Quietflame Posted September 20, 2015 Posted September 20, 2015 After I fell down down for three days, my wife made an appointment with the GP. Thought it was a stroke, but the MRI said more, and the neurosurgeon went to work. Discharged within a week to begin rehab. Wound is clean and closed. I can shower and mostly take care of myself (no straining or hard labor for a while). Family was kind enough to bring my H-575 to the hospital. Coordination and left-hand strength were gone, but a week later, I am getting a bit of it back. Scar looks like something out of a Star Wars make-up room. Only alternative - start work again on Earl Klugh's arrangement of "If I Only Had a Brain." Fortunately, I had the music from an old Fingerstyle Guitar Quarterly. Will likely end up on a small Lakewood rather than the 575 (more room). I intend to keep playing. My family, friends, and coworkers have all been terrific. Even some old garage-band mates from high school, not to mention 200 of my closest ukulele friends. I am fortunate enough to have good medical insurance. It could have been much worse. Quietflame
tbonesullivan Posted September 20, 2015 Posted September 20, 2015 oh man! Good luck with your recovery!
bsck1 Posted September 20, 2015 Posted September 20, 2015 Here's wishing you continued progress on your recovery journey. Your support network sounds fabulous. So, how do you sneak 200 Ukelele players into a hospital room during visitation hours?
Horace Posted September 20, 2015 Posted September 20, 2015 Hang in there Quietflame. One step at a time will get you there.
Gitfiddler Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 Sounds like you've been through one of life's often scary wake-up calls. Glad you are getting better.
schundog Posted September 21, 2015 Posted September 21, 2015 All the best! Glad you are still with us. Here's to a speedy recovery.
Shoman Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Wow, glad your still here. Hope your recovery is speedy and get's you back to where you can enjoy playing again. Maybe you are already at that point. Anyway it's the good news that's important here. Get well soon. So since you're probably a captive audience I guess I'll share my good news with you. This way you can give me all sorts of advice. Tonight I just purchased my first Heritage H-535. Bought off the Internet. It's a 2001 I'll try to embed a pic here. I just started playing, I'm 68 and struggling with barre chords. It's likely that even after your recent health event, you're still playing way way better than me. At least I hope so. So there she is. Purdy eh? It should get here this Friday. Got any pics of the Lakewood ? BTW, I had a heart "event" 2 years ago that dropped me to my knees a couple of time. The last one planted my lower bout on the floor. I was lucky just like you. We're both still strumming. I like the word, Event much better than attacks, strokes, strikes, explosions etc.
dpicker Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Mr. QF, Wow. A neurosurgeon is someone that you are glad exists in the abstract, but that you hope never to need to meet. I had some excitement some years ago, and when I woke up after a few weeks in the ether somewhere (and some strange places they were!) my right arm didn't work much, nor did a lot else. Mostly it came back and I am left without excuses for my guitar playing. Stick with it, I'll pray for you.
FredZepp Posted September 23, 2015 Posted September 23, 2015 Best of wishes for a quick recovery. It's great that it's taken care of and now you can move on to building strength.. ... keep at it.
Quietflame Posted September 24, 2015 Author Posted September 24, 2015 Thank you all for your kind words of support. Given what has happened, I am as well as I can be. Two weeks out from major brain surgery, I can fix a simple meal, shower, and take care of my own hygiene. All I can do is take the treatments and medications, and do the exercises. Keep the head up! The PT cleared me yesterday to use the walker outside in the driveway briefly unsupervised (with the phone on my belt). Strength, coordination and concentration will take time. Chemo and radiation started Tuesday. All in all, I am lucky. If it is going to get me, it will have to work for it. Beautiful fall day to be outside in Central Virginia. Showman, the H-535 is gorgeous. Looks to me a lot like my ASB H-575, except for the bridge, tail piece, and switch placement. Play it in good health. No pictures of the Lakewood, but it is a standard M-14. Satin mahogany and cedar, very light, with a wide neck. I have been surprised at the continuing desire to play - I have no special skill - but still play about a half-hour a day. At first, I could only clutch the neck. Some of the old pieces are coming back. The support of family, friends, co-workers and others has been amazing. I will be happy when the focus is off of me and off of the disease - I want to minimize the burdens on those around me. Far more has been given to me than I can ever repay. The ukulele concert has been postponed, but will occur. Three of the players are local, women Episcopal priests. We have had benefit concerts for the homeless at two of their parishes this year, and the third is being scheduled. I will play if they have to wheel me in. All the best. NNTR. Quietflame
Shoman Posted September 25, 2015 Posted September 25, 2015 Hello quietflame. Glad to hear it's going so well. Stay strong. Nothing like a positive attitude to push things in the right direction. Seems like you're typing pretty well. That's always a challenge when going through recovery that requires concentration and coordination. The trip outside is also goot to hear. I hope you have great weather as nothing is quite so refreshing as feeling the sun and breeze when I need to gather strength and clarity. I always go outside for big decisions or the important moments. Helps me come to terms with things. I've got a lesson today and it's the best part of my week. The guy is an excellent teacher and fabulous player. He has had quite a bit of formal training and Studied at the University of Miami school of music..think that's where it was. Anyway he's great. He plays a lot of local gigs at some of the better places. Has a nice band and also does a lot of solo work. Leans heavy into jazz and when he's playing in a dinner setting it's like listening to a recording.. He's just fantastic. His name is Mark Vee. I'm sure you can google him and hear a bit. Lots of clips here of him playing: http://www.themarcveeband.com/music-video/ Hope you have a great day today. Keep us posted.
HANGAR18 Posted September 30, 2015 Posted September 30, 2015 Thank you all for your kind words of support. Given what has happened, I am as well as I can be. Two weeks out from major brain surgery, I can fix a simple meal, shower, and take care of my own hygiene. All I can do is take the treatments and medications, and do the exercises. Keep the head up! The PT cleared me yesterday to use the walker outside in the driveway briefly unsupervised (with the phone on my belt). Strength, coordination and concentration will take time. Chemo and radiation started Tuesday. All in all, I am lucky. If it is going to get me, it will have to work for it. Beautiful fall day to be outside in Central Virginia. Showman, the H-535 is gorgeous. Looks to me a lot like my ASB H-575, except for the bridge, tail piece, and switch placement. Play it in good health. No pictures of the Lakewood, but it is a standard M-14. Satin mahogany and cedar, very light, with a wide neck. I have been surprised at the continuing desire to play - I have no special skill - but still play about a half-hour a day. At first, I could only clutch the neck. Some of the old pieces are coming back. The support of family, friends, co-workers and others has been amazing. I will be happy when the focus is off of me and off of the disease - I want to minimize the burdens on those around me. Far more has been given to me than I can ever repay. The ukulele concert has been postponed, but will occur. Three of the players are local, women Episcopal priests. We have had benefit concerts for the homeless at two of their parishes this year, and the third is being scheduled. I will play if they have to wheel me in. All the best. NNTR. Quietflame Let me know if you need help changing the strings on your guitar and I'll swing by.
holyroller Posted October 1, 2015 Posted October 1, 2015 Wow , I pray for peace and strength to you and your family .
Quietflame Posted October 1, 2015 Author Posted October 1, 2015 Again, thanks to all. I continue to progress - use the cane inside and the walker outside (probably not tomorrow in the mid-Atlantic wind and rain that is predicted). When that has cleared, I can walk for just over 1/4 mile with PT approval, unless I tire more quickly. As well as I can be. Friends came by yesterday for an hour's jam on Oldtime tunes. Play and enjoy! NNTR. Quietflame
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