Playing through adversity

[Solocaller]

Last week, I was sure that I had broken some bones in my right hand due to a bull coming down on the back of it. It instantly turned purple and swelled up. I should have went to the hospital right then, but I'm stubborn and had a job to finish. So I went in the next day and had it x-rayed. No broken bones, which the doctor said was a miracle, just some deep bruising that will take a couple weeks to get over. My right hand is totally purple at the moment, but I can do just about whatever I want with it except get things out of my pants pocket.

The funny thing is, when it happened, I swear to you my first thought was "If my hand is broken and it gets put in a cast, will I still be able to hold a pick or play guitar?" I got lucky and didn't have to deal with this dilemma. But I started wondering about what complications that other players on the forum have had to deal with, both short term and ones that they've had their entire lives. Lets hear 'em.

 

[Danerada]

About 3 days before we had a gig in Nashville I broke my thumb on my pick hand. It hurt, but there was no way I was missing that gig.....

That's my worst adversity...

 

[László]

I have a pinched nerve in my cervical spine that sometimes freezes up my right hand and makes controlling a pick difficult. It comes and goes.

 

[cosmic_ape]

I have tendinitis. I spent six weeks not playing guitar at all at the end of last year and I still can't practice for more than two hours without being in pain. My insurance just approved physical therapy, so let's see what happens.

As an aspiring full time musician who's not even thirty yet, this is frustrating, to say the least. I have not played a show since November. Also frustrating!

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

I've been pretty lucky up to now.

I did have to stop playing for a week or two when I was at college as i'd overdone the playing and was getting burning sensations in my forearm. That went away and has never come back thankfully. I get cramping when I play my Yamaha which makes me realise skinny necks just aren't good for me. beyond that. the worst i've done is cut the tip of a finger or had a nasty blister.

 

[Seneca SS]

Pinched a Ulnar nerve in my left elbow which makes little finger and the next one Very numb and out of control because of no feeling--Dr said 16 to 18 months to regenerate !!! its been 11 months and i have about 50 to 60% of the feeling back--playing guitar the first 6 months wasnt good but i now have pretty good control and some feeling coming back to the ends of my fingers--LOOOONG ROAD !!!!!!!

 

[Shawn@PRS]

In January 1948, Les Paul shattered his right arm and elbow in a near-fatal automobile accident on an icy Route 66 just west of Davenport, Oklahoma. Mary Ford was driving the Buick convertible, which rolled several times down a creek bed; they were on their way back from Wisconsin to Los Angeles after performing at the opening of a restaurant owned by Paul's father. Doctors at Oklahoma City's Wesley Presbyterian Hospital told him that they could not rebuild his elbow so that he would regain movement; his arm would remain permanently in whatever position they placed it in. Their other option was amputation. Paul instructed surgeons, brought in from Los Angeles, to set his arm at an angle—just under 90 degrees—that would allow him to cradle and pick the guitar. It took him nearly a year and a half to recover.

 

[JMintzer]

I have a pinched nerve in my cervical spine that sometimes freezes up my right hand and makes controlling a pick difficult. It comes and goes.

Same here. My finger-style playing has definitely suffered. I just try to play through it...


Jamie

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

At least you guys have good excuses. My suck-factor is self-imposed.

 

[JMintzer]

At least you guys have good excuses. My suck-factor is self-imposed.

I have to get better to attain the level of suck...

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

I have to get better to attain the level of suck...

Whatever, dude. I've heard you play.

 

[rugerpc]

I'm old.

And I started late.

And my guitars refuse to practice without me.

 

[László]

At least you guys have good excuses. My suck-factor is self-imposed.

Oh, I sucked when everything worked, too.

 

[justmund]

Only just the usual cuts and stuff, I had my left middle finger bandaged up as a teenager, back when I was first learning, really keen and practicing lots. It sucked at the time but I thought about guys like Django Reinhardt and Tony Iommi and soon put things in perspective!