Hey, all. How's things going?
I thought I'd give an update since I haven't been around much. (mostly for the mods who trusted me with full access to this site.)
I have been away from drumming since November when my band disbanded. I got totally immersed in guitaring for my church and the pastor has asked me to become the musical director and be the coordinating factor for Sunday services. My work load and extra tasks for after hours support had also been a factor for not being able to participate in weekend warrioring with my rock band, as the drummer, along with losing the desire. I love playing the guitar more than drumming.
Lately, I have been struggling with some serious health issues and very down in the dumps with the most recent news.
Long story short, I am supposed to have major surgery this coming Monday to prevent further significant strokes and potentially fatal occurrences and so I've been dealing with hospitals, doctors, specialists and annoying schedulers and just not in a very good place these days.
If I come out of surgery and am still coherent, I'll post the outcome and keep you updated on the results.
For now, I just want you all to know that I'm still alive and kicking and playing the hell out of my guitars. I've learned so much in the past few years from being a member of my worship team and would like to say that if any of you have the chance to do the same, jump on it. You'll be better guitarists for the journey.
Anyway, Friday is CT's and then Monday is intrusive surgery.
Please, no "wish you well" or stuff like that. Just know that I haven't forgotten this site and it will always be in my heart regardless of my mind, body and soul. If I don't post after this, you'll know things didn't go my way.
Until then, keep your guitars in tune and callouses on your finger tips.
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Guess who's home?
I got released yesterday from the hospital.
Summary. I have a 4 inch incision on the left side of my neck to the center. They glued it shut. No stitches.
I had 75% artery blockage on my left side that was discovered when I went to my Eye Surgeon for a shaded spot forming in the vision of my left eye. It ended up being a platelet of soft plaque that had come from somewhere. The doctors wanted to know from where. I had ultra sounds done of my heart and carotids and that's when the blockage was discovered. Yipppeee.
So in consultation with the artery specialist on Thursday he scheduled me for surgery this past Monday. Amazing how they can get you scheduled when they want to. They took 2.5 hours to perform the procedure and not only do I have the incision, I have a bruised jaw and swollen tongue which makes speech and eating very difficult. Note to self: never tell the surgeon he looks like Bozo the clown right before going under. :twisted:
I'm off work all week and won't be able to hold a guitar on my shoulder for a few weeks. I should make a full recovery and be ornery as ever. Right now just taking it easy and resting up.
It has been quit the experience. I have more holes from needles and medical experience since the first of March than probably the past 10 years. I have also gotten over my fear of needles. With the IV finally removed from my left hand (5 punctures over the past 3 weeks) playing guitar is proving a bit painful and somewhat stiff and slow to respond. Also, having had my blood pressure checked so often the machines no longer register my BP. They all give up displaying "Oh no, not again." I have a permanent indentation on my upper from from all the BP cups that have been used. I have eaten regular food but I have to cut it up into tiny pieces and chew it to mush before I can swallow. I also have to do all that on the right side of my mouth since I don't have any sensation on the left and that is where the tongue is oversized. Very weird sensations.
All in all I'm feeling ok. Last night I actually got some sleep. I had 3 whiners across the hall from me in the hospital and couldn't sleep at all Monday night. I had my Senheiser headphones on and using my IPod Nano. It was useless. Plus the nurse came in every 3 hours for vitals. I couldn't wait to get out of there.
So, thanks if you've read all this. If you have any questions or comments feel free to post them. I'm a medical expert and didn't even stay at a Motel 6.
Later, all!!!
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
I agree, hospitals are the worst sites for sleeping! Fortunately you are at home now. Try to rest these days for a faster recovering. You'll playing again in a few days.
Bish, I am very, very happy for you. Your first post kept me very worried.
Thanks for the update and take care.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Nice to hear some good news for a change! Great to hear everything went well....wishing you a speedy recovery, Bish, and keep us updated!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Great to hear man. I hope the recovery goes quick for ya.
Thank you for the well wishes.
I'm getting better every day. I have most of my speech functionality back and most of the swelling has gone down.
I'm back to church on Sundays and playing lead guitar.
This week I'm actually playing keyboards on several songs, too.
I started a new job this past week. I'm working for Ricoh-USA as a sales executive in charge of IT Services. I'm excited and scared at the same time. I have 5 weeks of training including one week in Chicago on the 10 of June. Woohoo. I hate to travel. LOL.
I don't recall the new layout of the forum and it's taking a bit of getting used to. The board seems kind of quiet lately. Anything I should know about? :twisted:
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Well, it's been another crazy summer and now that the leaves are falling (like the temperature) I'm spending more time indoors.
Gotta say, I like the new look of the forum. Much easier to read and seems quite a bit warmer.
Nice going!!!!
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Bish,
Good to hear everything is going good. Wow I didn't realize that was your problem too. For me though I had no warning....just boom...fell over and died. luckily I was somewhere where the was a defibrillator they had to shock me back I had no pulse if I had been anywhere else I would have been dead. I have 5 stents and had about 80% blockage in those arteries.
I never had a symptom, I don't smoke not overweight and my cholesterol levels were well within the normal guidelines so you just never know. I play a lot of sports and thought I'd be the last person to have a heart attack but obviously it's hereditary.
All I can do is keep exercising and eat well. I've changed my diet significantly and have already lowered my total cholesterol down to 110 it was just under 170 when I had my incident.
Good luck with everything.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Bish, Chris, good to hear you're both OK and doing well. Ironic that neither of you smoke and drink but have both had heart problems, whereas I've been a heavy smoker and drinker for about 40 years and both sides of my family have a history of heart disease, but the only health problems I've had are down to my own clumsiness. Strange the way life works out, isn't it? I'm still subscribing to the Keith Richards dictum - live every day as if it's your last day, it may well be! Wishing you both well, and keep on rockin'!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Yea Vic for me it seemed kind of crazy I don't smoke, don't drink much, not over weight and I stay pretty active I still play basketball with guys 20 or more years younger and I don't have high cholesterol yet I still had clogged arteries.
I would have thought I'd be the last person to ever have a heart attack and I had no symptoms and to this day I feel the same yet I had acute cardiac arrest and technically died if I wasn't some where that had a defibrillator I wouldn't be typing this now.
You never know what life will bring so you are right you need to live it like it might be your last.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
I'm sittin here next to a difibrillator right now ...... 8) Glad you made it through though Chris!
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
TR so am I it was pretty traumatic for the people that had to witness it but for me it was like I went to sleep and just woke up in the hospital.
I just played 2 1/2 hrs of intense basketball the other night and played golf yesterday and I feel fine.
Thank god for AED's. If I had to wait for the ambulance to get there I wouldn't be so lucky.
Weird that it happened the day after I had just lost my job to outsourcing. I don't think it had anything to do with it other than coincidence since we knew it was going to happen 4 months in advance.
What might do it again is all the drama we've had with this band thing. Latest drama was the other guitar player quit in the middle of our gig last week. Crazy but I'm not going to stress over that it is what it is.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
TR so am I it was pretty traumatic for the people that had to witness it but for me it was like I went to sleep and just woke up in the hospital.
I just played 2 1/2 hrs of intense basketball the other night and played golf yesterday and I feel fine.
Thank god for AED's. If I had to wait for the ambulance to get there I wouldn't be so lucky.
Weird that it happened the day after I had just lost my job to outsourcing. I don't think it had anything to do with it other than coincidence since we knew it was going to happen 4 months in advance.
What might do it again is all the drama we've had with this band thing. Latest drama was the other guitar player quit in the middle of our gig last week. Crazy but I'm not going to stress over that it is what it is.
Never underestimate stress! Could have been a underlining issue, and just needed that little stress push to tip you over.
Good to here you guys are doing better. As they say.... you never know when its your time.
Paul B
Bish, Chris, good to hear you're both OK and doing well. Ironic that neither of you smoke and drink but have both had heart problems, whereas I've been a heavy smoker and drinker for about 40 years and both sides of my family have a history of heart disease, but the only health problems I've had are down to my own clumsiness. Strange the way life works out, isn't it? I'm still subscribing to the Keith Richards dictum - live every day as if it's your last day, it may well be! Wishing you both well, and keep on rockin'!
:D :D :D
Vic
Thanks, Vic. Mine wasn't at all related to my heart. That little guy is in great shape. Mine was due to clogged arteries in my neck that "flecked" off and got stuck in a blood vessel in my eye. Having vision issues in my left eye is what caught it. I never felt a thing. I'm glad Chris was able to make his recovery, too.
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
