And it all came to a big halt!

[Loraine]

@the-old-coach . @tommysg1 @Guitargeezer-Jack @TMutter @jumpinjeff Thanks for all the continued thoughts, prayers and well wishes. They definitely make it easier to move forward.

CURRENT UPDATE: 12.01.2024 — Apologies for the delay in responding. The surgery went well. I’ll see the doctor on 12/5 to have cast cut off, stitches removed, and to be refitted for a wrist brace and start occupational therapy. It’s tough not to be a little anxious and want to be further along. I am continually reminded through pain that I still need to be cautious and not push things. I was reaching for something at the side of my bed last night, when I realized I wasn’t going to be able to get back up. Several expletives were said, and then I had the brilliant idea that I would simply put my leg down and slowly slide off the bed to the floor. All was going well for about l2 seconds, and then whoosh … I fell. Of course, my bad arm went down to try and break the fall. I’m nursing a very painful hand and wrist today. Praying nothing bad happened, other than my pride being hurt and a slight strain on wrist.

[Guitargeezer]

I, and, expect all your TAC cheer team, will continue to send out thoughts and prayers for a rapid and successful recovery for you Loraine as you rehab without further adverse incidents.

[Loraine]

Thanks so much Jack. I tell my neighbor all the time, I’ll take all the prayers I can garner. It means a lot to me.

[the-old-coach]

Loraine– Thanks for the update… but, now, WOW. I know that some time has passed since your original fall, but I/WE want you to know that we are ALL still in your corner and thinking of you!

[Loraine]

Mark, thank you for your friendship and being one of my biggest cheerleaders! I truly appreciate you. Yes, I’m in the 3rd month now. I thought I’d at least be able to start goofing around on the guitar – especially with Christmas coming up. I’m traveling to NC for the holiday, and I was originally planning to take my guitar. I think that’s simply wishful thinking. So, I guess I’ll have to stick to just my sketch pad. Not quite as hoped for. Maybe after the New Year.

[the-old-coach]

I’ve said it and thought it all along- you have “got this”- (even though I actually hate that saying). Main focus, as you know for sure, is in the long term. And you are “driven” enough, but also smart enough and patient enough, to make long-term recovery a sure thing. Be cool, sis……. “you got this”—- (yuk……).

[Guitargeezer]

Safe travels to NC. I’m one of many in TAC that reside in the Tar Heel (and, Wolf Pack) state. What area of NC?

[Loraine]

Thank you. I’ll be in Ocean Isle Beach.. My brother retired down there. I’ll actually be looking at real estate when I’m down there; Albeit not in Ocean Isle Beach. I am the poor family member that has a federal job. But I won’t have enough years in to get a good pension. I worked government contracts my entire career in the public sector. I’m only starting my 14th year on the government side. My brother on the other hand worked pharmaceutical. After working for 2 of the largest pharmaceuticals, he took a gamble on a smaller fairly new start up. That company was Moderna. His team actually worked the Covid vaccine. Suffice to say, he’s living very large in retirement. They just sold 2 houses, built a larger house in NC, bought a working farm, and they’re working on drawings for another house in the Poconos. My head spins thinking about it all.

I just want to live in a shack with a wrap around porch, but I want a large barn that I can convert into a woodworking workshop, art studio, Music room, and maybe even a portion of it for some horses and Alpacas and whatnot. I always thought I’d be in the mountains overlooking a valley with no direct neighbors. But realistically, my body won’t allow me to live so isolated. I need to be closer to where people can keep an eye on me.

On a side note, I did not know NC was known as the Tar Heel State or Wolf Pack. I’m not sure what a Tar Heel is or why it’s called the Wolf Pack. I’ll have to Google them. My nickname is WolfSpirit.

[Loraine]

UPDATE 12.05.24

EXPECTATIONS VERSUS REALITY

Saw the surgeon for post op on my wrist today. I was very surprised to find out that there was a plate on the top of my wrist. The whole purpose of the second surgery was to remove the fixator plate. It went from my hand to the wrist. I couldn’t understand why I was in so much pain still.

They cut the cast off, took several x-rays, which is when the tech said you still have a plate on the top. My jaw hit the ground! After the stitches and staples were removed, I saw the surgeon. I was explaining how I’m still in a lot of pain across my fingers and the top of the hand outside of hand, inner part of thumb and on forearm, and I wasn’t aware they were putting another plate in my arm. And he said, they called my type of break a very unstable break, he says it’s one of the worst that I could have had. To help ensure that it’s being supported and being allowed to heal, they put the secondary fixater in just in the forearm, so it allows me to have wrist movement, but it stabilizes the forearm at the wrist.

So of course, my question was, when can I start playing guitar? I can’t do it currently because I can’t press the strings with my fingers from pain. So here’s the difference between a surgeon versus an occupational therapist who does physical therapy on you. He says, go ahead and start easing yourself back into it. Just don’t overdo it, and if there’s pain just stop, so I go across the hall to have my therapy and the therapist says she doesn’t want me moving my wrist at all for at least 2 more weeks, and they fitted me again in the wrist brace, which keeps my wrist straight and they actually tightened it down. So it’s more secure than even before. She said she doesn’t even want me to try playing the guitar for at least another 4-6 weeks. I nearly fell out of my chair 4-6 more weeks was not what I was expecting to hear at all.

I was so bummed, but there’s nothing I can really do.

Just pray that time goes by fast, because this has been the slowest three months, and Im so tired of the chronic pain. I was hoping to be back at it by the ti.e .y NC trip rolls ar o und 12.20– 12.28. I was planning on taking a guitar, but now I’ll just take my sketch pad, knowing that it will be 4 weeks at the beginning of January. >

[Guitargeezer]

So very sorry your recovery is so prolonged. Hang in there Loraine.

[Loraine]

Thanks Jack. I’m. trying to stay busy and preoccupied with other things. That’s helping. I are was just shocked when I saw and heard everything. Thanks for the encouragement.

[the-old-coach]

In my completely “non-pro” opinion- (although I have had a few injuries in my day)- you’re on the right track by sticking with what the therapist(s) say. They are the one(s) you will have a lot more dealings with, in the future.

[Loraine]

Yeah, I thought so too. Funny story. I must have influenced the surgeon with my talk of getting to guitar. He told me he played some years ago, and he bought a new guitar this past week. He had found another site. I told him about TAC. The only thing I really had time to tell him was that this is where I learned to play, and agony’s a great teacher. Maybe he’ll join up here. I think he would like the forums. He’s got a great personality and likes to talk. Very down to earth for a surgeon.

[SherryH]

So sorry to hear about your horrible accident. It sounds painful and sadly frustrating that it will interfere with your great enjoyment of playing the guitar. I trust that you will do everything that you can to get back to playing even though it might take much longer than you would like. I understand the frustration. I had a small stroke in June and I am just now back to the daily challenges – playing slowly and remaking or making new muscle memory paths. Our guitar journeys can hit some hard roadblocks but it is a soulful joy to get through those times and keep going. You have inspired me so often with your contributions to the TAC community. Please persevere and I look forward to some time in the future when you can post your next song.

[Loraine]

Sherry, I am so sorry to hear of your own difficult challenges. I have always enjoyed our interactions, and you also are a great example of perseverance! Thank you so much for your message of hope, determination, and perseverance. That will definitely help drive me forward. I know this is temporary, and I am doing several things to remain connected. Most recently, I’m taking some vocal lessons to train my brain on matching notes and pitch. It is very similar to ear training for guitar. I look forward to posting more songs, often at a price for all listening, but I love playing and singing regardless.

[Comfy]

Best wishes Loraine. I pinched a nerve in my neck a year ago and couldn’t play for ten weeks. You’ll bounce back strong.

[Loraine]

Thank you so much @Comfy ! I did have an earlier set back at the end of my 2nd year with tendonitis and tennis elbow, and that caused me not to be able to play for several months. I thought that was the worst, but this actually has caused me more fear, just due to the pain in the fingers, top of hand, thumb and forearm, but I do know that I’m not willing to push the limits. I am trusting the process, even though I’m disappointed. I still am doing many things to keep on top of things. I’ve been working on my vocals and pitch training , for one. I’ve also been practicing fingerstyle patterns. That is difficult, because of essential tremors in my hands, but I am prevailing. I just have to keep moving forward and remind myself this is temporary. Again, thank you for reaching out!

[Loraine]

Everyone in case I don’t talk to or see anyone that right now before the holidays I wish you all a happy holiday, and a safe New Year!

UPDATE 12.24.24

I went to the surgeon right before I left for North Carolina this past weekend, and he was very pleased with the healing of my wrist, and his response was kind of funny I thought, but last time I was there, he said to go ahead and try playing the guitar and when I went to see the therapist, they said no! So this time the surgeon said he didn’t see any reason why I needed to wear my wrist splint anymore and I could just let life be my therapy and I could bypass going to my therapist for physical therapy so I had an appointment with them right after it I went and saw them and they went no! They said I could do exercises that moved my wrist up and down and as if I’m throwing a dart so just a little bit at an angle, but still forward and that’s to build the muscle in the arm, they don’t want me moving my wrist left and right whatsoever at this point and they shake their head whenever I tell them what the surgeon says. They both work for the same company so it’s just kind of funny so I tend to go with whatever the therapist says what is funny is the surgeon bought a guitar because of me and I’d given him the attack site and he basically has decided to go a different route, which is fine. He used to play guitar and I he said that I was truly inspired Thinks that I will go very far based on my attitude and how much faster I’ve healed the most of his patience so that made me feel good that I still won’t listen to. I’ll go to my therapy sessions, but I am doing exercises I did go through the airport. I’ve been wearing my wrist brace a lot Because I’m carrying luggage or doing things with other people outdoors and it just feels safer. I have not tried to play the guitar yet, but I’m flying home tonight or this morning actually and that’ll probably be one of the first things I do tomorrow afternoon is try to place something or make some chords. It was too painful Just goofing around a couple weeks ago with it so I’m not sure How far I’ll get? I’m very excited that I can kind of see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. It may be my next post will be about me playing actually I am gonna take it slow though I’ve lost all my calluses. Want to make any fast moves with my wrist because it is painful it turns a certain way and I’m not willing to damage my wrist in order just to get back to playing.

[petelanger]

Good to hear that you may be close to starting to shake off some rust and get back in the game! Merry Christmas Loraine!

[Loraine]

UPDATE 1.1.25 — HAPPY NEW YEAR! May 2025 be a cut above 2024, at least I’m hoping for that personally.

The surgeon was still happy with the progress Im making, and he gave me the go ahead to try and see if I can play a little guitar, but to also not push it. It is very painful still and I don’t have the strength in the hand or the fingers for certain chords or barre chords at all. I’m playing fairly simple songs that only have maybe three chords give or take it’s hard not to play a song though because most have barre chords in them.

I did have a big scare this past week on my flight home from the Carolinas. I was rushing to get to my gate and I went through the big passageway to where the gates were and there was a threshold that was raised slightly going through the opening and my toe caught, and I went flying and fell, and I fell on my left side, which is the wrist that was broken. My only concern at the time was getting on the airplane and not missing my flight because there were no more flights that day. As embarrassing as it was, they put me in a wheelchair and said that I should be requesting transport anytime. I’m at the airport from now on. The good thing about that is you get on the airplane a lot faster ha ha. They wanted me to see medical personnel before I left, but the plane was already late boarding and there were no other flights that day. I was coming home early on Christmas Eve and my only concern was getting on that airplane. When I was in the airplane, I realized that I had fallen on my left chest, and I must’ve gone down on my forearm. Somehow I think I was trying to protect my wrist and my left ankle were painful.

I ended up going to the emergency room on Christmas Dayto get x-rayed and just make sure that I hadn’t refractured anything in my leg or my arm or hand. The leg previously had a severe tibial plateau break about 10 years ago luckily they did not see any new fractures and so I thought things were fine. I went to the occupational therapist yesterday and she wants me to see the surgeon again, Monday just to let him know what happened and have him check the wrist himself. He’ll x-ray check things out himself. I’m just cringing at all the bills that I’m getting.

But the icing on the cake as I’m excited that I’ve been able to at least play a few songs. It’s difficult for me not to want to keep playing. I have to keep telling myself to back off because it is painful and I don’t wanna overdo it and set myself back, but he did say let life be my therapy. We’ll see how that works out.