Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Dave Long's Health Updates

#45

Good day today!

Symptoms all kind of in background today so felt pretty decent.

Sun was out so spent quite a bit of time out with the dog just hanging out.

managed to get a few drawers cleaned out & some stuff thrown away.

Had me 3 little sessions on the fiddle. had trouble with sliding in the chromatic runs on several tunes, but my double stops were more in tune and balanced than usual, plus the tone is doming back some so I’ll mark it as a successful day on the instrument!:slightly_smiling_face:

Also had a great talk with Jesse {Oldhat} for about an hour this evening to top off the day!

All in all, it wasn’t a real active day, but a fair bit more than I have managed lately, and it was a very good one. :smiley:

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#46

Good to hear your in good spirits Dave. I am up at five this morning, first day in over a week where I managed to get a good nights sleep. Most of the time it’s been dealing with stoma accidents or lying awake worrying when the next one is due. I went to bed last night with some local stabbing pain (wind I guess) I feel a little better today. The district nurse is down to visiting me two days a week although I had to call her out on Friday as the lower part of my wound started bleeding. I have a hospital appointment on Wednesday. My daughter is driving me into Edinburgh. So I’ll class that as a day out. Starting to see signs of spring so I am hoping to get out in the garden at the weekend to tidy up after the winter. My daughter has promised me a day out at the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens. She recently returned home from a trip to Pittsburgh where she visited the gardens there. Her partner is a big Pens Fan and they travelled over to watch the game and managed to squeeze in a St Patricks Day Parade

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#47

yep, good sleep is hard to come by now-a-days for sure.

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#48

Update:

Felt better the last couple days than I have in months.

Haven’t completely eliminated any of the symptoms/problems but they are all more tolerable or improving. It seem the meds are helping.

Strength and stamina are improving a little each day. Amazing how much I lost between the hospital stays, surgeries and losing so much blood there at one point.

After several hours yesterday, and again today, of “taking it easy” playing, my fiddling is getting back toward where it was.

My heartfelt thanks go out to those who have reached out by phone, text, message, etc. It really means a lot to me!

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#49

Thanks for the updates Dave. That sounds great!

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#50

Great to learn you’re feeling better Dave you are definitely lifting my spirits with your progress. I attended the stoma clinic in Edinburgh yesterday just for a check up. Nurse took a picture of my war wound for my. medical records.

It was good to get out and about with my eldest daughter. Weather permitting I am hoping to get out into the garden today after the district nurse has been. Planning to do some light work tidying after the recent storm.

Daughters will be down at the weekend to do some of the heavy stuff that needs doing. Spring is finally here flowers are starting to bloom and I keep a diligent watch on the bird boxes I put up last summer hoping for some new neighbours to move in.

I am itching to try playing my banjo after watching Redwing see link below. But I have to wait till my wound is fully healed.

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#51

Best day in a few months today! I didn’t feel so much like a sick person.
woke up feeling pretty decent and it just continued :slightly_smiling_face:

My waste evacuation issues seem to be righting themselves, which is a great relief.
headache has been in background neatly the whole day. Actually ate & kept down a whole meal this morning also, which was nice for a change. Stomach is improving a lot as I learn how to treat my ulcer.

Saw a urologist this morning and got another two prescriptions to help improve things more yet hopefully. She was a former “Cancer Nurse” for 10 years before getting into urology and lost her mother on hospice last week. I learned several things from her that I’m glad I did.

Talked to an elder care lawyer this afternoon about setting up charitable trust & selling my property. He doesn’t do trusts, but set me up with a referral to a friend of his who is 1/2 a far from my home. Our business took about 5 minutes and we had a marvelous conversation for over an hour. Before I left he told me if the referral didn’t work out to get back a hold of him and he would get on the phone and find someone else to help me.

Both of these folks had done the hospice thing with a parent within the last month, so we had a lot share. I got a lot from just talking with each of them.

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#52

So glad you felt better yesterday @Dave_Long!

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#53

Here’s something to cheer you up Dave.

Momma and I went scratching around for artifacts (arrowheads/flint) yesterday in our stream off the side of the yard.

Where I stop up top at the last falls? It’s 30 yards behind my chicken coop. That’s where they drink from all year long…also where we give our dog a bath.

Always wanted to put me a small hydro turbine in there and power the house with it. My oldest daughter designed one when she was 14 and we ran some lights off a battery she charged from hydro… she’s a bio molecular engineer now working on her masters. Too smart for apes like me that like to play in creeks.

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#54

I admire your brave attitude. Hope you keep feeling better. May God continue to give you strength.

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#55

Beautiful Jesse!

Thanks Jack! I don’t see any bravery involved really. I’m just somehow at peace with accepting the situation.

I have been feeling pretty good comparatively the last several days. The biggest downer is still the headache. I’ve managed to keep it in the background for the most part recently, but it continues to lurk and attacks with a vengeance from time to time.

update: had a very good day! Received a very nice card & personal note in the mail from an old and dear friend who I only get to see once every year or two when we run across each other at a festival or get together of a mutual friend.

Also had a great talk with Ben on the phone today.

My fiddle playing was pretty sloppy tonight but managed to pull some better notes after a couple hours at it. I’d keep going but am getting a bit tuckered out so going to let the dog in my lap and read for a bit.

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#56

Hang in there Dave. My daughters came down at the weekend and took away some of my clutter to the recycle yard. They also helped me with a couple jobs in the garden. I was hoping to get out in the garden today but the weather is dreich (grey overcast and wet). I also managed to get in some banjo time but it was awful, my calluses have gone soft and I was picking without picks. Maybe try again today since the weather is not so great.

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#57

Yeah, I just keep trying too Archie.
I’m fighting dehydration and my finger tips change on me, which messes with my intonation on the fiddle a lot.
Weather is changing a lot also, so things are waterlogged one day and crispy dry the next.
After three hours or so out f the case my fiddle is a complete different instrument than it was when I got it out.:rofl:

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#58

I am glad to say we don’t seem to suffer with swings in humidity the way you folks do that side of the pond. Our summers aren’t too hot and winters not so cold as other parts of the world. But we do get a lot of rain

How do you combat the dehydration ? Does your condition allow you to use energy drinks ? I think they contain sugar and salt so worth checking but they are popular with athletes. I stick to tap water, we have good quality drinking water in our region. Still some folks still buy bottled water,

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#59

I have good water here and that is my primary fix. I will use maybe some water infused with electrolytes & maybe a flavor form time to time depending on the amount I’m dehydrated, but not the energy stuff.

I have fairly a strong opinion about the world not needing more plastic bottles floating around.:wink:

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#60

Had a bit of a rough day trying to fight a headache, but met with a realtor to look over the property. Really like him. I was going to talk to several and them pick one, but he showed with all his homework done, has been here a mile away for >30 years, and has a great reputation, So I decided to just go with him.

Headache is almost in the background now and I’m feeling better except for being quite drained energy wise.

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#61

Aww I’m really sorry to hear that! You’ve been such an inspiration and help to everyone here on the forum, and on the other forums. I’m so glad I got to meet you at the cabin camp, that was a good time! I actually met my wife because you got me a membership to Bluegrassdaddy, so I’ll always remember you with enormous gratitude!! I’ll be praying for you!

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#62

Hi Gunnar!
Great to hear from you! I hope you & your family are all doing well. I really enjoyed finally meeting yo in person also. It has been a real pleasure watching at a distance while you grew as a person and musician these past few years.

If you have any way to reach John Cockman, or know what he’s up to I’d greatly appreciate if you could PM me ( or just call 616.304.7921 } any info so I might contact him. He played a huge part in my being able to enjoy playing the fiddle as much as I do, and I’d like to thank him properly while i still can…

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#63

Hey Dave
I’m sorry to hear this news and you are in my thoughts and prayers. I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your posts on the forum. You’ve been a great help and inspiration to me!

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#64

Thank you Emilie! I appreciate the thoughts!

Update: Just spent another four days in the hospital. I am back home now but this time on hospice and staying here at home unless I absolutely have to go back in. Under hospice I actually have a better chance of going back to work (if possible) than under any other scenario, which is what I what to try to do in whatever capacity I might.

While I was gone my sister went through my place and worked her but off cleaning & organizing all the little things I have had to let go over the last 6 months while fighting the medical issues…wow, just can’t relate how grateful I was when I returned home.
Nurse coming in tomorrow morning to set up schedule, etc.
Other than that I’m feeling fairly well at the moment, though tired form a long day and a big meeting.
I’m very happy to be back home now and that’s about all the news I have for now. hope you all have a great evening.

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