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Aster1

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UPDATE: I've been away for awhile but I'm catching up on the sad and happy news. My prayers and blessings go out to all those on this list and all the compassionate souls who offer so much support.

 

I've been doing better pain wise and I can walk around the house more but I need my wheelchair when I go out. Still, this is a welcome improvement.

 

I'm having trouble playing because of hand tremors. I put some 1/4" weather stripping on my pick guard so I can rest my fingers on it and that does help some. Has anyone else heard that pick guards were originally called finger rests? My physical therapist suggested wearing a slightly too tight surgical glove as that would provide some resistance to fine motor movements. I haven't tried that yet but it's worth a shot. I would love to hear any other suggestions.

 

Thanks to all of you. My prayers are with you.

 

 

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Marky...

 

My left isn't back more than perhaps 40 percent since my stroke in June, but the right is fine. I've always used a "rest" for most of my fingerpicking and often for more intricate but not high volume flatpicking.

 

My guess is that about anything that would help position the right hand would be okay - and then much shorter strokes with the pick by intent, more as if playing incredibly light strings you don't wanna break. Imagine 34-6. <grin>

 

For my left, I'm still going nuts especially with the ring and pinkie fingers, and to get either or both to work independent of the middle finger. That's why I'm still putting more effort into typing and increasing typing speed than with the guitar. My hope is that the "independent movement" practice with typing will help the left hand fretting.

 

So... perhaps any of my advice would be to be more specific on fine motor movement improvement. I've done pretty well with the typing, and I'm guessing that in the Christmas "less pressure on theoretical half-time newspaper editors," I'll get some time guitaring 'stedda having so much typing to do. I have a hunch too that the typing thing should have helped more independent motion of the left hand fingers. At least I hope so.

 

And best of luck to you.

 

m

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Glad to hear some improvement Marky! [thumbup] [thumbup]

 

I would think a tight glove might also offer some pick grip. I drop mine too much. I know it's my neck & lack of arm & finger strength with the nerve pinch.

 

Aster

 

Thank you Aster!!! I think a glove is worth a shot for you too. I sure hope it helps!

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Marky...

 

My left isn't back more than perhaps 40 percent since my stroke in June, but the right is fine. I've always used a "rest" for most of my fingerpicking and often for more intricate but not high volume flatpicking.

 

My guess is that about anything that would help position the right hand would be okay - and then much shorter strokes with the pick by intent, more as if playing incredibly light strings you don't wanna break. Imagine 34-6. <grin>

 

For my left, I'm still going nuts especially with the ring and pinkie fingers, and to get either or both to work independent of the middle finger. That's why I'm still putting more effort into typing and increasing typing speed than with the guitar. My hope is that the "independent movement" practice with typing will help the left hand fretting.

 

So... perhaps any of my advice would be to be more specific on fine motor movement improvement. I've done pretty well with the typing, and I'm guessing that in the Christmas "less pressure on theoretical half-time newspaper editors," I'll get some time guitaring 'stedda having so much typing to do. I have a hunch too that the typing thing should have helped more independent motion of the left hand fingers. At least I hope so.

 

And best of luck to you.

 

m

 

It sure has been a long haul for you. Typing sounds like an excellent therapy to help you regain your dexterity and I wish you a full recovery.

 

My own immune system is destroying my peripheral nerves so my problem is different but I understand what you are going through. I've tried everything that conventional medicine has to offer but the best it did was slow the progression of this miserable disease. Don't get me wrong; I am very grateful for that. Tomorrow I am going to try acupuncture for the first time and I am looking into homeopathic alternatives. A doctor friend of mine told me that Rosemary Oil taken once a week might help. I've learned along the way that we are our own best advocates and I refuse to give up.

 

These days I play only for personal enjoyment and I've never considered myself to be more than an average player but it was, and still is, a huge part of my life. When I practice, our 29 year old disabled son, who still lives with us, always comes to listen, along with our three dogs. He is a great inspiration and source of encouragement to me. He tells me things like, "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is present, so treat it like one".

 

I wish you all the best.

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Best wishes to you Marky. Man, that must be frustrating. I regulary watch Lemmy (my current avatar) on youtube video's of 2015 live gigs playing bass with constant, and sometimes severe, tremors in both hands - not easy I'm sure.

 

I have what is probably a bad habit where I almost wrap the last joint of my right pinky round the end of the bridge pickup/pickup surround. In fact I see guys play who don't have any right hand contact with the guitar and think 'how do you do that? - anyway, it might be worth a try for a bit more of a firm anchor point.

 

all the very best - hope you find something that works well.

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Best wishes to you Marky. Man, that must be frustrating. I regulary watch Lemmy (my current avatar) on youtube video's of 2015 live gigs playing bass with constant, and sometimes severe, tremors in both hands - not easy I'm sure.

 

I have what is probably a bad habit where I almost wrap the last joint of my right pinky round the end of the bridge pickup/pickup surround. In fact I see guys play who don't have any right hand contact with the guitar and think 'how do you do that? - anyway, it might be worth a try for a bit more of a firm anchor point.

 

all the very best - hope you find something that works well.

 

Scales/Milod,

 

I'm a member of the "bad habit/good habit, if it works use it" club. I just finished using your method of slightly wrapping my pinky around the bridge pickup surround instead of resting it on top of the weather stripping that I put on the pick guard. What happened was my pinky wedged quite comfortably between the side of the weather stripping and the pickup surround holding it nicely in place! I combined that with using shorter strokes like Milod suggested and my hand tremor was reduced so much that I actually made music again!

 

Thanks for bringing my enthusiasm back! [smile]

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Recovery from injury/illness & improvement is in smaller measured increments. [thumbup] Using a cane or crutch, at some point, becomes a new "tool" and tools change with different jobs, talents, and projects! [biggrin]

 

Aster

 

Right on Aster. Now I have a new tool to help me. Have you tried the glove idea to help you hang onto your pick?

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I'm just happy that anyone is able to play in any manner that pleases him or her.

 

In fact... given we have a blizzard warning here for Monday night and Tuesday, I may knock off my part time working around noon, 2 p.m. Tuesday and sit in the house with a guitar.

 

My frustration isn't so much that I can't play - I actually can - but that it ain't what I could do before the stroke, and had hoped I could do for money after going part time or "retiring" entirely.

 

So... kinda a grief sorta thing I ignored and put the "therapy" more into typing because that's where I can still do what I've always done, just not as quickly.

 

Gotta dump that attitude , I think, especially when, compared to so many others here and in my own community, I ain't doin' all that badly at all.

 

m

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Hey M,

 

It may all come back for you with retraining different parts of your brain. I had to do that after the head inj. I had. Only that was mostly with cognitive processes & memory. Just try to keep patient, ask for things to get better, trust in things getting better, and do that re-training for things to get better.

 

Let me know how that other issue turned out with the Drs. and what they suggested to do.

 

God Bless!!

 

Aster

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Another one of our own needs some Prayers & Good Vibe's sent there way. Kidblast & his bride need some good healing for Christmas!!

 

God Bless all and other's we don't know about, here on this list!!!

 

Aster

 

Updated prayers & good Vibes list:

 

Brad (loss of his father)

Bender for Life (Heart & other issues)

4Hayden

Milod & Carla

Capmaster

Flyingfrets

Digger & Daughter Kellie (needing prayers)

SteveFord

Marky Forrest

canon_mutant

hpharley90 (Heart recovery)

Dub-T-123 (Father & Brother Loss)

lashurst (Overall Health & Brothers Heart-Trip)

Hawksman (chemo & Cancer recovery)

KidBlast (Wife & Cancer recovery)

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Reading through these commits makes me wonder what to say? Most everyone has gone through tough times and trials in our life at one time or another. It always saddens me to hear of others troubles but I am glad at how some of you are conquering your health issues with creativity and persistence. The Good Lord knows that I shouldn't even be here. Several times I faced death in the face and it takes dedication and hard work to come back. Never give up Marky, anyone can commit suicide, That's easy! To go on in life is the hard battle and one day you will be rewarded for it. I know lots of people that had their knees done 4H, and all of them love having it done. So good luck. And continued prayers for all the rest here, Milod & Carla, Capmaster, Flying Frets, Digger & Kelly, Kidblast, ect. Aster, have you tried a small piece of duct tape on your pick? Wrap a small piece backwards on the pick where you hold it so the sticky side touches your thumb and forefinger. You won't drop it anymore. I dropped mine in my acoustic the other day and it took quite awhile getting it back.

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Marky...

 

My left isn't back more than perhaps 40 percent since my stroke in June, but the right is fine. I've always used a "rest" for most of my fingerpicking and often for more intricate but not high volume flatpicking.

 

My guess is that about anything that would help position the right hand would be okay - and then much shorter strokes with the pick by intent, more as if playing incredibly light strings you don't wanna break. Imagine 34-6. <grin>

 

For my left, I'm still going nuts especially with the ring and pinkie fingers, and to get either or both to work independent of the middle finger. That's why I'm still putting more effort into typing and increasing typing speed than with the guitar. My hope is that the "independent movement" practice with typing will help the left hand fretting.

 

So... perhaps any of my advice would be to be more specific on fine motor movement improvement. I've done pretty well with the typing, and I'm guessing that in the Christmas "less pressure on theoretical half-time newspaper editors," I'll get some time guitaring 'stedda having so much typing to do. I have a hunch too that the typing thing should have helped more independent motion of the left hand fingers. At least I hope so.

 

And best of luck to you.

 

m

Work that ring and pinkie finger buddy

 

4H

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snip: I dropped mine in my acoustic the other day and it took quite awhile getting it back.

 

Heck, I thought that hole in my guitar was to keep up with my lost picks so the dogs didn't choke on them!!! They're too hard to get out so I just leave them for extra sound in the guitar body. [biggrin] I did try some picks "Snarling Dog Brain Picks" as they have a gripper texture on them. Helps me some but I will say I like the feel of regular picks better. Just what I'm use to I guess. Main thing for me is my fingers let go of the picks like they try to do with tools, glasses, forks etc. Grip just ain't that good right now, but it'll get better & better when I deal with the neck. Actually, the new contour gel/foam pillow is helping greatly with the neck pain. I would imagine, if I keep that pain away the nerves will start to respond in kind and improve control with my arm/hand/finger muscles too. Migraine are way down now too. [thumbup] [thumbup] Yeeee Hawww! Love it!

 

Aster

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  • 4 weeks later...

Prayers and positive thoughts going out for our brother Californiaman, Todd slipped on ice getting the morning newspaper and suffered a concussion this morning,mi just spoke with him by phone as we were going to hang out together tomorrow.He will be down for a few days, but I'm sure he will be back in the game soon!He can tell us about the tour John Bolin gave him of the Bolin Guitar Shop! Prayers buddy, you're the best! Hang in there!

 

 

msp_thumbup.gif

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