ANA Discussion Forum
General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: satman on July 18, 2007, 12:48:26 pm
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Please execuse my language,i have put 17 yrs in playing[learning]guitar.
granted,i could not play when i was a month post,now i'm 3 months,
and it does'nt seem to be getting any better.
is the 17 years i took to learn all wasted ?
do i have to start all over again ?
will i ever be able to pick up where i left off ?
i'm so upset,evey time i turn around it something else, and all
from something i never heard of before[Acoustic nueroma],KISS MY _ _ _ , Im truly sorry everybody,
Again,i did'nt mean to vent,just kinda happened.I have the utmost respect for this forum,and the caring
people on it.
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it will come back ... but it wont be quick or easy ... :(
your "hands" will have to "re-learn" .... (it did take a while for my typing skills, to come back right) ... I type (program PC;s) 8 hours a day...
it wont take 17 years.. because you mind still knows how to play! .. and learning is never wasted!
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I know how you feel John. I play the piano (only an amateur, but still), & it has been real difficult getting back in the swing. At first the dizziness I had from looking from music to keys was unbelievable. Little by little it got better, but over 1 year out & I'm still not where I was. I think that's been bumming me out quite a bit. If you don't have to do too much head turning/moving it'll get better. I'm starting to forget some of the classical pieces I had memorized.... Good luck, Nancy
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John:
Venting is allowed. You have good reason to be upset.
Remember, you had a tumor growing inside your skull and it likely disturbed some important nerves. You underwent major, invasive surgery to remove it. Few (if any) come back from that experience exactly the same, no matter how good the overall recovery.
I'm certain your guitar-playing skills will return, but not by magic. You'll have to work at it, as you probably are. Keep it up and don't despair. You'll get better at everything, eventually. Use your frustration as a motivation to 'get back'. I did, and it really helped. I'm fine now but it took more than a few months to get here. That's the harsh reality we all have to deal with - and no one is exempt. You'll be O.K....but you'll be frustrated if you expect miracles. It's a long process (healing) and if you're impatient, that just makes it harder. Try to take it one day at a time. They'll add up fast. You'll be playing riffs again before you know it. :)
Jim
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Why do bad things happen to good people?? Age old question...... no answer. I can no longer play or listen to my family play piano because of my tinnitus. Too bad.
As I said on a previous post... there are 12,000 worse things we could have had and will have.
Get over it for your own sanity.
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Don't give up. This reminds me of a story I read a while back.
http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2006/10/05/WSoccer/Mcdonald.Returns.To.The.Field.After.Brain.Surgery-2333763.shtml?norewrite200610091356&sourcedomain=www.dukechronicle.com
I was a DJ for years and after surgery just pushed it aside thinking it will never be the same. Thought I could never match beats anymore being down an ear but today (with different set-up) I am just as good. Those that love music like we do find the power to make it happen. God Luck
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THANKS EVERYBODY,I HAVE CALMED DOWN AND GRABBED A DRINK.
MARGARITAVILLE HERE I COME !
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Hold on, the calluses may get soft but they will return. I know that recovery time for eveyone is different but here's my story. I have spent the last 21 years as a professional musician- did my masters degree in cello/ piano. There is no way I could have played after 3 months. I tried 6 weeks after surgery and it was so bad that I assumed all music was over. I put it away and waited until the fall season started. I remember the first symphony rehearsal, 5 months after surgery. Boy was that a trip. Trying to move my hands, fingers, arms, then move my eyes from music to conductor back to the music without the whole world spinning. Noise on all sides, those trombone players only know loud, I truly hung on by the seat of my pants but you know what, 2 years after I'm doing great. It takes time. At the concert a month ago, I didn't feel like tipping over once and I knew where my hands were at all times and I didn't even curse the trombones.
Ok that was a long story to say, it takes time. Tell yourself you will re-evaluate at one year but never give up hope.
and margarita's are great!
Take Care- Mary
2cm AN middle fossa May 24, 2005 Dr Brackmann
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satman - I hate the words I'm about to type but they are true "You have to be patient". Things do improve, just very slowly. In fact I'm wearing my contacts again for the first time in 3 years. I had to go see a "contact lens specialist" but so far so good.
And please vent away anytime, we really do understand. :)
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Dear satman:
Remember what happened when you had beer and tequila?......don't forget to use eye drops in Margaritaville!! ;D
We are here for you buddy!! Vent away.
Kathy
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oh yeah it'll come back...my handwritimg was severely impaired and had to learn all over. I graduated from Occupational Therapy basically because I had improved post-op but not really pre-op. But I graduated in March and my handwriting is getting better all the time. You just need to work at it and practice. If it seems hard that means you're workinmg at it. Once the brainstem starts to straighten itself out I think it gets easier too. Its stil not completely straight but its still improving..slowly. Don't get discouraged, and if you can get any Occupational Therapy I STRONGLY suggest it. It helped alot and I met some interesting people along the way.
Chris
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Take it slowly and don't let your frustrations color your enjoyment of playing music. It may take more time to get back your playing ability than you would like, but it will come back. I broke my fret hand a few years back and had severe nerve damage and needed surgery as a result. I couldn't make a fist, or straighten my fingers for nine months and required lots of physical therapy. I had to have chunks of broken bone removed and the nerves had to be moved during the surgery and repositioned into and artificial channel. My hand is probably at 90 percent, but I'm playing again and enjoying it. I don't have the reach I used to have, but have compensated for it nicely. I started playing bass as well to strengthen my fingers. I guess the bottom line is, you have to give in to the time it will take. If you used to practice, or noodle around for a couple hours, cut back the time to 30 minutes and slowly extend the time.
You can do it.
peace
Dave
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I know how you feel!!
I have been riding motorcycles for 30 years.
Collected them, worked on them and loved long distance touring and the feeling of freedom and adventure.
I also loved waterskiing, it was my summer sport that I never tired of.
Lost it all because of bilateral vestibular loss.
I am slowly crawling out of the abyss. I can now take my bike on short rides and have learned to ride the
Air Chair as opposed to slalom skiing.
I still have a long way to go and some days I just feel like giving up.
I will continue to rehabilitate no matter what, can't stand the thought of living the rest of my life this way.
Cheers
Dean
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thanks so much everybody,you truly are my inspiration.
thanks for the reminder Obita,i had gobs and gobs
in my eye this time,I would not want to go through
that again.
It sounds like everybody eventually gets back,or compensates to
get back into thier hobbies.
thanks for all the private messages also.
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Satman!
Welcome to Margaritaville! Are you a Parrot Head?
Anyway--There's a member on this forum named Crazycat who got second-place in the whopping tumor category and he's still rocking out as a professional bass-player and doing great. Use the search feature, find a post by him a and maybe send him a personal message and ask him how long it took for him. I play the flute and fortunately an left deaf so I can still hear myself. I played with some friends at 6 or 7 months post-op and was rusty, but the skill was still in my brain--just took the fingers longer to respond. it will come back--but just like balance, you have to force it back.
Keep playing every day and again, like balance, if you don't use it , you'll lose it!
Fins Up!
Capt Deb 8)
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Satman-I can't play a lick. Somebody else stole the musical genes in my family. I certainly can understand your frustrastion. I can only echo what others have already said-things will improve. These neuroma things seem to stir things up a bit what with our emotions and our naturally comparing our present situations with the past. Here's a toast to you amd your recovery! You may have to suck it up a little(not the Margarita) and learn to appreciate your new approach to learning what you already know. Best wishes-Neal
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Hi Captain Deb, Rock on Jimmy Buffet !!
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Hi Satman
How are you feeling now? :)
I find that when I get pissed off like that I just have to find something else to occupy my mind. Not always easy granted and takes a lot of practice too :) Another thing I do is meditate - sometimes it is just better to empty your mind completely (again not easy to do either ;) )
I have no doubt your skills will return especially if you plug away at it each day - with just a little step each time. Perhaps you might learn some slower pieces? What style of guitar do you like to play?
Caroll
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hi carroll,normally i play heavy metal,i also play skynard,tesla,etc,etc...
after venting and drinking i feel pretty good,i have realized there is
nothing i can do about it,and just have to deal with it 1 day at a time [baby steps].
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MARGARITAVILLE HERE I COME !
Funny you should mention Jimmy Buffett, Satman. I am a die-hard Parrothead and his music has been helping me through my recovery - kind of my own personal music therapy. While I was in the holding area prior to surgery, I was listening to Jimmy on my ipod and it really relaxed me.
Glad you're feeling better. You've been through a lot and venting is perfectly normal.
Jan
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Satman,
There are plenty of musicians on this support page. Some that make their livelyhood by playing. I think they will agree when I say "slow it down and allow yourself time to get full control of your hands again". Some of us "post-surgical musician types" have had to modify either the way they play or even their primary instrument (lead guitarist to bassist) for example.
My surgery was last April and I had many complications that kept my in the ICU for about 6 weeks. My right hand will not finger pick like it used to & when I use a pick to play a scale it tends to miss quite a few notes. But it is getting better and maybe one day (sooner than later) I will realise my playing is back to normal. Until then I'll just continue to go after it quietly, so the bad playing wo'nt offend my entire FAMILY.
You spent 17 yrs. getting better. Now your spending your time doing the same thing.
"GETTING BETTER"
Continue forward,
Mykey
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Hi satman:
This was on our local news the other night. This man did not have an AN but his story is much the same, starting
all over again etc....
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=256810 (http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=256810)
Keep working at it satman, Kathy
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Ah ha, now I know what that sqeek sound was Deb! heard it from all the way down here.
Fair dinkum Satman, it'll come back to ya. bit of hard yakka and practice and you'll be fine
Laz