Still struggling....frustrated

[James R]

Bad neck injury with a lot of nerve damage here too... Worst disk exploded back and slammed nerves to back of canal... All the bad stuff, arm switch off at times no warning dropping coffee cups (damnit) etc.... Hell, you know the deal... Couldn't play at all for several years with no joy prognosis from my surgeon on nerves healing... But, one day some years later back big dead zone started burning like hell fire... Dead zone on my back went from Caddy hubcap to pie plate and gradually smaller... Still couldn't feel with fingers or and fine control. Impossible to touch thumb and little finger together and such.

I had to relearn control...

For Caretaker:.(and anybody else similar issue) I had delay and sometimes no joy at all... Different root cause but I do know the feeling...or lack of I guess...

One exercise I see did watching TV was on one hand at time, hand flat on recliner arm, lift thumb, down, lift index, down...etc etc. Call it reforming paths, creating new paths, doesn't matter... At first, not very effient, some fingers not so much, B U T, after enough repetition, control started coming back.. what was impossible like Spock fingers or sequential finger to thumb in succession started happening. Feeling started returning slower but did... Took time and work...

Exercise your fingers constantly... Stuff your fingers can't do, work on it... It'll happen over time... Your brain knows what you want to do...it has to figure out a way to get the signal there real time. The more you make it try, the more it figures out how to do it... You have to work at it... Brain and body are far more capable than one might think....if you work at it... Like trying to run a long distance with breaks or walk same with breaks.. Either can wipe you out...but running 100 paces and walking same, rinse repeat, no breaks, covers a lot of ground easier than either...heightened average level of energy... A bud taught me that decades back. Anything worthwhile requires effort, usually less than one might think...

Work your fingers on arrm of chair when watching TV or such... I did it in car, almost anywhere...

Hang in there... There is always the other side in about anything... You just have to keep your feet pointed in the forward direction...one foot in front of the other... Rinse, repeat...

Good juju your way!

I 100% agree with everything you say here, and will add that hand strengthening/tension balls really helped me as well.
I found a set of 3 that all had a different firmness to them. Started out with the softest and worked my way up to the firmest over time.
That, along with the finger exercises you mentioned above, helped me tremendously.

 

[CRobbins]

Hang in there bro. Keep on truckin.

 

[Caretaker]

Another series of Drs appointments this week.
Maybe change some scripts?
I may be listing my eastman since I can`t seem to play it.

 

[Bobby Mahogany]

Still totally wishing you the Best, Man.
Continue with therapy.
Progress might be around the corner.
Don't despair.

 

[judson]

if your fingering is a bit difficult , tune your guitar to an open chord, grab a slide and just play basic blues for awhile

the delay may take some time but maybe playing slide would be fun for you.

i tell anyone to try it, i think its easier than some think...

i think its more ear training than movement in a sense somewhat...

just a thought...hang in there and keep on pushing, things will come back , it just takes time

 

[Nard]

I wish I had some words of wisdom but I’m not in your position. Look for the positives when they occur and hopefully everything will improve. At the moment I’m struggling with repetitive strain injury in both wrists and mild arthritis in my fingers. It’s frustrating when I can’t play how I used to and I’ve sat there lately thinking what’s the point. It’s the good days that keep me going though and it encourages me it get a little better each time. Hang in there and stay strong. I’m thinking of you.

 

[Pop1655]

Hate to hear bud. One thing that my doc has finally beat into my brain to the point I can almost grasp it is how slow some things heal. There's a huge difference between nerves healing and nerves that have to regenerate. If a nerve has to actually regenerate it does so at the rate of about an inch a month. I'm still a very long way from learning what my final result will even be. I bet the same applies. It is terribly frustrating to deal with, but take your victories where you can and relish them. Set realistic expectations and deal with the fact that it may be a while before you can sky dive again. I can't think of a better therapy device/aid for you than guitar. Stay with it brother. Fight the fight.

 

[ehb]

Another series of Drs appointments this week.
Maybe change some scripts?
I may be listing my eastman since I can`t seem to play it.

Nerp. Plenty of time down the road to move it if you so wish.... Takes time.... Just keep working at it....

As Judson stated above, get a slide and get down and greasy with yo bad self playing some blues... Playing slide is tougher than it looks.... Makes you think because you MUST be more accurate because over the fret itself it the landing zone, NOT just somewhere in the fret space.... I'm not good at it but at least I don't sound like somebody trying to baptize a pissed off cat anymore....

Never give up. It will take time, did for me, but every now and then you'll notice a jump.....

Tip: The only thing that matters is that moment in time. Some things for me still do not feel as natural as they once did but I find myself on occasion doing things I never could do before because all that working to 'get back' allowed me to do try things I didn't do before.... Keep carving a bit away at the time....

If you don't sense a jump in one practice session, so what...no big deal.... Remember why you play guitar in the first place. F U N. Period. Have fun.... I played a lot of bass too trying to get my dexterity and finger strength back.... Big fun too... Worked wonders for finger strength, reach, and control.... I must have played walks on bass nine gillion times watching tv with the digital metronome in my shirt pocket to tone it down....

 

[Dolebludger]

Caretaker, sorry to hear about your lingering problems. For guitar playing, I have a suggestion. When I injured the nerves to my left (fretting) hand, coordination was nearly gone. I bought a D’Addario hand exercise device at a music store. You hold it in your hand and can press against spring load with individual fingers or all fingers at once. I think it cost around $25. I used it while watching TV and such, and it really helped bring me back. Good luck!

 

[Caretaker]

Caretaker, sorry to hear about your lingering problems. For guitar playing, I have a suggestion. When I injured the nerves to my left (fretting) hand, coordination was nearly gone. I bought a D’Addario hand exercise device at a music store. You hold it in your hand and can press against spring load with individual fingers or all fingers at once. I think it cost around $25. I used it while watching TV and such, and it really helped bring me back. Good luck!

The issue is my brain telling my hand what to do.
It seems to be getting worse rather than better.

 

[Matt_21]

Sorry to hear of all of this brother.
I know sometimes hearing "keep at it" and whatnot can be frustrating and sometimes not what you're looking for but, remember that during any persons life, injuries or no, there are hard times and better times.
Pushing through the hard times makes the better times that much better. And I'm sure you'll get there, it may just take passing through some harder days first.
Another great thing about the brothers here is there seems to be a good number of guys here who have been through similar things. Try to take comfort knowing you're not the only one and reach out if you need.

 

[Dolebludger]

The issue is my brain telling my hand what to do.
It seems to be getting worse rather than better.

In these cases, my PT tells me that therapy is supposed to re-program the nerves to your hand — or wherever there is damage. I am told that damaged nerves can’t be repaired but the impulses can be redirected. IDK, as this what I was told when I damaged the nerves from my elbow to my hand. I know this was not as serious a problem as yours, but you might inquire of your doc about whether some PT might help you to reroute the nerves from your brain to your hand. I don;t know, as I am not an MD or therapist. I am just going on what I have been told by those who are.

And as a closing, I once cut almost off the tips on the third and forth fingers on my left (fretting) hand. (Gardining accident) The doc at the ER sewed them back on. I asked him if I could recover and play guitar. He said yes. I said, funny, because I could hardly play before!

But in any event, all my good vibes are coming to you, and I wish you a full recovery — at least as to guitar playing!

 

[KSG_Standard]

Asfar as guitar playing I'm really not going anywhere.
It's really depressing.

I lost control of my right arm for about a year after a pretty bad exacerbation (the fancy term for effects of MS) back in 2000. But even before that, from about 1997 to 2000 I couldn’t or didn’t feel like playing.

I worked my way back, I’m still not where I was prior to the MS getting me, but I can and do play again. You learn to adjust and you learn to live with your limitations.

I try to keep a good attitude and remind myself that I’m still pretty and that every day above ground is a good day. Hang in there brother.

 

[Uncle Vinnie]

I wish you 100% recovery from crown to sole.
Hang in there, do it as much for the people you love as for yourself.

 

[Caretaker]

I'm feeling better but playing like I'm a 3 week beginner. Really sucks.
That is why I started listing stuff for sale.
Not all of it but if i can't play I don't need it.