Kinda gave up.

[dogooder]

After playing guitar for 58 years I decided to concentrate on the keys. I always dabbled on them. So I started practicing a couple of hours a day pretty steadily for almost a year and was getting better. About six months ago the pain that I knew would eventually come somewhere and not go away finally showed up in my left elbow. I have not been able to use the left arm for any length of time and am back to one hand. So..
I am ambidextrous and the strength is in the left arm but I do a lot of things right handed like write, play guitar, pool etc. In sports I would throw lefty, bat lefty, shoot a basketball lefty etc. Strange that it hasn't effected my guitar playing yet. When that happens I always have the pedal steel as long as I can hold on to that bar.
This is showing me how much I depended on the left arm without realizing it!

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

See,I went the other way..I cut my pinky off at the first knuckle..So I don't play keys too much anymore..3 finger piano..I was rebuilding transmissions.

Yeah, I have been ambi all my life too. Can sign / write with both hands.

They sewed my pinky back on. Lost abduction.

 

[TAE]

Getting old isn't for sissies my Mom told me when she was in her late 80's.

Sorry to hear about the elbow Jerry that sucks. The old improvise, adapt, overcome ( as be we can) is all we have at this point in our lives. On the joint's thing considering I grew up in construction and was a tile contractor into my later 40's I'm very lucky that I am not having any issues...yet.

I know you love your playing music so I hope ya get to keep keeping on as best ya can.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

You can always persue music making no matter what obstacles you have.
Def Leppard drummer has just one arm.
There are any number of blind musicians.
There was a picture in the paper yesterday of a horn player born with no arms, who plays with his feet.
Even when everything packs up, you can still get into programming music on a sequencer, rather than playing it live.
I have a collection of aches and pains acquired over a lifetime. They're not going to beat me.

 

[markmann]

Back in 2006 I had surgery on my fretboard hand that caused me to not play guitar and I thought I was done for good. I still wanted to play something and I had a lap steel guitar the was given to me that I did not play so I thought I would give it a go. I was able to hold the bar so I started watching videos (VHS tapes at the time) and I eventually got pretty good at it. lucky for me that after a few years I got most of my hand strength back and was able to play guitar again so now I have another instrument in my arsenal.

 

[grimtraveller]

For me, it was the voice. I had a good range {if not a great voice !} from low to high. Then in 2017 I had a thyroidectomy and my voice sounded pretty gruff for months afterwards. Then when I felt everything was healed, I tried singing and found that I could no longer reach the high notes or many of the medium range ones. So I had to work out a new way of singing. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I nearly don't.

 

[dogooder]

Back in 2006 I had surgery on my fretboard hand that caused me to not play guitar and I thought I was done for good. I still wanted to play something and I had a lap steel guitar the was given to me that I did not play so I thought I would give it a go. I was able to hold the bar so I started watching videos (VHS tapes at the time) and I eventually got pretty good at it. lucky for me that after a few years I got most of my hand strength back and was able to play guitar again so now I have another instrument in my arsenal.

As far as the pedal steel goes, if it weren't for my picking ability on guitar and my knowledge of basic music theory I would be right back where I started with guitar
as a twelve year old. It is fun. I miss those days when everything was new.

 

[dogooder]

Getting old isn't for sissies my Mom told me when she was in her late 80's.

Sorry to hear about the elbow Jerry that sucks. The old improvise, adapt, overcome ( as be we can) is all we have at this point in our lives. On the joint's thing considering I grew up in construction and was a tile contractor into my later 40's I'm very lucky that I am not having any issues...yet.

I know you love your playing music so I hope ya get to keep keeping on as best ya can.

I don't think it is the elbow joint but the tendons. I don't actually feel pain in the joint. There is no pain when not doing anything, but if I just make a fist
it hurts. I think if it were the joint itself and arthritis or something of the sort the pain would be constant? I am scheduled to see the doctor again in June. It started
just before my last visit and I mentioned it. I doubt there is anything "modern medicine" can do. I can stand the pain, so...
I will bring it up again on the next visit and see what we think.

 

[dogooder]

For me, it was the voice. I had a good range {if not a great voice !} from low to high. Then in 2017 I had a thyroidectomy and my voice sounded pretty gruff for months afterwards. Then when I felt everything was healed, I tried singing and found that I could no longer reach the high notes or many of the medium range ones. So I had to work out a new way of singing. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I nearly don't.

I lost an octave of my falsetto years ago, I am sure smoking is the cause. I never considered myself a singer so I didn't worry about it too much.

 

[TAE]

I don't think it is the elbow joint but the tendons. I don't actually feel pain in the joint. There is no pain when not doing anything, but if I just make a fist
it hurts. I think if it were the joint itself and arthritis or something of the sort the pain would be constant? I am scheduled to see the doctor again in June. It started
just before my last visit and I mentioned it. I doubt there is anything "modern medicine" can do. I can stand the pain, so...
I will bring it up again on the next visit and see what we think.

Your on Medicare I assume...my advise ask to see a Physical therapist they work voodoo magic...sometimes a little painful to get to where you want to be. The ol no pain no gain thing..It might be a fixable condition...Good luck dude!

 

[dogooder]

Your on Medicare I assume...my advise ask to see a Physical therapist they work voodoo magic...sometimes a little painful to get to where you want to be. The ol no pain no gain thing..It might be a fixable condition...Good luck dude!

I have medicare and I also have some of the best coverage Blue Shield provides through my wife's pension. If the pain isn't gone by the time of my next doctors visit we will be discussing it. It has gotten better, but not by much.

 

[dogooder]

About twenty years ago I was having a lot of pain in my hands. I went to the docs. They told me it was carpal tunnel and I would
have to have an operation? The sooner the better. I said hold on one minute. The one minute has turned into twenty years and the
pain went away long ago. Carpal Tunnel doesn't get better over time does it?

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

About twenty years ago I was having a lot of pain in my hands. I went to the docs. They told me it was carpal tunnel and I would
have to have an operation? The sooner the better. I said hold on one minute. The one minute has turned into twenty years and the
pain went away long ago. Carpal Tunnel doesn't get better over time does it?

you see the doctors making money off you..how they do it?

how long can you tread water? Obviously longer than them..wage war against everyone. time heals all wounds.

after forty , doctors all want to shove things up your ass.. cameras, knives, tubes.. i started taking the synth opioids and i feel fine. never looked back..

 

[dogooder]

you see the doctors making money off you..how they do it?

how long can you tread water? Obviously longer than them..wage war against everyone. time heals all wounds.

after forty , doctors all want to shove things up your ass.. cameras, knives, tubes.. i started taking the synth opioids and i feel fine. never looked back..

Time wounds all heels. Well, I don't know about the money but they have saved my life at least twice.

 

[TAE]

Time wounds all heels. Well, I don't know about the money but they have saved my life at least twice.

They are handy every once in a while.

That said:

Half of them graduated at the bottom half of the class
When they say they are practicing medicines they are serious.
100%, money be it consciously or sub consciously plays a big role in their thinking. The more profitable the procedure is the more often they will be quick to suggest it...
You have carpal tunnel syndrome but we can fix it..I know several very unhappy folks that have done the procedure as advised...and one (you) who was smart enough, lucky enough to put it on hold and it healed itself...
Some are actually out and out evil...some are truly dedicated to helping folks
All of them are trapped by the dumb ass laws and rules they must follow.
The FDA is a sad monopoly system..If you've got the $$$$ to put up to jump through the hoops to get a drug approved you get to play the game. That means the thing you're trying to get approved has to be patentable so you can recoup your investment and making some $$$$. If it isn't protectable once it is approved all your competitors can produce it to. Why would anyone throw millions of dollars at it to get it approved? So they don't get approved and sit unknown in a small circle of people who know about it....but do nothing with it...wasted.

That's a big problem...There are a ton of treatments and drugs that could be used in lieu of the expensive drugs that are approved but aren't being used or recommended because they are not FDA approved and the doctors can go to jail for using or prescribing them.

Oh well it is what it is and it isn't going to change in our lives...The Covid Vaccine was a cute example of how quickly we can get it going on something and get it out on the market without the rigorous hoops and blessing of the FDA...What a joke....calling it a vaccine.... Remember when they invented the polio vaccine...That's a vaccine it stopped polio in it's tracks...These Covid vaccine's not so much...ok not at all. BS. money grabbing evil system we have here.

 

[dogooder]

Going on almost a year now and no improvement in the arm. I discussed it with the doctor in July. It was a funny conversation. I, what could be causing it. "I don't know". C'mon you took anatomy in college right. She laughs, of course I did. Well then, you know whats in there. I tell her, it's not the muscles and it is not the joint, can't be the blood vessels whats left? Tendons and nerves! Okay, what should we do. See a specialist. Okay if he finds out what it is then what? Well, if physical therapy doesn't work then surgery. But! I have 100 per cent use of it as long as I don't use it the wrong way, I don't think I would go for any operation. Well, that is a smart decision, I wouldn't either. Okay then, I live with until I can't. That was the extent of that part of the visit lol.

 

[dogooder]

They are handy every once in a while.

That said:

Half of them graduated at the bottom half of the class
When they say they are practicing medicines they are serious.
100%, money be it consciously or sub consciously plays a big role in their thinking. The more profitable the procedure is the more often they will be quick to suggest it...
You have carpal tunnel syndrome but we can fix it..I know several very unhappy folks that have done the procedure as advised...and one (you) who was smart enough, lucky enough to put it on hold and it healed itself...
Some are actually out and out evil...some are truly dedicated to helping folks
All of them are trapped by the dumb ass laws and rules they must follow.
The FDA is a sad monopoly system..If you've got the $$$$ to put up to jump through the hoops to get a drug approved you get to play the game. That means the thing you're trying to get approved has to be patentable so you can recoup your investment and making some $$$$. If it isn't protectable once it is approved all your competitors can produce it to. Why would anyone throw millions of dollars at it to get it approved? So they don't get approved and sit unknown in a small circle of people who know about it....but do nothing with it...wasted.

That's a big problem...There are a ton of treatments and drugs that could be used in lieu of the expensive drugs that are approved but aren't being used or recommended because they are not FDA approved and the doctors can go to jail for using or prescribing them.

Oh well it is what it is and it isn't going to change in our lives...The Covid Vaccine was a cute example of how quickly we can get it going on something and get it out on the market without the rigorous hoops and blessing of the FDA...What a joke....calling it a vaccine.... Remember when they invented the polio vaccine...That's a vaccine it stopped polio in it's tracks...These Covid vaccine's not so much...ok not at all. BS. money grabbing evil system we have here.

At least they graduated. I never got out of high school. I am sure 99 percent of them know more than I do.

 

[Random dude]

For me, it was the voice. I had a good range {if not a great voice !} from low to high. Then in 2017 I had a thyroidectomy and my voice sounded pretty gruff for months afterwards. Then when I felt everything was healed, I tried singing and found that I could no longer reach the high notes or many of the medium range ones. So I had to work out a new way of singing. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I nearly don't.

Reminds me of Robert Plant. He had surgery on his throat and his voice was never the same. If you listen to Physical Graffiti, they deliberately put some tunes on there that were recorded before the operation, during the "Houses of the Holy" sessions, like the song "Houses of the Holy". His voice on that tune is the "old" Robert Plant. Clear, thin, and high. Most of the other songs on that album are the post-op Robert Plant. Less range, rougher sound, etc...I like both voices. And at least he stopped doing his cringy "Ooh yeah" "Suck it", and "Push! Push! Push!".

 

[TAE]

I am sure 99 percent of them know more than I do.

For certain in their particular medical field they all probably know more than you do. Lets see how they do on a metal lathe or using all the machinery you know how to run.
You being a machinist can respect that in your expertise there are guys who are brilliant bad asses and ones that you would never let run certain machines or assign to certain projects. Even though they all in theory are machinist. Same with doctors you line 10 heart surgeons up and you have the worst at #1 the best at # 10...I sure as hell don't want any of them but #10 cutting into me ...Problem is it takes doing a lot of due diligence to figure out who #10 is.
Kind of like picking a stock but way more serious. Just walking into your local hospital and accepting what ever doctor they or your insurance allows you to see is similar to walking into the local mini mart and asking for a lotto ticket and thinking they are all winners. Not so much. When choosing what doctor you listen to, take advice or let hack and sew on you be sure you're seeing one that is really smart and proficient in their abilities... don't and it's totally luck of the draw.

 

[dogooder]

For certain in their particular medical field they all probably more than you do. Lets see how they do on a metal lathe or using all the machinery you know how to run.
You being a machinist can respect that in your expertise there are guys who are brilliant bad asses and ones that you would never let run certain machines or assign to certain projects. Even though they all in theory are machinist. Same with doctors you line 10 heart surgeons up and you have the worst at #1 the best at # 10...I sure as hell don't want any of them but #10 cutting into me ...Problem is it takes doing a lot of due diligence to figure out who #10 is.
Kind of like picking a stock but way more serious. Just walking into your local hospital and accepting what ever doctor they or your insurance allows you to see is similar to walking into the local mini mart and asking for a lotto ticket and thinking they are all winners. Not so much. When choosing what doctor you listen to, take advice or let hack and sew on you be sure you're seeing one that is really smart and proficient in their abilities... don't and it's totally luck of the draw.

We were sitting at the lunch table outside one day and I asked everyone if we were all doctors who would you let operate on your kids. The foreman says you would let me wouldn't you? I said, are you fucking crazy or what, you got to be kidding me. He took it well. No one would let any of us operate on the kids, what a crew!