Hey Loopers

Sorry to hear you have medical issues and while i am glad it is resolvable, i also have sympathy for the long recovery time.

Perhaps you coild learn some other instrument or work on some related skill.

It is a bummer, but I see all the support written above, and I add mine.

Speedy recovery
Dave

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Just read your post, good luck to your surgeon coming Monday ;) and for you a speedy recovery!

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All the best, for you

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Hi, sorry to hear about your unintended hiatus. To add my two cents,not knowing the extent of surgery, if you can still move fingers grooveboxes are a fun alternative. With the right samples, finger-drumming can kind of sound like real drums?
Good Luck.

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All the best to you. think positive, nothing can hold you back from doing what you love. where there's a will there's a way. Oh and by the way been a long time since i jammed with you, so i need a cool drum template, don't leave me hanging brother;)

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Thank you everyone. Sorry for my absence recently - have loads of things to reply to and I will get around to it. It's been mad at work closing off stuff in time for my operation as I'm now off work for two weeks (and typing only with my right and weaker hand as I'm in a sling!).

Had my operation yesterday. So far so good. I have three holes in my shoulder where the surgery took place plus pictures of the operation from the endoscope! I have enough painkillers to floor a rhino although so far have only needed paracetamol whilst the nerve blocker wears off.

I'll knock around where I can and I will get around to replying to my messages, etc!

I'll post some pics once I'm using a machine I can get at them on!

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Hope you get well soon[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em-VVtRZbOw[/youtube]

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For those of you who are interested here's a scan the pictures the surgeon gave me after my operation (don't worry if you're squeamish - I am and there's not much to see!). Hard to really tell what's going on but the process is shaving the bottom (I think) edge of the offending bone in the top of my shoulder. Picture number 4 shows him halfway through that process (again, I think!). The surgery was a keyhole process, hence three holes in my shoulder - two for surgical implements and one for the camera, I guess!

The holes are at the front, side and back of my left shoulder.

Recovery is proving remarkably painless so far. I have neither needed the high-strength Codeine or Morphine (!) that I have been given - just regular paracetamol and the anti-inflammatory drugs. I have very, very limited movement in my left shoulder at the moment but am not suffering any pain worth speaking of. If I try and exercise my shoulder (which I have to) it's uncomfortable and strained rather than painful. This bodes well, so far, for a fairly quick recovery :)

What is interesting is that the tendonitis and wrist problems I've grumbled about all this time have completely disappeared overnight! Just shows how all this stuff is connected! Also, my right shoulder is feeling much better so fingers crossed that the problems on the right side are a result of compensation for my left side. Of course, time will tell whether that side will ultimately need doing!

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mpointon attached the following image:

i am crossing fingers and everything crossable for a speedy painless recovery and training :)
glad you could get all this taken care of :D

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Good to hear! What is the timeline that the doctor gave you for starting to play? I guess you'll start slowly with a triangle, then maracas, some tambourine and brushes? Or is there another plan? Seriously, great that it's done now - hope for full recovery. What about Steinfeld, are you coming?

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Steinfeld sadly not looking likely at the moment. If I make it, it’ll have to be a last minute decision :(

Gutted. But having this operation mattered more. I just wasn’t expecting it to all happen so quickly in the end.

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Good to hear from you, fingers crossed for a speedy recovery. Great to hear that other problems are disappearing too, you're right everything's connected in the body. When I pull a hair from my butt tears come to my eyes LOL
I think Steinfeld would be a torture for you so close and not being able to play but you know even for beer and a chat you would be more than welcome!
;)

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It's been a long three and-a-half weeks since my operation but the recovery has been really, really quick. I'm now having physio to rebuild the strength in my left shoulder rotator muscles - really quite hard to do right because I have to exercise them without engaging my deltoid muscles too much which are only too keen to take the strain!

All the motion pain has gone, I have full range again in my shoulder (without the clunks and clicks which is a novelty!) and the tendonitis never returned.

Amazingly, I certainly feel play-fit already, if only for short periods but I need to carry on my exercises for another few days first to make sure those muscles get a chance to rebuild! Can't wait! Even the physio was surprised at the sheer speed of my recovery! :)

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That is great news!

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so nice to hear :) wish you all the necessary extra will to get all this trained and sorted quickly ;)

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Wishing you a great, fast and full recovery Martin!

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Good news!!! :W

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That is good to hear - may the rest of the recovery be equally speedy! :)

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Jeez! Have some sympathy for the woman who's had to look after him, not easy!

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