Health News...

barliman2001

So, just to get everyone up to date on me as a moderator and a human being... and explaining why I have been more or less absent for such a long time...

End of last October, I suffered a stroke. Mild one - the medical term is infarctus cerebelli, a closure of a blood vessel in that part of the brain. Our medical men have already commented on that, and their comments were very helpful indeed.

Since then, I have had five weeks in hospital and another five weeks of rehab. The latter was fun - very attentive nurses, lots of programme, and a chance of concentrating on Arban again (I had my pocket trumpet with me, with a practice mute, and managed to do at least an hour per day...)

Since then, things have been improving very much. From just lying in bed without being able to properly move, I have progressed to being able to walk - albeit slowly. Within the house, it's free walking, with an occasional grab at a table whenever vertigo raises its ugly head, and outside I am still dependent on crutches (can get by with one, but it's safe with two).

Driving is no option yet - have to get a specialist's assessment for that. The rehab clinic did a full assessment and told be that my reactions and sight are good enough to drive, but as the clinic would be liable if I caused an accident after being in their care, they denied my ability to drive (simpl for liability issues!)

That specialist's assessment is on 11 April; but notwithstanding the results, I will be going to Sicily to my annual holiday with Symphonic Holidays (www.dacapo-travel.eu) for nine days of rehearsals topped up with a concert... going by train from Munich to Bologna, and then by night train directly to Cefalu - which, by the way, is a very charming small town near Palermo...

More updates later!

J. Jericho

Here's wishing you the best of health!

oldpete

God bless!

administrator

I'm glad you are feeling even the least degree better. Keep it up!

robertwerntz

@barliman2001 praying for you

bobmiller1969

@barliman2001 So happy to hear that you are recovering! Have fun in Sicily!

barliman2001

Now here's my report on what happened since I last wrote...

I am not yet fully recovered after my stroke, and I very much doubt I will come back to the same shape I was beforehand (lost too much weight, har, har!). Even though I am back to driving myself, my former zest for long-distance driving has disappeared, and I am medically unfit to fly. Walking is possible, even though I need a crutch to avoid toppling over and am more comfortable with two.
Bearing all this in mind, I decided to go to Sicily by train. Fortunately, there is a connection from Munich to Cefalu requiring only one change of trains... and I reserve tickets accordingly, including the disabilit services of the train companies involved.
And it went like oiled clockwork. I arrived at Munich main station by taxi to find a porter with an electric cart already waiting for me. He brought me and my luggage (one biggish case for the ordinary needs of ten days of travel, and a Ritter Junior gig bag containing my Courtois Balanced Bb, my Courtois Roger Delmotte D, four mutes - straight, cup, bucket and Harmon - a music folder and all the necessary titbits) directly to my train for Bologna, helped me in, carried my luggage to my reserved seat and stowed it there. Very comfortable train ride to Bologna, where two guys with a wheelchair and ramp greeted me at my seat, brought me and my stuff to the exit and to a special waiting lounge. There, I was able to safely leave my accoutrements while roaming about the station. In good time, another two guys colleted me from that lounge, brought me to my sleeper train to Cefalu and settled me into my compartment... Italy has very nice long-distance night trains.

This was my temporary home for the 17-hour journey to Sicily.

Next morning, I was served breakfast in my compartment...

At the rather rural station of Cefalu, I was met - in the train - by the next team, escorted into a wheelchair and removed from the train with an hydraulic lift and had my welcome meal with the members of the orchestra...
The next nine days were filled with rehearsals of three wonderful pieces - William Grant Still's Wood Notes, Brahms' Double Concerto and Kurt Weill's Second Symphony. Tough going; but fortunately, we were well guided by conductor Cayenna Ponchione, and the whole thing culminated in a really nice concert in the sold-out Teatro Cicero in Cefalu...

And the return journe worked like a treat even though the Italian railways were supposed to be on strike (but by law, night trains and disabled services are not allowed to be hit by strike action)...

A view of the Mediterranean, from my compartment...

Dr GO

This is so cool to see, hear and feel your experience. It's the personal touches you put into this site that made it the BEST.

barliman2001

@Dr-GO Thank you.

barliman2001

And here is a very short soundbite (from Wood Notes)

https://www.facebook.com/regina.schorg/videos/1462815754629587/?comment_id=320098674453597&reply_comment_id=706899228128318&notif_id=1715556793796595&notif_t=mentions_reply&ref=notif