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Bell's Palsy


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Nick Mondello
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:15 am    Post subject: Bell's Palsy Reply with quote

Rich:

So glad to read this from you, my Brother in Bop! Do it!

I think the steak the Boss had was Double-High-"Ceared!"

Nick
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BeboppinFool
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We're almost ready to go out for that steak!

Friday night I played 3rd trumpet for Natalie Cole. I was supposed to play 2nd trumpet, but it was just a little too high, still.

Fortunately I know Dave Trigg (we did some big band gigs in NYC back in 2001) and he was cool about working it out with me. He told me some stories of other guys who've had Bell's Palsy that I hadn't heard about . . . anyway, he knew the deal.

There were still some notes that I had to take down an octave, but overall I thought it went pretty well (my playing, that is). Dave is an animal (!!!) and it was fun sitting next to him again.

I'm glad I still play bass trumpet, and I'm sure that playing it helped greatly with my rehabilitation.

Probably one night this week we'll be having a nice, juicy Porterhouse . . . .
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mcgovnor
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:40 am    Post subject: it's Reply with quote

it's gr8 to read your post, and that you're getting better.

www.newyorkbrass.com
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TrentAustin
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rich,

I'm so happy to hear that you continue to progress!

Keep on keepin' on!
-T
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drncollazo
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello Rich,

I'm glad to read about your recovery. I also had Bell's Palsy back in 1995. It began quite severely, but over the span of four months I was fine and could play again. It was very interesting (and comforting) to see how my facial muscles were recovering strength. Every day I could use those muscles with greater force. Most people that I know recover completely. My problem was that I did not receive proper attention quick enough. Doctors initially thought I had a stroke and while they argued my condition worsened. Eventually, a neurologist came in and said that this was the worst case of Bell's Palsy that he had seen. He told me that I might have permanent damage, but thank God I recovered completely. I wish you the very best and will keep you in my prayers.
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Don Herman rev2
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Go Rich go!

I know guys (ok, it was me ) that pushed too hard to come back after an injury and paid dearly for it. Doing the smart thing, you are, and helping the rest of us keep in mind how to come back the right way!

All the best - Don
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JoshMizruchi
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome, Rich! Great job!! I'm so glad to hear everything's improving for you. You're the man! Isn't Natalie Cole great too??
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BeboppinFool
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We went out for that steak last night!

And I played my third post-Bell's trumpet gig tonight . . . although I'd say I'm about 80 to 85% of the way back, I'm encouraged by the fact that my accuracy feels like it's better than it ever used to be. My endurance was pretty good considering we rehearsed from 6-7 and then played from 8-11 (I was playing lead). Old music, nothing really high, but lots of those stocks where you get 8 bars rest once or twice in the whole chart.

Could it be related to the fact that, in addition to my standard Reinhardt and Reinhardt-based warm-ups, I'm practicing a lot of Bousquet and Brandt etudes? Maybe, but I think the time off and then easing back in on bass trumpet also helped get me going again with a "clean slate."

Also, I've been doing the pencil trick and buzzing a whole lot more than I usually do, and that's certainly helped develop those muscles that were completely "dead" and useless 5 weeks ago.

I wouldn't wish Bell's Palsy on anybody, but now that it's pretty much passed, I'm actually glad I had it. Now I understand what trumpet players (or other wind musicians) go through . . . I've "been there, done that."
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Jerry Freedman
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is a more general question on Bell's palsy but it seems like the place to ask it

Is Bell's palsy like measles..get it once and never again? or does it leave you vulnerable to another attack?
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swthiel
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's great Rich!
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Wilktone
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rich, you sounded great last night! The improvement in just a few weeks has been remarkable. The only appreciable difference I notice from your pre-Bell's palsy playing now is that you wanted to sit out on many of those background figures. Frankly, I was happy to oblige and rest a little more too.

It will also be good to keep you in the big band bone section for another week. I can keep a better eye on you when you're sitting next to me and keep you from causing more trouble.


Dave
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BeboppinFool
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seven weeks ago tonight is when the symptoms first started showing up. Today I'd say that I'm at least 90 to 95% free of the symptoms. The one thing that tells me that it hasn't fully left is the way my right eye feels when I wake up, but that's tapering off gradually, too.

The most bizarre thing about this is the fact that I've been doing more gigs for most of the past four weeks than usual, and for the most part I've been able to "get by" and pretty much nobody can tell that I had my playing ability seriously impaired.

Buzzing (no instrument, no mouthpiece), the pencil trick, and lots of Reinhardt-type warmups and routines is the only thing that's allowed me to get back from zero to here in this short a time. Also, playing bass trumpet certainly played a big part in being able to rebuild my embouchure, since I was able to play that when I couldn't play trumpet.

Five weeks ago I couldn't even make a sound on trumpet. Last weekend I did a clinic/guest artist gig in Alabama and was able to hammer out a G (and several F's) in a solo. And there are still people who doubt that this Reinhardt thing really works!

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!
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Don Herman rev2
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What Reinhardt thing?

Fantastic, Rich!!!
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swthiel
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Rich,

Glad you're doing so well! Do we need to reschedule?



All the best!
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BeboppinFool
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

swthiel wrote:
Hey Rich,

Glad you're doing so well! Do we need to reschedule?



All the best!


Yeah, Steve, go ahead and push back our meeting 8 weeks to even things out, okay?
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hvand
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jerry asked
Quote:
Is Bell's palsy like measles..get it once and never again? or does it leave you vulnerable to another attack?


Most of us in medicine believe (or have been taught) that Bell's palsy is due to the reactivation of a virus. Though there is data that supports this belief, the picture is a bit more complicated. We often prescribe anti-viral medicine like Valtrex but the benefit is marginal at best.

Bell's palsy can recur, but it is not typical. Recurrence is generally a poor prognostic sign along with severe weakness and loss of hearing in one ear.

The most important advice I can give is to get to a doctor ASAP if you are getting weakness on one side. The differential diagnosis includes more serious conditions that need to be ruled out. Getting on steroids, like prednisone, quickly is associated with a better outcome.

Most people recover all or nearly all of their strength. Most doctors see it as a "benign condition". Of course, most doctors don't play trumpet. If they did, they may consider it not so benign. Fortunately, there are many on this forum who have recovered and are playing at their full ability. Rich's progress strikes me as fairly typical for someone who will have a full recovery. It just never goes as fast as we would like.

Rich, I'm glad to hear that you a climbing back. Thanks for sharing your story publicly. I'm sure there are trumpet players who will benefit from reading it.

Hank
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BeboppinFool
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, bizarre as it may seem, there are just the tiniest lingering effects of Bell's Palsy hanging on. I can tell every morning when I wake up by the way my right eye feels that it's still not completely gone. And I usually have good starts to my playing days but about halfway through the day feel like I'm swinging three bats at once, metaphorically speaking (baseball analogy).

So from January 24th until today, April 10th, it's an uneven graph of the rate of recovery. Getting through this last phase has required the most patience of all. It's weird feeling as though I ought to be back to "normal" but finding out otherwise at some inconvenient point in every playing day.

Anyway, I figured I might as well continue chronicling this saga since it apparently isn't completely over. Maybe at some point it will be helpful to some other unfortunate brass player who has to go through this.
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Don Herman rev2
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, Rich, I hope this is just normal ups and downs on the way to a complete recovery! What's your doctor say?

All the best - Don
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PiCK Kanstul
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

all the best to you Rich.

fyi, here's a someone else who has gotten past it
http://www.ronturner-trpt.biz/Bells_Palsy.html
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AverageJoe
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry to hear about this, Rich! Keep us posted, and I for one will keep you in my prayers...

Paul
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