Now evaluating if I want guns any more....please read

[95XL883]

Eric,

I think bikerdoc nailed it (and others have said basically the same thing.) PTSD is debilitating. It lessens with time. Take your time on any decisions and actions. Regardless of what you decide, be easy on yourself. The incident is so fresh that what you may have to do now won't we what you would once the trauma subsides.

I've never been shot but I have experienced PTSD. (My incident was a 70 mph high side in rush hour interstate traffic. Those are usually fatal. The first time I tried to get back on that interstate I couldn't do it. I was the passenger and the driver had to pull over and stop while I regained my composure.) The point here is the trauma is so great it is debilitating. It was months before I could get drive on that stretch of road (and I still haven't ridden down it and doubt I ever will.) Be easy on yourself. The trauma is most likely controlling you now. That's not a bad thing. It's a self-protective thing.

Take your time. You've survived and time is what you do have. You may find you want to shoot sometime in the future. (I still ride. I just can't do that one stretch of road.) Ease into whatever you do. Take your time. Your style will probably be different from here on. As long as it safe, that's not a bad thing. It's just the way it is.

You are in my thoughts and prayers. (Please forgive me if I am offending anybody with that. Comfort, not offense, is my intent.)

 

[rori]

Life is a learning experience and you have just learned something!!!!!!! GUNS ARE ALWAYS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD ALWAYS BE TREATED AS SUCH!!!!!! You have learned that lesson the hard way so don't give up your right to self defense just remember the lesson. FRJ

 

[KodiakBeer]

I'm going to differ with everyone else. Go right out and shoot your guns, the sooner the better. Get back on the horse, ya' know?

Just be more selective of your shooting companions...

 

[ForumSurfer]

I have been shot. I still have guns. I still ccw daily.

I will say this. In the aftermath of a traumatic experience, one can make knee jerk reactions. That goes for those on both sides of your fence. I wouldn't write off firearms, though if you do that is your decision. The experience isn't over entirely, so you and your friend may still work it out and stay friends.

Best of luck in your recovery and whatever is to come of this.

 

[BADUNAME37]

I agree with everyone to NOT sell anything at the present time. I also agree that you could still be somewhat affected by whatever pain killers and/or sedatives you may have gotten. It could take days or weeks for that to clear from your system, in the meantime, you just might not feel "quite-right" -- for one reason or another.

I also realize the necessity to keep a cool head about you and don't make any rash decisions. Perhaps right now, your friend needs you in a way like no one has ever needed you before. Perhaps your friend would like to somehow help you.

I don't want to tell you what TO DO or what NOT TO DO, just keep an open mind, in the meantime, I can say a prayer for you, your friend and anyone else involved, as it affects a lot more than just the victims themselves!

 

[788Ham]

<Deleted>

 

[Sky]

When I was a Junior Birdman I had engines blow up, catch on fire, and cause some less than pretty meetings with terrafirma (hate the idea of being a crispy critter) but I did not stop flying or become afraid of using fire even though friends of mine died in similar situations.

Had someone rear end me in a car but I continued to drive.

Was walking to an early morning launch when a mortar went off to close for comfort but I did not stop walking but did learn you can hear them coming in.....etc etc

Uncle was shot in the back ( by some airhead ) by a .22 when he was a kid and spent the next 50 years in a wheel chair. He was one of the best hunters in our clan.

Good and bad Stuff happens all the time and it is up to you and your life to decide what is best for you and yours.

If you are uncomfortable with weapons then don't use them...Period.

I am so sorry to hear about your experience but that is the past and yes the memories will stay; but tomorrow is a new day.

Lock them up and wait and see how you feel after the dust settles. Weapons are dangerous along with many other things in life it just depends on you priorities.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

There is a lot of emotional baggage that rides with this type of shooting. Had you been shot by a convenient store robber while defending yourself or another, there wouldn't be as much remorse, emotion, or complexity. You'd probably be exhileratedly happy to be alive, and packing the next day (you got on your feet). Time is a great healer, and you will know what to do, one way or the other. I am going to guess that after 2900 posts, guns will still be in your bloodstream.

 

[HarcyPervin]

Consider just locking them for a month or a year, out of sight. There is no reason you have to answer this right now. Give it some time to recover first, and good luck to you.

This is your best bet. You're going through a traumatic experience, but any actions you take are going to be reactive, not proactive. You've got almost 3,000 posts on this website, I'm assuming this is something you were very interested in before this situation arose.

Give it, and yourself time. You may come back to it, you may decide its not for you, but make that decision with a clear head.

I wish you a speedy recovery and the best of luck.

 

[grampster]

I think you've gotten some very good advice, sir. Putting the firearms away for awhile is good advice. One should never make serious decisions while being emotionally charged up.

Chindo also gave you some good advice regarding your friend. Let that settle for awhile as well. Don't make lifelong decisions because of momentary lapses. Although without more info, only you can take Chindo's advice under advisement.

Count your blessings as to your injuries. You have more to contribute it seems. Many of us have had incidents that were life threatening, yet walked away from them. I've had more than one. As a survivor, you now should recognize more opportunities that perhaps have not been evident before. Life threatening occurrences are the spice of life, actually. With freedom we have danger. Sometimes one can look at that and revel in it.

 

[Cosmoline]

If firearms suddenly started kabooming on me and blowing up in my face, I might very well ditch them all. But unless this was a KB there's really no reason to start distrusting the firearms themselves.

 

[SunnySlopes]

You're asking for opinions re an intimate event in your life yet you refuse to share the details?

It's impossible to render an opinion without knowing the details.

If I had been recklessly handling a firearm, endangered my friend, ending up shooting myself, yeah, I might sell all of my guns since I'd obviously be too stupid to own a gun.

If I had a friend who was recklessly and childishly handling a gun and accidentally shot me, I'd keep my guns but get rid of my friends.

See, it's the details that are important.

 

[TriTone]

No, if you still enjoy guns and shooting, why stop. Learn from any mistakes you made and move on.

 

[jackpinesavages]

No matter what the circumstances were this is a very personal decision. Do not make it in haste, wherein you might have deep regrets later.

Were I shot, I would not be selling my firearms, but that's me and besides I'm a cop. I've visualised being hit and fighting through it to stop the threat. Visualize yourself getting through this while not blaming the weapon.

 

[JayBird]

Eric,
So much unknown here...

First, as other have said...put the guns away for awhile, let thing settle in your head.

But most importantly, why are you and your friend having problems.

Any friend of mine, that was also a gun owner, would be more concerned with my health than anything else. I am not sure what is going on here...but say, if my friend accidentally shot me, sure, I would be initially pissed. But As long as my friend expressed concern for me(which I would certainly do if rolls were reversed) I would not hate that person.

Stuff happens, take this experience as a learning lesson on safety for both of you, but try to save the friendship if possible.

 

[n5wd]

Well if you only spent one day in the hospital Id have to say that was pretty good. Needless to say you were not as bad off as you thought, otherwise you would still be there.

Hope all turns out well for you and the other, I wouldnt wish criminal charges on anyone but maybe they are deserved.....most of the story so far seems like you are just speaking irrationally. On deaths door one minute...life flight by heli....def in one ear. lost friend forever. Out of the hospital the next day. Just doesnt add up. I hope you get your nerves back in a few days and come around. Sometimes people without medical background and training over react. The average person doenst just get life flight to a hospital then discharged the next day. That costs tons of more money than an ambulance ride. GL again.

To chevyman097 - Actually, it happens all the time. Unfortunately, first responders, cops, and others who call for the helicopter are often overwhelmed by the sense of "something should be seriously wrong with this patient". It's called treating the situation instead of treating the patient.

Even medics with a lot of street experience will often call the bird based upon "mechanism of injury" which is another way of saying "something should be seriously wrong with this patient". Then, when they get into the trauma bay, under controlled lighting, with the adrenalin long since passed, an objective examination reveals that the patient is not quite as injured as it might have been. And, that's 25 years of experience as a paramedic in a major metroplitan urban deparment telling you that I've called the chopper for exactly the same reasons, myself, and often the patient is released within 24 hours.

To Eric F: you've received some good advice - the best of which is to do nothing in haste. And, you need to talk with someone. It could be your minister or other significant portion of your spiritual life, a crisis counselor or a psychologist that works with crime victims (and non-crime victims, as well). Someone who can sit down with you and listen to you and your story. A professional would be bound by client-patient confidentiality (check with the provider, first, to make sure that is true) since you're concerned that what you may say may have adverse effects on your former (and maybe once again future) friend.

Because unless you can sit down and analyze the event objectively, you're still too close to it and will react accordingly.

I wish you well, my friend.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

since there are no details we cant make any judgements. even if i shot myself or a freind shot me by accident i cant see me selling any of my guns.or really being mad at my friend.unless sumone was jus being stupid beyond belief.ive never yet seen a gun jump up and shoot sumone unless a human was involved.

 

[Loosedhorse]

Prayers.

 

[jcp907]

Eric, Seek the advice of counsel in one regard...the sooner the better.

You mention that charges are pressed. And, if it looks like a felony charge is in the future, you may want to transfer ownership to one that you trust. This is probably the only reason I would consider selling in this situation.

I hope that this all blows over and everyone is healthy.

 

[Shotgun wg]

Eric,

I have been shot by accident with a 20ga with #6 shot point blank range in the stomach at the age of 8. Don't sell ur guns yet. Give it a while to settle. Everyone told me and thought I would never want to be around guns anymore after I was shot. They were wrong. The guns are not capable of shooting me by theirselves. The person that shot me was one of my best friends at the time. We are not buddies anymore but I still say he is a friend. To this day I think the accident bothers him more than me. One thing I will guarantee u Is safety will be on ur mind alot more after this. Not only what u do but more so what the other guy does. Again give it some time lock up ur guns put all the keys in ur pocket and relax until that day u feel like opening up that safe. Don't let an accident that cost u hearing in one ear and a friend take away another joy in your life guns.

 

[Eric F]

Thanks to all for thoughts and prayers, looks like hearing damage is for ever, because of this my career will likely get flushed too. For any interested this is a critical stress incident for now, aparently ptsd comes later maybe. CSI counceling is used to avoid ptsd, I am in council for now......I wake up suddenly because I think I hear the shot all over again, I have daydreams of it a few times an hour, I vividly relive every second of it right down to smelling the powder burning, every little micro second thought and motion. This really sucks!

Some one posted a while back about going from deaths door flying in a medivac to walking out of the hospital hours later ect........let me tell you having a good amount of emergency medical knowledge did not help in this case, I saw the wounds and knew what organs and blood vessles were in that particular area, With obvious internal bleeding one must wonder if they were bleeding out internaly. I have put all of that behind me for now, The vissions and thoughts I have and lack of sleep I am getting not to mention I look 50 lbs heavier due to swelling brusing the fact I have to change dressings every 8-12 hours due to oozing the pain I still feel.......I feel quite useless, and helpless.
the good out of all of this, the charge is a class 1 misdermeanor ant the lawyer as I understand it says perhaps with some sort of comunity service the charge will likely go away. If my career gets flushed, I hold a CDL so truck driving can replace about half the money I make now. No ones name got smeared all over the news paper so no one in town knows.

Again I think I will sign off for a lengthy period execpt to pm some folks I would like to thank HSO for his comments we have hade more than a few conversations in the past, I would like to thank the rest of the membership for their thoughts and prayers and encouragements. When this is all over I might post the whole story, or maybe by then it really wont matter who knows.
Thank you all again
Eric F

 

[chevyman097]

You make it sound like you are being charged, i may just misunderstand. Thats odd if you are the one that was shot.

You have your occupation listed as a firefighter. I dont know why hearing loss in one ear would really effect that too much. But if you do lose your job im positive a CDL can make much more than half the salary of a firefighter. Unless you make 120k fighting fire.....

 

[devans0]

Taking time to regain perspective is good.

That said, when I had a motorcycle accident, I rethought my priorities. Family and health were (and are) more important to me than the free feeling that I got from riding. I found other ways to get that same lift without the risk of being blindsided through no fault of my own.

Godspeed in your recovery.

 

[mjsdwash]

the answer is no. think in terms of getting into a carwreck. you may wanna sell the car, but you'll eventually want it back. Hope that helps.

 

[JohnBiltz]

Never make an important decision while you are in a disturbed emotional state. Put them away and make a decision when you have more distance from the incident.