Hopeful:
- Thread starter Inspector #20
- Start date
jtcnj
Ambassador of the Crossroad
Good luck and prayers (like it or not) and healing mojo sent to you.
Well said Mr. Chili.
Good luck and prayers (like it or not) and healing mojo sent to you.
Seems many in this group of regulars are 50+ or more, and so it goes; doesnt get any easier anyway.
Well said Mr. Chili.
Good luck and prayers (like it or not) and healing mojo sent to you.
Seems many in this group of regulars are 50+ or more, and so it goes; doesnt get any easier anyway.
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Thank you Chili.
Nope, no smartphone here.
Samsung flipper.
No laptop either.
Large desktop tower and keyboard with all the keys.
(Except for the keys to the locks on the Panama Canal.)
(The 18 on the left are all hot linked to World of Warcraft
macros that I wrote despite being a computer illiterate.)
Awesome, Tony. Glad to help.
And well said you guys with regards to brother Robert and all us other old folks.
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
If you were to perform your own back-surgery, then you should worry really hard. This is 2017, with modern and very skilled doctors and surgeons. You'll be fine.
But just in case the surgeon sneezes, can I have first dibs on any of your guitar arsenal?
...
Believe it or not, I researched the net to see the inner workings of the spine/nervous system due to my own lumbar area pain I endure. I half jokingly wished I could do my own disc surgery and save all that money. Problem I see is I'd have to get some fancy tools and an assistant to pull it off.
syscokid
Ambassador of War & Peace
The other problem is, since you're a tinkering guitar player, is to mod something or anything while you're in there!
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
I hope you let the doctors do whatever is needed to fix your problems, and I sure hope they can fix things properly.
There's not much I fear when it comes to my health, but not being able to play guitar or hear well enough to listen to music (or the voices of the ones I love) are my biggest fears.
Get well, Robert!
There's not much I fear when it comes to my health, but not being able to play guitar or hear well enough to listen to music (or the voices of the ones I love) are my biggest fears.
Get well, Robert!
Well you just better get better and soon! This place would not be the same without your frequent postings. Like Hackmaster said, this place is full of old stinker fretters and lots of us are dealing with the whole getting older blues. I know I am. Best of wishes go out to you that you over come this obstacle and get feeling better!
OP
If you were to perform your own back-surgery, then you should worry really hard. This is 2017, with modern and very skilled doctors and surgeons. You'll be fine.
But just in case the surgeon sneezes, can I have first dibs on any of your guitar arsenal?
...
LOL!
Thought you were Adrian for a minute.
OP
Me too.....
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
Robert sorry late to the thread here. As you know-- we have discussed. I am very sorry to hear of the issues you are having ---
I had a back surgery diagnosis myself that I have ignored....avoided....and "worked around" --- not because I am "tough" but because I am also chicken for the surgery ---my situation however i s more manageable
I wish you many blessing and good vibes and healing MOJO your way--- you got this .....and will wonder a year from now why you even worried about it
Now is when I woulda asked for your gear but SYSCO beat me to it .........so ....well CARRY ON!
I had a back surgery diagnosis myself that I have ignored....avoided....and "worked around" --- not because I am "tough" but because I am also chicken for the surgery ---my situation however i s more manageable
I wish you many blessing and good vibes and healing MOJO your way--- you got this .....and will wonder a year from now why you even worried about it
Now is when I woulda asked for your gear but SYSCO beat me to it .........so ....well CARRY ON!
OP
Robert sorry late to the thread here. As you know-- we have discussed. I am very sorry to hear of the issues you are having ---
I had a back surgery diagnosis myself that I have ignored....avoided....and "worked around" --- not because I am "tough" but because I am also chicken for the surgery ---my situation however i s more manageable
I wish you many blessing and good vibes and healing MOJO your way--- you got this .....and will wonder a year from now why you even worried about it
Now is when I woulda asked for your gear but SYSCO beat me to it .........so ....well CARRY ON!
HA!
Say Robert i know its not the (pick) thread but thanks for the tip on using the edge of ones pick.Im kind of a sloppy player and using the side of the pic seems to cut down on hitting strings you dont intend to hit and it does have a different sound. I been diggin the way it sounds.
Goldmember
Ambassador of Golden Yoo-Hoos
I dare not complain, because there are many others who suffer and have suffered far worse, but this is getting to the point where I can't ignore it any longer.
As much as I enjoy these forums, the pain from the brachial neuropathy (from a C4/C5 injury after being rear-ended at 75mph on December 31, 2016) is increasing almost daily now. It's becoming painful to type. My left arm frequently tingles as if asleep, and I lose strength in it at times. I can barely play guitar anymore and I can no longer ignore it. The pain keeps me awake, which I why I often post late into the night, because sleep is not possible sometimes. Sorry for all those long posts...
I've been in physical therapy for 7 months now. I have crammed as much as I can into these past 7 months as I could. Now, they are talking about surgery as the only option and possibly a long recovery period, but I am optimistic, even hopeful that this will pass.
I haven't taken any of the powerful, mind altering pain medications that have been prescribed and I am still working on projects as much as I can. I enjoy these things so much and I don't want to miss the experience.
I am very grateful for all of you guys here that have been so kind and tolerant of me. I post as much as I can, as I have really good days and really rough days too...as we all do I think...
This past weekend, we spent 4 days at a resort in Arizona with the kids. Monday we were in the pool from 10am until after 6pm. I played every kind of water game with them...including mock underwater "shark attacks" following watching several Shark Week episodes with them....the pain the next day, however, was remarkably intense.
We are in good shape. We have excellent medical. We don't need anything and we ask for nothing. But, this injury (which is quite minor compared to some) has really impressed upon me a need to do things today...and not wait for anything.
Today, my left hand began involuntarily snapping open, causing me to drop things. I was at the Doc this evening discussing things. Surgery wouldn't be nearly so scary of they didn't tell you all the worst possible scenarios.
I won't post about this everyday, but I will update every now and then.
Hope all is well with all of you....
Robert, Thanks for sharing this. I don't know the detail of your physical therapy, so I would like to ask if it included frequent decompression of the spine, along with adjustments. For approximately one year, I suffered from complete numbness of my left hand's index and thumb, partial numbness in the other fingers, and intense tingling in the left hand and forearm. Last summer, I underwent an intense therapeutic treatment that included decompression 3x a week, plus adjustments. First two months, as the chiropractor predicted, it got worse, but by month three, I began to get all feeling back, and by month five, all numbness and tingling were gone. A physician would have immediately recommended surgery, but I was able to recover without such invasive procedure. I wish that you could try this, if not already, before making the decision to continue with surgery. God Speed, Robert!
OP
Hey, Goldy...I been in physical therapy 3 times a week for 7 months. Treatments have included traction/decompression, adjustment, electrical muscle stimulation and adjustments. It actually has gotten worse over the past month! My major issues right now are sweeping tingling up and down the length of the left arm, a persistent 'twitch' in the bicep, tricep and shoulder blade, muscle spasms in the arm that cause it to literally draw up in a 'jerky' motion and now, involuntary spasms of the hand that cause it to fly open. At night, the entire arm is sore from the constant muscle spasms, and it keeps me awake.
I have read a lot about this condition and I have studied all my MRI's and the herniation in C4/5/6 is not dramatic, but noticeable even to a layman. After talking this over with my wife, we are going to pursue a different physical therapist and see if there is a final alternative to surgery....Thank for posting this!!!!
OP
Hey! You welcome!
I guess I started doing it back when I had my first Ibanez Destroyer....to keep from hitting the middle pickup...and I just kept doing it. I use the super heavy (smooth) black Dunlop Tortex's (.88mm) and I got some here you could literally shave with the big round edges...
Ive been using these after i used up all of my Dunlaps.I think they were a freeby from some ebay purchase but ive come to really like them.in fact ive used the lettering to measure the string height after i got my guitars set up like i like them and to remember where they are set if somethin moves hahahaha.You can see the Purple one is gettin nawed up.All 0.71 mm but the orange one is 0.81 mm
