Re: [Harp-L] Re: So new I'm an infant

["Abner Galdos" <cdgaldos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

thank you, thank you
harpman54 once again thank you..
your surgery sounds just like mine  took 3 hours and the surgeon said that the stenos is was a lot worse then the MRI showed.
I had 2 disks removed 5 and 6 and fused, plus very bad spinal stenos is. They also had to move my breathing(esophagus) tube out of the way.
I had the surgery on the 10th of December and I still  wear the stiff collar 24/7. my next visit with the surgeon is in February maybe then the collar comes off..
right now all I'm dong is breathing into the harmonica though the diaphragm. and learning to blow and draw on each note. which is hard as hell to get a clean note.. Iceman and Harpman 54 did give me some good advice and it worked...
I'm hoping I don't get the polyps, but it is tiring.
any thanks for the concern and any more teaching advice you can tolerate to send my way I would surly appreciate.. I am saving all the email that give me any teaching methods until I can catch up with it..
my main concern is recovery so I will take it easy thank you..

self teaching 01/01/09 *not a musical ear bone in my body*

abner (blueyes, an infant to the blues)


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bill Otten 
  To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 5:09 PM
  Subject: [Harp-L] Re: So new I'm an infant


  Abner wrote:

  Subject: [Harp-L] so new I'm an infant

   

  I'm not sure if I'm even doing this email thing right..

  I'm 48 and recovering form cervical spine surgery.

  I will be home for another two months and I'm bored.

   

  Abner, just a suggestion with regard to cervical spine surgery and
  harmonica. I had surgery

  on my cervical spine in Feb '08. Spinal stenosis requiring removal of the
  5th cervical vertebrae

  and both discs, one above, one below that vertebrae. In its place is a cage
  strut graft and 

  pinned in place with a titanium plate. I don't know if your surgery was
  similar, but if so be 

  VERY gentle even as a newbie on the harmonica. I've been playing since the
  early 1990's, (student

  of our esteemed Iceman up at Davis & Elkins College, along with Phil
  Wiggins, Annie Raines, and

  the late Gary Primich), and can tell you that harmonica stresses the neck
  muscles, vocal cords,

  more than you'd anticipate. My surgery required 4.5 hours, the breathing
  tube irritated my

  vocal cords resulting in a granuloma like polyp to form about 4 months after
  the surgery. It's still

  healing and as a result I still don't sing at gigs. Now as a newbie you
  won't be using all the 

  techniques such as throat vibrato, head shakes, etc. but simply heed the
  caution. I was in a full

  hard neck collar for 4 months. It's heck getting old, I've got about 6 years
  on you. Best of luck

  in a full recovery, take your time on the healing. No need to rush it. 

   

  Bill Otten

   

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