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June 2004.
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This page is, hopefully, to help, encourage, and mainly inform musicians about "My Stroke" and the effects of it on my accordion playing, and possibly the way forward for others.
I suffered a stroke on the 9th of April 2003. I remember it happening, I was shopping in Tesco and noticed that I was draqging my right leg whilst pushing the shopping trolley.
At the checkout I attempted to lick my fingers in order to open a plastic bag and could not touch my lips. I realised then that I had a problem of some sort . I completed the chore and drove 5 miles home. I had no idea what had happened to me and how it was to affect my future life.
I was booked on a flight to Rome the next morning, for my a trip to Castelfidardo ( Accordion Mecca ). My cases were packed, taxi ordered for 5.30am and I wasn't feeling well. I was going, I decided, but just to check I 'phoned the emergency doctor to get some answers. I explained what had happened and I was invited to attend the surgery for a proper diagnosis, although Stroke had already been diagnosed by phone. I knew that if I attended the surgery, my trip was off, I decided against it and hoped I would be ok by morning. By morning I was no better and at 4am I cancelled the taxi and called the ambulance.
Tuesday 10/04/03
I was taken to Warrington Hospitel and STROKE was confirmed. I was put in an assessment ward and it was then I realised how serious the situation was. There was a blood clot in the left side of my brain, which affected the right side of my body. From the top; My eyelid, the right side of my mouth, my arm and hand, my leg and toes, were without muscle power.On the plus side; I had control of all my functions, which I didn't appreciate at the time.In the normal course of events, I would have been transfered to the 'Stroke' ward, where there were specialists dealing with the effects of the illness, however there were 11 in the queue,and I didn't get to see it.I remained in the assessment ward for 6 days and was then discharged to the care of my own doctor, plus a variety of ''Specialists'' . While I was there, stroke victims arrived continously and I began to see the just how serious it could be, counting my blessings that I was left relatively unscathed.
OK, so I am home and, feeling sorry for myself and trying to decide how to carry on. Can I play the accordion? which has been a major part of my life since I retired. Answer NO. No chance as my right hand fingers were completely unresponsive, as was my arm. I needed help, fast. Go to my GP. and see what he had to offer. He congratulated me on being able to walk, as he expectred to see me in a wheelchair. He arranged for an occupational therapist to visit me at home, and that was it. So my accordion playing days were over. Things to do:- Inform the band , sell all my gear ( 4 accordions ,amp. stands , accordion mics. music etc.) and vegetate.
The following week a young lady, Kate, arrived and she introduced me to plasticine, with which I had to mould and stretch and make shapes with. After about a month, my fingers were movable but with no strength in them. I was getting very frustrated by this time and started looking for other answers. I asked my GP if I could see a specialist and he arranged an appointment with one , private, at the Beaumont Hospitel Bolton. He examined me , top to toe, and said he would report back to my GP. He did, but nothing changed. I contacted the stroke unit at my local hosptal and an appointment was made for a home visit, by a neuro-physiotherapist. He was helpful, with sugestions of how to move correctly, how to do housework, how to generally maintain my day to day living.Playing the accordion: Absoloutly no help at all. I then spent a lot of time on the internet ,visiting sites worldwide. There was lots of information about stroke, causes of, effects, new treatments, etc.but nothing about regaining fitness post stroke.
I decided to go to a private physiotherapist and spent days looking, and being turned away, ''We do not treat stroke victims'' It then dawned on me that 1.Nobody could give me answers because they didn't have any or 2.They had answers but didn't want to tell me in case of self harm. I could go on with this saga, listing all the attempts I made to get professional help.
Two months had gone by and I was no further on, although my body was healing itself. I started playing the accordion again, badly. I had two problems to overcome, 1. the effects of the stroke and 2.I was well out of practice.Frustration was the order of the day, but I persevered and from waltes I progressed to jigs, marches too and then reels. I had sold two accordions by this time, all my music, I had an offer for my amp.an accordion mic. had gone. So I stopped the sale.
After three months I decided to rejoin the band and on the 7th of July did my 1st. gig at Thelwall Parish Hall. In the first half of the dance I struggled to play correctly but it was difficult. Bum notes in abundance ,but the lads were very supportive and I got through. After the interval it became increasingly more difficult as my fingers were refusing to move at all. At the end of the dance I was absolutely 'Knackered'. I had barely the strength to walk to the car to get home. It took me two days to recover. I waited until the 9th of August to try again. I had the same problems as before but not so bad. I fell off the stage after the gig,at Melling Tithebarn two weeks later, and got up more embarassed than hurt. I persevered and now ,twelve months later, I play once or twice a week. I still have difficulties but I am hopeful that a complete recovery is possible.
Problems and Solutions
1.Tiredness is the main problem and I don't have an answer to it. Before a gig I have a nap in the afternoon and that really works.
2. Stiff Fingers .Daily practice is very helpful ,not only for the musical side but it is also noticable that fingers remain subtle, where as without, they stiffen up.( even more so after a stroke ).
3. After 3 hours playing, fingers do not respond ; This improves in time, I still have the problem towards the end of the night and I try to arrange it so that we save the less demanding dance tunes for then.
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