Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 13:22:19 -0400
Subject: Re: HELP!

>
>Any comments appreciated, including on how to start getting past my
>present, understandably pessimistic attitude...                  James

        So sorry to hear about your situation, James. I too am a musician
with tendinitis ...... exactly like being a bird with arthritis of the
wings. I'm re:ing only to send encouragement. As a finger-style guitarist,
I was nearly devastated when first struck (about a year ago), I've been
playing since I was a little kid and might really die without it. When my
symptoms first hit they were BAD; the pain in my hands and forearms was so
severe that I was eating Tylenol like candy, and still couldn't sleep at
night. Foolishly, I tried to *play it away*, which likely only added to the
problem.

        The good news is that, a fairly painful year later, after heeding
my Dr's advice and going for *quality time* rather than quantitiy in my
practice regimen, changing other habits to ease the burden on my tendons,
and following his other advice, I am - oh maybe 95% pain-free (knock on all
wood in sight). If I abuse myself symptoms do begin to reappear. As a
student, I'm sure you have less luxury to *cut back* - one suggestion that
helped me A LOT was to pay strict attention to all of the other ways that I
use those same tendons, and alter those other behaviors in order to *save
up* my tendon health for my playing. For me, that meant less gardening,
less pen writing, less typing - geez, less of everything, since I use my
hands for everything I do!  :-)
        God knows, tho, for the reward of being able to play Bach violin
music (which Bach wrote for guitar, he just didn't know it!) and work out
one more Tuck Andress, it was worth any compromise.

        My impression is that my tenidinitis is never going to *go away*,
but my experience suggests that if you find all the right ways to baby
yourself (find that right doctor for you), it will go into remission. God
bless, and give the world more music, a gift of beauty with no
environmental damage (excluding Motley Crue! ;-)