I'm New Here

[Bass Gimpin]

Hi all! I'm brand new to these forums, but not at all new to the injury. I cant believe I never thought of hitting up Google for a BPI forum. Before I signed up on this forum, I did a little reading and have found that I am lucky to have only lost the use of my left hand. Long story short...Seven years ago I had a near fatal single car accident. First of all, I'm lucky I only lost the use of my left hand, and even more lucky I'm still alive to tell my story. I only stretched my brachial plexus but still have only regained a twitch in my ring finger. My arm works fine, but atrophy is clear in my bicep and forearm. My arm isn't as strong as it was before but I do have full range of motion. Early in my injury, I had no flex in my bicep, and left pectoral. I had no feeling in my entire arm from my shoulder down. I was told that I would never regain the use of my fingers and that I would probably be left without feeling as well. Its been seven years, August 20th, and I have regained most feeling. I just learned of the surgery available and hope its not too late to try. Its hard to imagine having the use of my fingers again after all these years. I have learned to deal with pain. Its all day everyday, and severe spikes of pain numerous times a day. I had no idea, being a man, that this pain could compete with child birth. But I can tell you that it sucks being on this end of it. That's fo sho!

Any way, I am remaining optimistic that maybe some type of surgery could work in regaining some use. Its a dream of mine to play my bass guitar with my fingers again.

I know I have already written a lot, but I would like to share my story as a musician and hope to inspire someone here with TBPI to keep on keepin on.

I play the bass guitar with a paralyzed left hand. A stretched brachial plexus nerve from a severe car accident caused my fingers on my left hand to be paralyzed. I played bass guitar for 13 years at the time of my accident and just ordered my first 6 string bass online which came in while I was still in intensive care.

A friend of mine had a dream of me playing with the bass in my lap and wearing a slide on one of my fingers. I immediately went to Norman Music and picked up a slide for my pinky finger. I started teaching myself to play again and it sounded like crap. I practiced daily for at least 3 hours each day. I gradually got better and better as time went on. A few months later I was back in the band. Now I believe I am better than I ever was. 20 years of bass playin under my belt and 7 years of that with paralyzed fingers on my left hand.

As bass players, our fingers and our ears are very important. If you lose one or the other, or both, and you have a GREAT amount of compassion for playing, you WILL play again. Just don't ever give up on yourself or your capability to improvise, overcome, and adapt.

My story isn't just for bass players or musicians. If you loved doing something that you cant quite do the same as before, its okay, find a new way. That's most of the fun in it anyway; finding a new way to get something done can be quite a lot of fun. Its all about the attitude in which you face the challenge.

Okay, I will stop now. I hope to get to know some of you here and sharing some more.

-Shane

[pieface]

welcome

your a lucky man!