that will be the case. Cape Ann in the salt, mostly around PI Sound.  Hard to rely on people to coordinate schedules.  Gloves, barbless, a lip gripper and stainless pliers/forceps are likely to get 'er done. 

 

I get that.  Sometimes I can't even get my fishing buddies to go fishing.  

 

I've got a cousin in Gloucester,  spend a good bit of time up there. Just spent some time on PI last week. If I'm up in the next year (which is extremely likely) I'll shoot you a message and see if you'd like to fish.  I'm much better at dehooking fish than catching them.  

[ifsteve]

Without knowing the specifics, which we shouldn't anyway, all we can do is offer general thoughts. So as an engineer here's mine.....depends on the data.

 

If you follow the doctors suggestions what is the expected outcome after treatment? How much fishing will you likely be able to do and for how long? If you are giving up a year on the front end to gain 3 on the back end then it may well be worth it. I guess it all depends on the quality of life reasonably expected after treatment and if that is worth giving up some on the front end. And everyones circumstances are different and only you can know what is best for you and your family.

 

Prayer sent.

[bloosfisher]

There is no expectations, only effort. I plan to exceed limitations, as I have repeatedly beat long odds. I'm having stem cells harvested today and the transplant in a month. I plan to be fishing Narragansett in April, as I've done for decades,  kayak fishing Umbagog and the Rapid River in early June. If I don't set the carrot out at the end of a 9' graphite stick, there's no point. The good thing is my doctors like me and are trying their best to help me reach the rainbow at the end of a cast. Thanks for the prayer, they help.

On 9/18/2023 at 6:39 PM, ifsteve said:

Without knowing the specifics, which we shouldn't anyway, all we can do is offer general thoughts. So as an engineer here's mine.....depends on the data.

 

If you follow the doctors suggestions what is the expected outcome after treatment? How much fishing will you likely be able to do and for how long? If you are giving up a year on the front end to gain 3 on the back end then it may well be worth it. I guess it all depends on the quality of life reasonably expected after treatment and if that is worth giving up some on the front end. And everyones circumstances are different and only you can know what is best for you and your family.

 

Prayer sent.

 

[gellfex]

On 9/12/2023 at 1:40 PM, Mountain Brookies said:

This is false.  Autoclaves/ steam sterilization are widely used and very effective. I used to work with surgical instruments (there are also other methods of sterilization). People use pressure cookers as home "autoclaves" there are plenty of peer reviewed journal articles backing up the practice. I would be somewhat concerned about damage to materials but it is worth a try. Maybe don't start out with your best dry fly capes.

 

Other ideas:

Experiment with synthetic materials.

Reach out to a local vet clinic they some times use ethylene oxide or vaporized hydrogen peroxide both of which would be less likely to damage materials. All they can say is no.

 

 

I agree. There's also the UV/ozone method that is often used for home medical instruments and brewing equipment. It might damage natural materials less than a steam autoclave. This is a $180 unit from earthwiseuv, but there's a bunch of these 'cabinets' out there at a variety of price points. 

 

Bloosfisher, best of luck in your treatment! I totally understand the desire to keep the hands busy.