When I receive several emails over the course over a few days, asking how I’m doing I take that as a sign that I need to post an update.
Right now I’m sitting in my sunroom, enjoying a cup of coffee. My out-of-town guest, Martin Stansbury and Sarah McQuaid just left. We had a great visit and they got some stationary time upstairs to work on tour related logistics and communication. It’s been nice to have guests and experience another dimension of normality. I have enjoyed having Martin and Sarah here.
Sarah is a huge talent, and so is Martin in his own right. Martin was extensively involved in my last recording project. He also mastered Home Town Blues. Both very inspiring and compassionate souls. Check out Sarah’s web here:
https://sarahmcquaid.com/
On the medical front, I got a Cortisone injection in my shoulder, which had profound effects. I immediately stopped taking my pain medicines and for the first time in four months I’m not on oxycodone. To pull a line from one of my favorite songwriters, Betty Soo, “back to the land of the living!“
Hence the subject line of this blog post! I’ve been on oxycodone since June!
I also met with a brachial specialist team at the clinic last week. They were surprised at the amount of mobility I had in my fingers, which trust me, is not much. Yet it was enough to give us all some things to talk about. For the first time the connection between muscle loss, nerve regeneration, or recovery, and joint flexibility resonated with me, and this is the race I am running.
I have experienced significant muscle loss and joint atrophy. As my nerves recover enough to send commands for muscles to move, the muscles have to have enough strength to overcome the stiffness in the joints. I am working on three fronts, nerve recovery, restoring joint flexibility, and regaining muscle integrity.
I am doing hand and arm therapy. However, when I got home from the visit with the brachial plexus team, I felt I needed to some finger exercises. I found some relatively light rubber bands and developed my own routine. The light rubber bands are helpful in illustrating the slightest movement, which provides posit
On the music front I am waking up with melodies in my head and a stirring feeling to catch them. I have really enjoyed the Bent String album. I got the files from Kevin Richards and had a marvelous time listening to them. Here is a link to a YouTube video of “Ghost Bikes”.
https://youtu.be/8h2ZhOFmRGM?si=7Qz3S2eFIIAhnhxp