Bad News

Sorry to hear Dave. I echo everything already said - 2nd opinion, slide - start messing with a bunch of open tunings. Play it like a lap steel?
 
Much mojo, and another opinion piling on to the second/third/fourth opinion accumulation. Maybe try a sports medicine place. Be sure to tell them about the musical connection - maybe even ask at your local dealer if they know of doctors who work with musicians.
 
My prayers are with you man. Here's what the NY Times says about the outlook for this condition:

[h=3]Outlook (Prognosis)[/h]If the cause of the nerve dysfunction can be found and successfully treated, there is a good chance that you will fully recover. Nerve pain may be uncomfortable and may last for a long period of time. If this occurs, see a pain specialist to ensure you have access to all pain treatment options.

My recommendation is find a doctor who specializes in this condition.
 
Get a second opinion. I have nerve damage in my left hand, hard to fret notes at first but got through it.

regardless, best of luck
 
Besides, you know what they call a guitarist with nerve damage in his/her hands, right?





A bass player! :eek:
 
So sorry to hear the bad news, I'd second the idea tht all hope is most definitely NOT lost. I had a brain injury that reset half of my body, including the hands. Doctors said that I'd be doing good to walk, and guitar would not be something I could do anymore. Despite their predictions, admittedly with lots of self imposed physical therapy, most people can't tell that anything happened at all. I'm not able to play the same way I did before, but I can play.

Keep a positive attitude and you too can maintain or regain the musical part of your life. I have faith that if it important enough to you, you WILL find a way to make it happen.

I'll cross my fingers for you and wish you all the best. As much as it might feel like the darkest of times right now, you may look back in the future and find out this just begins a very exciting chapter in your life.
 
Hang in there! Find a specialist with knowledge of how the condition affects playing ability--get a second (or a third) opinion if you have to. And don't give up! It's a drag, I know--I injured my left-hand pinky a couple of years ago; took a dive in my hallway at home and crushed the finger between my cell phone in my shirt pocket and the wood floor, the finger bent and wouldn't straighten up under its own power. I went to the emergency room, got it X-rayed, and was told there was a loose chip of bone in there, probably from an old injury, and I should use the finger as much as possible. I didn't think so--I'd never injured that finger before--and the more I tried to use the finger, the worse it stuck. Playing was out of the question, as the finger would bend under the others and get in the way. I thought I was done as a guitar player. I went to see an orthopedist who's also a keyboard player--I used to play gigs with him--and he sent me for an MRI and found out that I'd torn the extensor tendon loose--it was actually attached to that tiny bone chip that was floating around loose in there. He put a splint on it and told me not to use the finger for at least six weeks. Fine with me, as I was scheduled for knee replacement surgery the following week anyway. After a month the splint came off for examination, and I'd actually healed up enough to bend and straighten the finger, although it was really stiff. I had to wear the splint for another two weeks, but when it came off for good I was able to work on getting some chops back. The doctor said he'd never seen an injury like that before, and if the splint hadn't worked, surgery would have been the only option--and that would have rendered the finger permanently unusable. I'd been seriously considering switching to bass, but I can play guitar again now, although my chops may never be what they were before. I've spent a lot of time thinking about Les Paul, Tony Iommi, and Django Reinhardt, who all suffered traumatic hand or arm injuries and went on to become great players in spite of it.
So don't take "No" for an answer, and get a good specialist and therapist on your team--and remember Dave Mustaine, who had the same condition and came out the other side.
 
Keep asking questions. The squeaky wheel and all that.
Here's hoping that you find a therapy that works.
 
Wow..Thank yall so very much..I just know I went to bed able to raise my wrist and fingers and woke up with out it..I thought I had a stroke..went to the hospital and they scheduled me to see a neurologist (10 days wait) saw her and will have tests done next Monday..Yes I saw where they have called it Saturday night palsy. But I wouldnt think sleeping on your arm funny would disable onbe for life..Sorry i cant type too well. i will get 2nd and third opinions..Im not gonna feel sorry for myself.. THANKS FOR THE MOJO....... Now I really do have an excuse to put the mouse on the other side ..HA!

Thank you all fellows(and ladies)

DG

PS...Humor is the best medicine, so if you can throw a zinger or two this way, I am thick skinned, let it rip!
 
thats it..Im gonna make a full recovery..Then Im gonna buy me a Private Stck guitar to reward myself! my wife will have to scoot over in the bed for it.
 
I laughed so hard I had astroglide comin out my nose... Hans..a little leeway perhaps..its for medicinal purposes.
 
I adapted this from an awesome quote about skateboarding from an amazing skater named Lance Mountain.

"Playing guitar doesn't make you a guitarist, not being able to stop playing guitar makes you a guitarist."

Get well Dave, I can't wait to see that PS.
 
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