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Thunderbird Club

#101,562
PillO said:
I need to rant a little today... Please feel free to skip over this.

I have been in a fair bit of pain today. Probably because of the unstable weather - cold and damp always make things bad.

[rant]
My knee hurts. I injured it a number of times back when I was in the army; the result of running with a 40lb pack. When you are 25, you are immortal and your body will last for ever. That's OK, I have been dealing with that pain for a couple of decades.

Last winter (in fact 53 weeks ago this past saturday) I injured my shoulder skiing (yeah I know, existing bad knee and I manage to do a shoulder...) For those that are curious, I have a torn labrum (the joint capsule that holds the shoulder together). I had a surgical consult in May. As is required for protection from lawsuits, most conservative treatment was tried first. As expected, it failed. I opined to the sports medicine doc that I should have a Burkhart repair; he responded that the repair would be like sewing hamburger and that more likely I am headed to a replacement. Here we are 6 months later and I still don't have surgery scheduled. Here in Ontario, there is an 18 month wait-list for shoulder surgery. My surgeon is one of the top in the province, he has an 18 month wait for a consult and a further 18 month wait for surgery - yes, 3 years to get surgery. My shoulder has been really painful the last week.

And finally, the thumb of my fretting hand hurts. I may have injured it in the skiing accident and not noticed for a while because of the shoulder pain. But it could also be a separate injury/pathology. Currently, everyone is stumped by this one because the pain is not local to any of the usual suspects. An MRI was requisitioned at the beginning of December; I don't have an appointment for that yet. Until we see pictures, we won't know what it is nor what the repair is. It has been really painful since September.

Socialized medicine sucks. It takes what feels like forever to get a diagnosis and another eternity to get treatment. And that is with my connections in the healthcare establishment getting me faster access. Canada - one of three countries in which it is illegal to buy healthcare.
[/rant]
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear this. Is it even feasible to make a quick trip to the states for an MRI and consult/second opinion?

I have a badly torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder from a 1997 sports injury. Doc said surgery, I said nope. Went the less intrusive route - cortisone shots and PT along with a 6 month sling when not doing PT and followed by a lifestyle change that put less strain on the shoulder. After about two years I was back to about 90% of normal.

Unfortunately, as I continue to age I'm finding that every little injury I've incurred in my lifetime is now resurfacing as aches and pains in that joint, tendon or muscle. Result, the rotator cuff pain is coming back into play. After a couple of hours of bass playing I'm in serious pain. I've talked to the Doc and he said I should have opted for the surgery 20 years ago. He says he can still do the surgery but at my age (61) the recovery time will likely be much longer and the odds of complete success have significantly diminished.

My advice - find the best doctor you can, get second opinions if possible and go under the knife if that's your best option, but do it while you're younger. Waiting to do it later may only make it worse if you're in the 55 or older bracket. If it takes three years to complete the medical ordeal start ASAP, the clock is ticking.

Best of luck, and in the meantime, be very weary of pharma pain management options, those bring a whole different level of risk to the game.
 
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#101,563
On the lighter side...
IMG_2566.JPG
 
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#101,564
fasterpussycat said:
Hey Geoff. I actually weighed them earlier and despite perceiving the JAEbird as heavy, it's the same as the NR41 = (in 'Merki'n units) 8.6lb, while the Orville is 7.8lb. The JAEbird body is smaller than a standard Rev, which is probably why it seems heavier.

The JAEbird (66N) is the most (relatively speaking) polite and P like of the three.

The NR41 (66S) is the snarliest and a little brighter (ie not mahogany*), with the nicest neck.

The Orville (66S) is the darkest sounding, also pretty aggressive and is no longer neck heavy with the lightweight tuners. It gets the least playing time at the moment, mainly because my fingers get all tangled up on the skinny neck.

1. NR41
2. JAEbird
3. Orville

* not that I think different 'tonewoods' make a great deal of difference to the sound of instrument -- the difference, if there is one, is very small.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that’s interesting. The one built for you, is your favourite. Good result.
 
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#101,565
PillO said:
I need to rant a little today... Please feel free to skip over this.

I have been in a fair bit of pain today. Probably because of the unstable weather - cold and damp always make things bad.

[rant]
My knee hurts. I injured it a number of times back when I was in the army; the result of running with a 40lb pack. When you are 25, you are immortal and your body will last for ever. That's OK, I have been dealing with that pain for a couple of decades.

Last winter (in fact 53 weeks ago this past saturday) I injured my shoulder skiing (yeah I know, existing bad knee and I manage to do a shoulder...) For those that are curious, I have a torn labrum (the joint capsule that holds the shoulder together). I had a surgical consult in May. As is required for protection from lawsuits, most conservative treatment was tried first. As expected, it failed. I opined to the sports medicine doc that I should have a Burkhart repair; he responded that the repair would be like sewing hamburger and that more likely I am headed to a replacement. Here we are 6 months later and I still don't have surgery scheduled. Here in Ontario, there is an 18 month wait-list for shoulder surgery. My surgeon is one of the top in the province, he has an 18 month wait for a consult and a further 18 month wait for surgery - yes, 3 years to get surgery. My shoulder has been really painful the last week.

And finally, the thumb of my fretting hand hurts. I may have injured it in the skiing accident and not noticed for a while because of the shoulder pain. But it could also be a separate injury/pathology. Currently, everyone is stumped by this one because the pain is not local to any of the usual suspects. An MRI was requisitioned at the beginning of December; I don't have an appointment for that yet. Until we see pictures, we won't know what it is nor what the repair is. It has been really painful since September.

Socialized medicine sucks. It takes what feels like forever to get a diagnosis and another eternity to get treatment. And that is with my connections in the healthcare establishment getting me faster access. Canada - one of three countries in which it is illegal to buy healthcare.
[/rant]
Click to expand...

I figure you owe me for like at least 20 rants...political and all.... we all know why...

oh and while you’re at it, I’d especially like some economic rants....

If you can afford it I’d go elsewhere if it’s necessary. Private.

Another way the establishment makes criminals of their citizens. I refuse to subject myself to public healthcare in old age... it’s basically organized elder abuse... I’m Young but I can feel the pain a comin

The problem is not the percentage of taxes paid but how those taxes are spent. I’ve not seen a realistically based nor efficiently executed budget in any industry in a very long time... everything is proposterously priced... I know what it costs to do certain things... these quotes and bids are a racket.

Healthcare is the same. I’ll over pay you, if you over pay me and the tax payer can pay for all of it.
 
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#101,566
GBassNorth said:
Unfortunately, as I continue to age I'm finding that every little injury I've incurred in my lifetime is now resurfacing as aches and pains in that joint, tendon or muscle. Result, the rotator cuff pain is coming back into play. After a couple of hours of bass playing I'm in serious pain. I've talked to the Doc and he said I should have opted for the surgery 20 years ago. He says he can still do the surgery but at my age (61) the recovery time will likely be much longer and the odds of complete success have significantly diminished.
Click to expand...

Cumulative microtrauma is a bitch... I have a number of those; that is the case with my knees. And the wrist of my plucking hand; triple fracture with dislocation a couple of decades ago. It aches when it is cold and damp. I accept those types of things of the price of an active lifestyle. I can manage all those aches and pains with judicious doses of NSAIDs. The pain of current injuries has been quite something the last few days and the healthcare system in Canada can be best described as cruel in that the means of rationing employed is long waiting lists.

The good is that because of my relationships within the healthcare establishment, I leap to the front of the line for access and am under the care of a top surgeon in the region. The front of the line is still a wait, but it is much shorter. I can't imagine what it would be like having this pain for 3 years while waiting for a consult and surgery.
 
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#101,568
Miles_ONeal said:
I'm so bummed to hear this. Something that *might* help is lowering your intake of wheat and gluten products. That assumes that whatever is screwing it up down here is doing the same in Canada. I have a knee injury from a motorcycle wreck years ago that feels like it's being stabbed with a red hot ice pick when I walk- if I have been eating much gluten. So long as I keep my gluten intake very low, it's not a problem. But I can eat all the bread, pasta, etc. I want in Europe. Yay Murka.
Meanwhile, praying you get well or get help FAST.
Click to expand...

A low carbohydrate diet reduces inflammation throughout the body and in my experience, it is true.
 
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#101,573
JJR58 said:
Didn't @Gaolee move a bridge pup to the neck position and vice versa in one of his Birds?
Or am i mistaken? i thought he had mentioned that waaaaaaaaaaaaay back when.
Click to expand...
I swapped them on purpose when I put Chinabuckers into the '91 some time ago. Years? I do not remember. With tapes, it is now a thumpy angry piano. It growls instead of snarls. With rounds, it snarls. It can also back off and the bridge pickup is a balancing device off the hot neck pickup. I never did the one pickup only thing except with the 7enderbird.
 
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#101,576
PillO said:
Cumulative microtrauma is a bitch... I have a number of those; that is the case with my knees. And the wrist of my plucking hand; triple fracture with dislocation a couple of decades ago. It aches when it is cold and damp. I accept those types of things of the price of an active lifestyle. I can manage all those aches and pains with judicious doses of NSAIDs. The pain of current injuries has been quite something the last few days and the healthcare system in Canada can be best described as cruel in that the means of rationing employed is long waiting lists.

The good is that because of my relationships within the healthcare establishment, I leap to the front of the line for access and am under the care of a top surgeon in the region. The front of the line is still a wait, but it is much shorter. I can't imagine what it would be like having this pain for 3 years while waiting for a consult and surgery.
Click to expand...
is getting pain killers a problem up there?
 
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