my poor hands

[Mtheory]

hi guys i havea problem. im 21, i've been playing bass for almost 8 years now. on october 11th i rolled my car, not my fault. i ended up with a collapsed lung skull and facial fractures, bleeding of my frontal lobe....but worst of all 2 broken bones per hand, which i hope explains the poor capitilization as im typing all of this with the middle finger of my left hand. in 1 week my right cast comes off but that shoulder was dislocated and fractured so im in a sling. my left hand has at least 4 more weeks, i had two surgeries on it and 3 pins put in.

i miss playing and was hoping for advice on how to get back going when the time comes. im 6'3 and weigh 144 now, its gross, my forearms are so tiny now, im scared for my chops.

also any ways of bassless practice advise would be great.
thanks


-mckay

[Mtheory]

really nobody has any input for me at all?

[TFunkadelic]

Take it slow, if you try to rush back in to it you'll only make things worse. If it hurts to play, you're probably not ready to play yet.

[Ewo]

Originally Posted by Mtheory

really nobody has any input for me at all?

Whew. Sounds like a pretty bad wreck.

The smartest thing I can say is that you need expert advice from an orthopedist.

[El Penguino]

It also couldn't hurt to use the time to brush up on your theory!

[bikeplate]

HI

Take the time to heal. Work on studying some theory until you have the strength to play again. Your health is everything!! Dont rush getting healthy. Best of luck in your recovery.

Rob

[NickInMesa]

A physical therapist can also help. They help people get back into professional and artistic occupation.

See what your insurance can do.

If it was not your fault, I hope you are taking the other party to court and that you have an aggressive lawyer.

If the practice of your hobby is impossible due to the accident, it is added hardship that a good aggressive lawyer should be able to use in court, especially if you are depressive.

I know, I was depressive after my motorcycle accident, it's not fun. My left arm is unable to do certain movements due to nerve damages and the median nerve is hurting all the time but the therapist helped and showed me what movements to do.

You also may have to be re-operated on if the bones are healing wrong.

[Mtheory]

thank you guys. yeah the guy who caused it has insurance coverage for up to 30,000 for my medical, we just got the first couple of bills an its around 115,000 and climbing.
im going to hire a lawyer, but im worried. the car he was driving was brrowed and he lives in an apartment so idkif there is any money to get.
the hand doctor said i will for sure need physical therapy.
if this ends my bass career i'll hire a sniper as well as a lawyer.

the 70 year old man put 5 people in the hospital that night, he was fine.
actually the reason i rolled was because he got out of his car that was parked in the median and walked in front of my car going 70 mph on the freeway. i saved his life by sacrificing my hands, the nurses on the helicopter said almost died uip there.

if i get any cash out of the deal i want me a nice all tube head for my 8x8.

thanks again guys, theory it is, hopefully this will make me a better musician

[boombap]

Your future as a Bassist is bright.

Thank God you survived without paralysis or a more severe head injury. The broken bones suck and will heal.

(I am a severe accident survivor too).

You may have to change your technique or hold your bass a little differently to reduce pain. Whenever I read on here about somebody with a broken finger or tendon pain I can only think of D' jango Rhinehart the french gypsy guitarist that greatly inspired Chet Atkins. He was severely burned in a wagon fire. This left his hand severely deformed with never ending pain. He took a couple years off but eventually played the guitar with the same beauty as before.

I have horrible broken up knees and a shredded shoulder that will never heal. This caused me to require a lighter bass or my shoulder dislocates itself. I am thankful that I have music or I don't think I could live with this pain.

Stay strong and focused and the BASS will once again be your salvation.

Peace,

B

[Mtheory]

thanks boombap reassurance from someone who has gone through a similar trial makes me much more optimistic.

i told my band they could replace me till im better if they can find somone who can play my lines. our drummer said that was b.s. and that they can wait... ilove those guys

[Jojabeau]

CTS killed my bass playing for 2 years because I tried to "play through the pain" DUH! I have a dodgey shoulder and a back that has some problems. F*** the I have to have (fill in the blank) bass to be legit - get an instrument you CAN play. I started back by putting a capo on the fourth frett and tuning down, later I coped a bass with a 31" scale. This made a huge difference to my playing and nobody has ever asked if it was a short scale bass.

[Mtheory]

im worried about retiring my fretless 6 string as it was custom built for me by my grandpa

[becker4567]

Your alive man, be thankful! You WILL play again, but it will take time, and that is something you have in abundance! Don't give up and feel sorry for yourself, your bass is is a patient friend and will not abandon you, so just take it easy and remember, we are all behind you!

[jellymax]

good god i am sorry to hear about that. get well soon dude. i guess its better
than running over that guy & possibly killing him.

ear training would be a good start. also dont go back to the bass sooner
than you should, you could cause a further setback. make sure to explain this
to your band...

[NickInMesa]

Originally Posted by Jojabeau

CTS killed my bass playing for 2 years because I tried to "play through the pain" DUH!

Ah yeah I hear yeah. As soon as I have the first signs, I stop playing for a few days, sometimes giving me a week break. Ok, a business week break.

Back to our friend's issue: yes he will play again but he has to go through therapy.

When I damaged my arm I could not even turn the steering wheel with that arm, could barely type on the keyboard, yet I managed to produce a good Web site complete with custom shopping cart, go figure, because I had mouths to feed!

Necessity is the mother of invention. Eventually you'll get through it.

And yes, Django played with only 3 fingers including the thumb.

There is also the famous one-arm bassist.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by Mtheory

i miss playing and was hoping for advice on how to get back going when the time comes. im 6'3 and weigh 144 now, its gross, my forearms are so tiny now, im scared for my chops.

also any ways of bassless practice advise would be great.
thanks
-mckay

Hi Mtheory, sorry for you situation but you're still here and it is time to move forward.

1/You must not relate any of your former abilities to now. You must work with what you have, not what you had or what you think you should have, but what you've got.
2/ Take the profesionals advice, seek 2nd opinions, even 3rd opinions to information, diagnosis, or prognosis you don't like.
3/ If you have not got one already find a physio that understands you and what you want to achieve and work together to make this happen.
4/ Your initial recovery is about regaining normal body mechanics and strength. This is not the same as the body mechanics and strength you require to play a bass, but to function in normal life. Understand..... you need normal function in order to improve it, buld on it, before you can play. Your body now has new links( pins and such) and weaked attachments, that healthy atatchments could injure.
5/ Patience is the key, small steps not large ones and you'll keep frustration a bay. Frustration and im-patience is you danger, watch out for the signs and don't let them in your psyche.

There are many ways to work away from the bass.
1/ Childrens play doh, plastercine, fun putty or similar product and roll it in your fingertips, make shapes, squeeze it, manipulate it, use small bit, large bits, mulitple bits. It is great as it is soft and low impact, it help with co-ordination and strength.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play-Doh

2/ Any number of small elastic bands linked for low resistance training. us them around your fingers to provide low resistace when spreading the fingers. Loop the around the thumb for opposing resistance to the fingers, and around other fingers to resist other planes of movement. Again low impact with soft elastic bands, they come in all shapes and sizes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_band

I myself have personal experience of the effects of such injuries on the body, and those two alone will give you great help both physicaly and mentaly, as they are always setting goals and targets for yourself.

Tell your medical pro all i have said and if he or you have any questions get in touch either here or at
www.myspace.com/vintageprecisionbass

In the end it is your medical pro you need to listen to not me, or anyone else with advice. If he disagrees,( but he won't) he has the legal responsibility to you, i do not, just a moral one, so he is always your point of reference, that's why it is important you find the right one for you.
Good luck on this long road,
Fergie

[Mtheory]

thanks fergie, and everyone else as well. im not worried about being able to play anymore, now im just anxious. but i will take it slow. i get the right cast off on the 9th that was the pinless hand. the left has about a month, and the pins get to co9me out, they are just there until the hand heals, which is great.

also, im at my parent' s who have a piano i don't know how to play, i think when my cast is off i should start to leaen

[MooseLumps]

Piano is a great platform to work on your theory. Go for it.
I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both hands and I broke my right hand in two places a few years ago. I have learned to build up skills and stretches into my routine whenever I play, because I want to be mocked for playing "That old person music"when I'm feeble and Grey. Take it easy, remember to stretch and listen to what your body is telling you. also, listen to your body. Things that may have come naturally to you before might not even work now. you may have to develop new ways of approaching the instrument.

Good luck and hopefully the casts aren't itching.

[NickInMesa]

Now that I think of it, a friend of mine who got his left hand mangled by a motorcycle accident took bass guitar to reeducate his hand.

Note he already was a musician, French horn if I remember, so learning a new instrument was no big deal to him.

He since sold everything, as it was not his instrument.

[MKoby]

So sorry about your current trials and pain.

As an aside, some similarities to wife's disaster.
My avatar--is for her.

Fergie Fulton gives sound advice. And with fewer words than I would use.

It will take a year or two to get on to recovery. I understand that's an eternity, but you will get better. A lot better.

Have your friends and family help you get the therapy you need.
Let someone else worry about the bills for now.

Use your time to listen and read once you are able to concentrate.
I can post here what you might start to listen to if you like.