I'm so lucky.
For those of you that don't know, I had surgery yesterday to correct a pinched nerve in my neck. The surgery went well and now it's all about the recovery. It will be a slow process, but well worth the time and effort. I've had this issue for well over 6 months. The reason I am telling everyone about it, is the hope that it helps someone else with a similar condition. Let's get into it.
It all started with numbness in my left hand, specifically the little pinky and the adjacent finger. I noticed this while performing, as it was affecting my ability to form chords properly on my acoustic guitar. It then progressed to my elbow and felt like the worst case of tennis elbow ever. I went through all the usual steps to determine what's going on including seeing my primary care doctor, progressing to an orthopedist and finally to a neurosurgeon. I had X-Rays, an MRI and completed a round of PT (physical therapy) all in an effort to solve the issue. The MRI clearly showed the pinched nerve, which is a result of some compressed discs. Yesterday, was the culmination of all those efforts.
In the beginning, I did a lot of research and talked with other musician friends to see if anyone else is going through a similar issue and one other musician had the same symptoms. He is going for his second round of surgery, I pray and hope it solves his condition. One of the things that I thought about the most during the last 6 months is losing the ability to do what I love. I love writing songs and performing and plan on doing it as long as I physically can. I never take it for granted.
As for being blessed, I never expected so many people from coworkers to friends praying for me and that really touched my heart. I have a loving wife who is helping through my recovery and she is my rock. I am so appreciative for everyone in my life and truly feel blessed. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.