 |
 |
Hi Rick Don't know if I count, since I'm an enthusiastic but clumsy amateur musician whohas never performed in public except for once when I left the window open, and a spot of busking (people give me money in the hope I'll shut up and go away !) .The shaking does lessen considerably when absorbed in playing, though a concertina sounds very odd when playedwhile shaking. Last time I bothered to count I owned 49 instruments (bit of Mirapexin obsession sneaked in there.) Amanda > Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2013 06:16:06 -0500 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Musical people with Parkinson's > To: [log in to unmask] > > Hello, everyone. > > > > I'll start with a re-introduction, since I've mostly been lurking the last > few years. My name is Rick McGirr. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease > in 2001 and have been a perpetual pill-popper ever since. I don't know how > many different drugs I have tried, but it has to be at least a dozen. I > presently take Sinemet 50/200 and Stalevo 150 mg three times per day, and > Parcopa as needed, most typically when I am in the middle of my more active > days. I also take vitamins and fiber supplements. And how could I forget > those wonderful anti-depressants? > > > > I would like to strike up a conversation among those of you who might > classify yourselves as musicians at any level, amateur or professional. I am > a lifelong musician, and have been playing piano and other keyboard > instruments professionally since graduating from high school in 1971. I > developed my playing to a high level, and have had a certain amount of my > skills taken from me by PD over the last ten years. I continue to play in > public, but I don't move as much equipment, or play as often or as far away > as I used to. > > > > My motives in starting this conversation are to compare notes regarding the > ways PD affects your musicianship, to talk about difficulties peculiar to > musicians with PD, to learn what techniques and accommodations you use in > the process of performing in public, and especially to meet musicians who > have undergone DBS surgery. I'd like to hear what you musicians have been > through, what you found about your technique and musicianship, and I'd like > to find out if having the DBS surgery has helped you regain some of your > musical skills. > > > > As my symptoms continue to develop and become more difficult to deal with, > that little voice that's always in my head speaks a little louder: "You > could always go for DBS!" I feel like I still want to wait a long time > before having this procedure, just to keep myself from suffering any of the > discomforts and known side effects of DBS, but here is where I could use > your input - am I being too cautious? Is there a big payoff in your musical > abilities which resulted when you had the surgery? Are you less than totally > happy about the effects of DBS surgery on your musicality? If there was > initial improvement, was it followed by more improvement, or has your > condition back-tracked? > > > > I appreciate your consideration. Thanks in advance for your replies. > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn