Telebass

After a few wearing days, a definite uptick in mobility, very welcome. Not much, but every little helps. Final sutures out tomorrow, then I can have a proper stand-up shower. Luxury!

Home now. To clarify, bike means pootling about on old self-build road bikes/rigid mtbs. Nothing remotely hairy! Not even on roads, just cycle paths.

Discharge later today. Will doubtless be asking that section of BC that have experience of DVT/PE a lot of questions! Seems improved today, but there's no getting around it - anticoagulants for life is the new reality for me. The biggest thing to take away is that the goal giving me back a spine I can walk with = 100% successful. Job done. Three months off the bass/bike, minimum. But it's worth it.

That would be my hope, although I still doubt I will ever stand and play again. I'll find something.

Righty ho, time I kept all you lovely people up to date. First op was 20th Jan. This was anterior lumbar interbody fusion and basically bangs a titanium cage between L5 and S1 vertebrae, spine and pelvis partial fusion. Done from the front. Can be dangerous but went well. Next up, spine reshaping and fusion from S1 to T10. That's a long way. During this op, I managed to effectively bleed out, most being recycled and put back in. Nine hours straight, in one position, so I have a collection of pressure injuries too, although fairly trivial. Couple of days in ICU, then to normal ward. Progressing well, then oopsie, leg turned into a blimp. DVT at top of leg/groin area. Further investigations show there are also one in each lung. Much imbibing of anticoagulants! This is sometimes addressed with surgery also, but they've decided against that. I'm pleased, I look like a badly patched rag doll as it is. What counts though, is that my spine has been restored to something like a normal shape - I can stand upright again! Weak as a kitten, and will be for months. Will effectively have to learn to walk again also, as those muscles are very weak after 3 years not doing a lot. Home on Friday, loaded down with dressings, anticoagulants, and pain killers. Even this is a trial, as home is 125 miles from the hospital. The tunnel end is approaching!

Surgery cancelled. Quelle surprise... Rescheduled for 20th/30th Jan 23, bed -blocking in between to save having to travel home and back while trying to recover - 250 miles. I reckon I'll be lucky if it doesn't slip again. Bonus (!) is, once they start, they have to continue.

Sticks have always seemed...intimidating.

Dates! Eek. Friday 2nd December for the front one, rest for the weekend, Monday morning turn over and do the other side... 😮

Man, I miss that 51RI, it was a peach. But it were not the first, oh no. I'd previously has a 1969 ACTUAL Telebass. Should never have got rid of that, either. Sigh...

Oh indeed. But it's been a bit of a trek; this will be ops 6 and 7... In all probability, this will be the last attempt, no matter the result.

Encouraging, thanks.

An Update: Having had lots of chats to the various surgeons, they've decided that they can try and rectify the previous error. But hell, it's sure going to take some rectifying... Two big ops, not sure of order yet. 1) The more expected one. Remove all the currently-installed metalwork. differently shaped, longer fusion from L5 to T... This includes reshaping some vertebrae, all in the cause of restoring some sort of lumbar curve. 2) ALIF - Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. This is to fuse L5 with S1, effectively fusing spine to pelvis. It's that 'anterior' bit that worries. Draw a line from level with navel to just above pubis, a little to one side, cut, shovel everything aside until you get right to the back! Then start hammering bits of titanium in to the lower spine. Ops to be done just two weeks apart, likely before Christmans, so all of a sudden, there;s no hanging about. Jeeeeez...

A DAW would be fine, but I've no interface nor the ability to afford one right now. If I ever get gigging again, then worth getting something more flexible than the Sessioncake.

Cake has arrived! Hmm, New Cake Day? Anyhoo, with a bit of getting to know you, it does the job just fine. Agreed about @neepheidpoint re external power, but I'm using IKEA rechargeables, which are rebadged Eneloops, and much cheaper.

I might just get one of these if things look up a bit.

I've little doubt that the BFOne10 will be just fine, it always the amps...The Elf has only been used half a dozen times in total!

And this reminds me, I haven't switched on my rig for over a year, better dust it off and make sure it's OK!

Sessioncake 02 (with mic input) found and ordered! As usual, the BC hive mind is the font of all knowledge! Doubtless, I'll no sooner get it rigged up, and a string will break... Can't wait!

The Yamaha looks just the ticket, thanks! Would love the GB-10, but can no longer justify such a gadget, let alone actually afford it!

I don't gig any more due to spinal deformity, and haven't picked up my bass for over a year. Having dug up a little inspiration, I find my Tascam MP-BT1 is complete toast. Rats. Any suggestions for a cheapie alternative, that I can connect headphones and line-in to?

Dupli-post

All done, thread closed!

This bit is the least of your worries! Didn't start in The Rock n Roll Outlaws until 55, and cracked it for 12 years! It really is what you play, and we played what they wanted to hear. Works every time. Sorry to hear about your back issues, quite similar to mine at the start. Tip: if you end up down the road of fusion and extending that fusion, make sure they keep your lumbar curve intact. It's failure to do this that has finished me off, and trying to fix it now is pretty desperate, tbh. Don't let it get that bad. If they can fix that with me without making anything else worse, then I might, just might, be able to start again. Assuming they agree even to try...

Standing is one of the big no-nos, and has been for a while. I'll not sell the P-bass, ever, even if I don't use it. Bass uke...Hmmm, will check some out. Much appreciated, everyone. I do hope that they can do something. The main problem is that other surgeries have removed the curve in my lumbar spine, which means I'm falling forward all the time. As there's not much left of the lower back muscles after 5 dissections, it's very difficult and painful to stay upright, despite lots of core work. One of the struts, as it were, is simply not there. If they can bang some titanium cages into the gaps where discs once were, well and good, they might be able to restore some of the curve. But this means breaking apart a fusion that melds L2 to L5. It's a big, delicate job. And it might leave me paralysed, like any back surgery. But nothing to lose, what, because that's the end game anyhow. Sinsonido...hmmm.

That's it, I'm done. No more playing. Physically disintegrating, more major spinal work a possibility. Left shoulder now packing up too. Time to walk away. Even have to do that on sticks now. When I can bear it, stuff will be appearing in the Marketplace... Cheers, y'all, it's been great.