Re: drummer in need of prayer

hey, this info on contacting him is there............please feel free to do
so.
"Sean Conolly" <sjconolly_98@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:H35sf.4963$dZ1.607@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Randy, I can speak to this with first hand experience, which I never have
> in all the years I've hung out here. Back in the early 90s I had a strange
> tumor that popped up on my neck. It grew very slowly and didn't cause any
> pain, but when I had it removed, twice, it came back stronger than before.
> Turned out it was a pretty rare beast (they said I was only the 19th case
> recorded in the US) and was actually a very lethal condition. It grows so
> slowly that chemo or radiation is useless. You either remove it before it
> goes systemic, or you die. Survival rate for third removals like mine was
> somewhere south of 20%.
>
> Once it was diagnosed the prescription was a radical neck dissection. In
> my case I was very, very lucky that as I was being taken in to the O.R.
> the national expert in this condition ruled that I could keep my vocal
> chords. Instead they just took out a big chunk from the side of my neck,
> like an oversized ice cream scoop. Two inches of my jugular, all the
> muscles and tendons shortened, and a scar running from the back of neck
> zig-zag around to my chest and back to my left armpit.
>
> There were complications with such a long incision, and I had a patch
> about four square inches that went necrotic, but couldn't be touched
> without compromising the rest of the surgery. Fortunately my wife was a
> top notch wound care nurse, so we were able to keep things under control
> until the necrotic piece finally came off, and we then got the skin to
> close up without needing a skin graft. Along the way I also came up with a
> bad infection of C-Diff (amoebic) which put me back into the hospital for
> a few days while they got everything cleared up. I remember sitting in the
> bathroom with uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea at the same time,
> seeing myself in the mirror with this 14' long incision fully stitched,
> several drainage tubes hanging down to little bladders full of watery
> blood, and a nice sized chunk of black crusty flesh in the middle to top
> it all off. If it had been Halloween I could have been a real hit.
>
> About six weeks post-op I finally decided it was time to see what I had
> left. The whole left side of my head and neck felt locked together, and I
> could hardly hang my left arm down, but using a trad grip with a serious
> tilt on the snare I could still play. Over time everything loosened up and
> I can play fine now and I came out looking OK, still really tight on the
> left side but it only looks out of balance if I lean my head to the right.
> I still have a hard time looking over my right shoulder so I learned to
> how to maneuver a car in reverse using only the mirrors. The medical bills
> tanked my career as a musician and I had to switch back to engineering
> work, but it sure beats the alternative.
>
> So in my case I have to say that it changed me and my life forever. The
> important thing is that although pretty much everything changed, nothing
> was really lost. It's been eleven years now and I thank God there have
> been no more tumors or complications. Me and the family are still here, a
> little worse for wear but we're all still grateful to have each other.
>
> Yes I was lucky, mine was on the more conservative side of radical. Some
> folks have a lot more tissue removed and the results can be much more
> debilitating. Sometimes God just drop kicks you to the other end of the
> field, and all you can do is take the bounce and do whatever you can with
> what you got left. You don't get to choose what happens, you only get to
> choose your response.
>
> If you think it might help I'd be more than glad to talk with Mike
> directly. I don't think this is a very common procedure, and it has a
> special terror for drummers who need free movement of their arms to play.
> And of course I'll keep him in my prayers.
>
> Sean
>
>
>


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: drummer in need of prayer
    ... Once it was diagnosed the prescription was a radical neck dissection. ... could hardly hang my left arm down, but using a trad grip with a serious ... tilt on the snare I could still play. ... It's been eleven years now and I thank God there have been no ...
    (rec.music.makers.percussion)
  • Re: VIDEO OF GINTS CHEATING IN SB42
    ... Eli gets sacked and they dont score that last TD... ... outside rusher, Adaleus Thomas, by the neck as Thomas clearly has him ... left arm is around Seymour's back, and his right arm is wrapped around ... Vrabel seems to be out of the play at the moment, ...
    (alt.sports.football.pro.ne-patriots)
  • Re: action too low
    ... But if you want to play ... Ibanez guitars are generally excellent ... fret boards than the usual Fender type neck. ... Get a Strat or Tele. ...
    (alt.guitar)
  • Re: Lesson: Flowing through chord sequences
    ... The only exercise I did and still do is play scales up and down the neck. ... I went through a period maybe when I was in College were all I did for about 6 months 4 hours a day was play through all the major scales in all the positions. ... Also I am chord melody specialist and I have always played alot of chord melody so all the chord forms just jump out from playing. ...
    (rec.music.makers.guitar.jazz)
  • Re: VIDEO OF GINTS CHEATING IN SB42
    ... Eli gets sacked and they dont score that last TD... ... outside rusher, Adaleus Thomas, by the neck as Thomas clearly has him ... left arm is around Seymour's back, and his right arm is wrapped around ... Vrabel seems to be out of the play at the moment, ...
    (alt.sports.football.pro.ne-patriots)