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Easton, Connecticut
– FLW Tour pro Terry Baksay planned to take some time off between tour level events by doing what he loves the most – fishing a local event, specifically the Candlewood Classic, a long standing tournament on his home lake.
The tournament took place last Saturday and Sunday and during practice he located 78 bedding bass over three pounds apiece.
Unfortunately, his weekend didn't turn out the way he wanted. In fact, he didn't even get to make a cast. While practicing, he began to experience pain that worsened as the day went on.
"I had a stomach ache all day and then I got cramps and gradually they became localized," he said. "I got home from my six year old's baseball game and told (my wife) I was going to go to a walk-in clinic. I got there and they looked at me and poked me and immediately told me to go to the emergency room."
A cat scan revealed that his appendix was ready to rupture and an emergency appendectomy was performed about the same time the boats were blasting off. The doctor informed Baksay that he was within hours of more serious problems.
With the operation successfully completed, he's now confronted with the task of getting to Beaver Lake for the upcoming FLW Tour event and then fishing, which normally wouldn't be particularly taxing, but giving his current state of health might pose some problems.
"The doctor cleared me to go to Beaver, but it's a 20 hour drive and he told me that I have to stop every hour and a half, get out and walk around, even if it's just for two minutes, to avoid a blood clot. I'm going to miss at least a day of practice. He also told me no lifting for a month, so hopefully when I get there I'll have some buddies who will help me with the boat cover and things like that."
Right now, he's a little tender: "Standing isn't that hard and sitting isn't hard, but laying down and getting back up is the worst. I'm not sure how a boat wake would be, but at least I'm in control of that."
He plans to use the day off between the end of practice and the start of the tournament to rest. He's not sure if the surgery will hinder his ability to fish certain techniques, but as long as he got the go-ahead from the doctor, skipping the Beaver tournament wasn't an option.
"I'm in 12th place in the points right now, so I have to at least show up and catch a fish. From what I've heard, the water is ten feet high and the whole lake is stained, but the fishing is pretty good.
"I got back to the doctor on Wednesday and we'll talk about all of the options. Fortunately, it happened at home, with access to good medical care. My doctor is going to locate a doctor in Arkansas. There are a couple of big hospitals near the lake and I want to have a name of someone in case something flares up."
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