One Year Since Injury

jazzmanwv · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject: One Year Since Injury

One year ago to the day I suffered a pretty severe embouchure injury after a week of strenuous playing. After two weeks off the swelling hadn't gone down and I was freaking out.

I contacted Lucinda Lewis and she nursed me back to health. I feel stronger now then I did before the injury and I certainly have a deeper understanding of my body and my trumpet playing and I KNOW that this experience has made me a more complete teacher.

I'm posting this in the hopes that others who are, to use a phrase of Ms. Lewis's, "walking wounded" will find this inspirational.

Lucinda Lewis is a true expert in embouchure injuries. If you need help, seek her out. My recovery was quick and successful thanks, entirely, to her.

www.embouchures.com

I'd love to hear comments about others' experiences.

~James Moore
_________________
...tryin' to find some swing

quikv6 · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:10 am Post subject: symptoms

Could you please let me know the symptoms you had with your injury. I am going through a terrible phase in my playing. I actually made a post titled "can an aperture die?"...describing all my symptoms. I did go to see Miss Lewis in person, and took a 2 hour lesson from her. (She is a fantastic person, by the way). I currently have an appointment to see a doctor in Baltimore at the end of the month. He works on brass players, and can hopefully determine if I have a tear to my obicularis oris muscle. (I have severe air leakage, but no pain).
If the doctor determines I don't have a tear, I am definately going to see Lucinda again. I am definately part of the "walking wounded". Only problem is I am still wounded.
Any input on your symptoms is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris
Quik87gn@aol.com
_________________
-Chris

ut7 · New Member Joined: 21 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

quikv6--Who is your doctor in baltimore? Please let us know how your appointment goes. The only doctor I am really aware of for this is Simon McGrail in Toronto.

quikv6 · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:37 am Post subject: Doctor....

Dr. Craig Vander Kolk.
I was given his info along with Dr. McGrail, from Miss Lewis. Since Baltimore is much closer to nyc than Toronto, I chose to make my appointment there. Its next Monday.
I will keep everyone updated, but I'd still love to hear the ops symptoms. I'm very worried, I've been messed up for about 6 or 7 months now. (With a 6 week break from playing towards the end).
_________________
-Chris

Annie · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 3:22 am Post subject:

Wow...great website. I wish I could have seen that one week before my senior recital - I started having some scary symptoms that came very close to EOS, but I was able to recover with a day or two of rest and then a day or two of very intensely light playing - fortunately it wasn't EOS, just intensely bad breathing that lead to overused chops.

Gonna bookmark that, I may need it in the future as I get back into playing more after this internship ends or for my future students.

Thanks!
_________________
~Annie

*I may not be great yet, but I'm working hard on it and one day I'm gonna be there.*

sallyxi · New Member Joined: 21 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

Just like "long time suffering can make a normal person doctor"

jazzmanwv · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:42 pm Post subject:

quikv6

my symptoms were

swelling that would not go away
lack of soft response
lack of flexibility
mouthpiece pain

I actually didn't have much air leakage...just pain! It sounds as though your symptoms are a bit different.

Tears in the obicularis, if I'm not mistaken, would prohibit you from puckering. I'm going to take a peak at your post and pm you

hang tight, I'm sure you'll be fine
_________________
...tryin' to find some swing

quikv6 · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:44 pm Post subject: update-bad news

for those who have responded or are watching this post.....i just wanted to update it with the results of my doctor visit.
the results:
1) Significant stretching to the obicularis oris...AND.....
2) a small tear

Bad news all around.
Surgery is recommended.
I will make a separate post in addition to this update

Thanks for all those who helped and sent good wishes.
Chris
_________________
-Chris

Annie · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:37 pm Post subject: Re: update-bad news

pied piper · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:35 pm Post subject: one year since injury

I did have the surgical procedure to repair the rupture of my obicularis oris. Lucinda Lewis was and still is (Broken Embouchures) a huge help in my recovery. Dr. McGrail performed the minor operation (though major for trumpet players) and all was well. The recovery time was 6 months and it was about 2 years of playing rehab, which I still continue. I have been in contact with you, Chris, but I am available to everybody if they have any questions or concerns with the procedure and the "gettin' back" process. I also have surgical notes and a video of the procedure available to anyone who might have to go through this.

It is difficult to come back because you are working against two large obstacles. The first being the new lip. It will not work like the old so prepare yourself for the embouchure changes and the starting over process. You do have an advantage, however, and that is you already know what to do. You have already been trained, therefore, it is more of a relearning process. Second and most difficult in my opinion, the mental aspect of playing has to be erased and directed to this relearning process.
We have all that muscle memory and aural memory. Ideas of how we used to sound, hold the horn, articulate, and everything has to be restructured.

I am here for anyone who could use some advice. I would also like to say that getting a teacher about a year after the surgery is highly recommended. I went to Bobby Shew. He essentially saved my playing career. I was heading in the wrong direction on my own.

James Barela
semajbare@aol.com
www.myspace.com/blu7music

pied piper · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:36 pm Post subject: one year since injury

I did have the surgical procedure to repair the rupture of my obicularis oris. Lucinda Lewis was and still is (Broken Embouchures) a huge help in my recovery. Dr. McGrail performed the minor operation (though major for trumpet players) and all was well. The recovery time was 6 months and it was about 2 years of playing rehab, which I still continue. I have been in contact with you, Chris, but I am available to everybody if they have any questions or concerns with the procedure and the "gettin' back" process. I also have surgical notes and a video of the procedure available to anyone who might have to go through this.

It is difficult to come back because you are working against two large obstacles. The first being the new lip. It will not work like the old so prepare yourself for the embouchure changes and the starting over process. You do have an advantage, however, and that is you already know what to do. You have already been trained, therefore, it is more of a relearning process. Second and most difficult in my opinion, the mental aspect of playing has to be erased and directed to this relearning process.
We have all that muscle memory and aural memory. Ideas of how we used to sound, hold the horn, articulate, and everything has to be restructured.

I am here for anyone who could use some advice. I would also like to say that getting a teacher about a year after the surgery is highly recommended. I went to Bobby Shew. He essentially saved my playing career. I was heading in the wrong direction on my own.

James Barela
semajbare@aol.com
www.myspace.com/blu7music

quikv6 · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:36 am Post subject: thanks

Thanks James. I will be in touch with you soon. I am very grateful that you have made yourself available. I'm sure you have a wealth of info, as evidenced by your last post.
Thanks again.
_________________
-Chris