OT-Here we go, AGAIN!

Four years ago, my left arm was cut during a robbery, leaving me with nerve damage and considerable pain.

Then, after I worked to live with that, I developed pretty severe arthritis in several fingers on my left hand...fingers required by guitar players and keyboard players using a lot of left-hand walking bass.

It took about 6 months to sort of learn to live with that.

A week ago Saturday, I noticed some tightness in my left elbow.

When I looked at it, I thought I was looking at Popeye the sailor-man. The elbow was swollen to twice it's normal size.

The diagnosis is bursitis, with the over-all diagnosis that I have just worn my left arm out.

It's been drained and has come back. While not extremely painful, it will probably always be an issue..something I will have to work around.

I'm worried about running out of options. I thought that if all else failed for the nerve damage and arthritis, I could still hold block chords with my injured left hand and make up the difference with my right hand, which is still in good shape. I'm prepared to get out of playing guitar soon.

DAMN!

There is a possibility that I just injured it, and the problem will go away or be something easily tolerated.

We'll have to see...


Russ

Russ ... we will be praying for your full an rapid recovery ... the music world should not lose your talent ...

Arranger keyboards put all the hard work into the right hand and away from the left...dependant on how you set up your keyboard.

Russ, always remember ice is your best friend, to keep that inflammation/ swelling down. Get into a habit of regularly doing that, maybe buy one of those packs specifically designed for the elbow!

Russ get well soon......

No shame in using whatever gets the job done... IF the LH goes away, but the right is serviceable, use SMF's or MP3 backings (that you prepare yourself). There are creative ways with either of these that you can restructure a piece on the fly, so you aren't locked into a mode of eternal repetition.

The BK-9 can also save its Chord Sequence, so you can prepare this in advance (slowly, carefully) then load it on the gig, and still have full control of Variations and fills, etc..

Don't worry, Russ. If the music is in you and wants to get out, you will find a way, no matter what!

Best wishes.

Hang in there, Russ. Where there's a will and all that. You've certainly shown willpower in the past, time to call on it again. Get well again soon.

I wish you well Russ. With your talent, knowledge and love of music, I'm sure you will find a way to stay musical.

Sorry to hear about your woes Russ.

Bursitis needs ice, as mentioned by PTL. I have it bad in my left hip and I sleep with ice and Lidocaine patches (expensive). Best wishes and hang in there.

Thanks, folks. It's kind of funny! I always put arrangers down, and, now, they may be my salvation, if I want to keep working!

Is THAT poetic justice, or what? (LOL)!


Russ

Hi Russ:

So sorry to hear about your situation, I must tell you, you are not alone, I got rear-ended April 25 on the high way, the only hurt person was me, and for some reason the seat belt got lockup and for the motion of the accident, my left shoulder got injured, I have some limitations on some movements, and lifting is out of the question.
I got a MRI, and my rotating cuff have damage, I did, whatsoever, found out that I did have already some tears, but, the accident trigger the last straw. My doctor told me that many people are not aware that they may have a tear on the rotating cuff, and live with no consequences.

I am now looking for a second opinion for the surgery I will need, the prospects are not to great.
I pray that you and all of us musicians that have a situation due to illness or accidents, get better, and if we have lemons, let's make lemonade and lets learn to adjust, because the show goes on.

Sorry to hear of your accident. People who have never been in a bad accident have no appreciation of the power and potential damage. Heal up, friend,


Russ

Russ, getting old is for the birds but it’s coming for all of us. Now we get to use our years and our wisdom to overcome, do without, or find a new exciting way to get where you want to be.
To quote one of our members, “If you have music in you it will find its way out.

Playing and performing music is one of the careers that men hold onto, even at my age. At 81 I am still finding ways to enjoy my music; I still spend days working on my performance preparing for the next job which may or may not come.

Russ, the little I know of you tells me you’re hurting but don’t get in your way. Keep us posted and let us know how you’re wining your battle.

Your friend, John C.

Ya think ya got problems Russ -- you’re a guitar player so you will understand this. When I place my 2nd finger on the fret board of my guitar it hits the wrong fret because it is starting the finger is starting to turn toward my 1st finger. Forget about my 4th finger ouch!(Pinky) I bought two new guitars lowered the action – and I’m back playing again. But never as before; this I must accept. But I’m playing.

Russ, I can tell you first hand that gettin' old sucks - it's that simple! Modern medicine has made it so we can outlive our body parts. Consequently, your mind remains relatively sharp, your heart keep beating, but lots of body parts just no longer can tolerate the abuse we have given them over these many decades. I spent a lot of years working in medicine, I got to see more things than I would have liked to, and now, working the NH circuit I'm actually meeting some of my high-school classmates and other acquaintances from 60 or more years ago.

Fortunately, you are multi-talented and well versed in every instrument you play. There will come a time, though, when your mind will continue to make appointments your body cannot possibly keep. Believe me, you WILL know when that happens and make another adjustment. For now, though, learn to love that arranger keyboard - it may be your best friend in the world of musical instruments.

Good luck old friend,

Gary

PS: Learn some Jimmy Buffett songs - the folks I met in the Florida Keys that were from the Lexington area loved them.

Hope it gets better for you. Tough when you loose the ability to do something you love.
Hang in there and keep going.

Thanks so much, all. I may have lost a couple of rounds, but the fight is NOT OVER!

I have a country club job in an hour. Tomorrow, I'm in Louisville on a film score that will consume 48 straight hours, with a few 2 hour breaks. Monday night, I'm back working on the patio of a restaurant.

I can see the future. The guitar will be gone this year. I stopped a lot of upright and electric bass jobs when I got cut a few years ago.

Walking left-handed bass will go next.

I'll probably start adding (ugh!) arranger jobs later this year...try it out on my existing jobs to see how it goes.

I just hate using one for my purpose, which is to cover up an infirmity.

DAMN, talk about bad timing. I've never had more satisfying good paying work...trips to Dubai and Australia...demoing for a boutique jazz amplifier manufacturer...a pending deal for a guitar manufacturer, 5 films and scores for fortune 500 companies on the books for 2013...

Trust me, I'll tough it out as long as it is physically possible and I don't embarrass myself.

NO WAY AM I READY TO CALL IT QUITS!

Thanks, all for the encouragement.

Russ

And Gary, I'll have to draw the line at Jimmy Buffet music, My crowds would chase me off the bandstand if I did something like that. Many bosses tell me they hire me because I DON'T play Buffet music and the like. That's all they get-and similar stuff-from most of the "pickers and grinners" who try to get work. The pay isn't that great, but I really don't have much competition around here.

58 years on the bandstand at least 4 nights a week, with only 9 weeks off in all that time.

STILL LOVE IT!

You will work around the problem to keep the music happening.

Have you ever considered working on playing guitar left handed? I think you could do it once you got the muscle memory working. I am left handed but play guitar right handed. It was simply because all the guitars I ever picked up were strung for right handed guitarists. I think that if I worked on it I could eventually learn to play left handed.

I have a left hand problem that developed prior to my cervical fusion. Left had is very shaky and numbness in pinky and ring finger did not go away after surgery several years ago. I do work around it by using auto accompaniment and have all but given up the guitar- the fingers won't spread or stretch well. I play mandolin to keep limber, buying those with the smallest neck circumference. Right hand starting to shake too. Left the day job of commercial electrician behind....but I still play- maybe not for as long as I used to , but I do. No accordion anymore- can't reach for some bass buttons.But I do notice the more I layoff in between playing, the worse it is. So keep going!

Russ... You don't have to play Jimmy Buffett songs like Jimmy does them!

I don't know if you have heard it, but the great jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter put an album out a few years ago that was the entire Natty Dread album by Bob Marley, but COMPLETELY reversioned... Not a trace of reggae in the arrangements at all.

Sometimes it is a load of fun to take songs by a hated singer, and just twist them until they fit YOU, and can barely be recognized by the fans. But at least when they request something (or you just want to flummox them), you've got a bullet in the barrel.

Russ ... no doubt it will be tough - mentally as well as physically - but try to embrace the change ... you will still provide beautiful music to a LOT of people before you are through ... and that's not going to be for a long time yet ...

OMG - my head would actually explode! I can't even throw a baseball 10 feet lefthanded!

I'm pretty much ambidextrous, but I don't play guitar very well either way!
DonM

Diki, I'm really a fan of Charlie Hunter and have seen him in Lexington several times. That fanned fretboard is awesome.

1/2 the problem with doing Buffet music is, the places I play are dining rooms and jazz lounges or private organization functions where anything like that is not appropriate.


The other half is....I HATE THAT STUFF!


"A man's gotta do what a MAN'S GOTTA DO"!

R.