Pops goes the prognosis

My ears are being treated to the sounds of the Boston Pops … Waltzes, Gershwin, movie magic and pop favorites … One can’t help but smile at the thought of watching the great performances of this orchestra, the conducting of Arthur Fiedler, or John Williams … or especially Keith Lockhart.

It still seems surreal to me that I met Keith Lockhart … that was during my first year of college … when a world-famous conductor glanced at me briefly as he shook my hand, autographed my ticket, and said "let me guess, a music student, planning to teach" …

Sometimes it’s hard to believe how much has changed since back then. I was focussed, to the point that one professor spent an entire year "niggling" me to see if I’d fall off my perch of poise and discipline … long before carpal tunnel, finances, or breakdowns … my focus used to radiate so much that complete strangers saw it … now I barely see it at all …

I had an appointment with Pawdoc the other day to follow up on the testing I’d had done in the previous year … his recommendation is that I have the surgery, and sooner than later, as he feels there is nothing herbal or therapeutic that I can undertake that will be of benefit, and prolonging it anymore than I already have will only make it prone to further nerve and tissue damage.

Part of me says he’s right, and that I need to have it done, but I’d be lying if I said I’m not scared. The surgery is extremely common, and often people recover without any adverse effects, but you still hear of those rare occasions where the surgery is botched and the residual damage is irreversible … my two most prominent skill sets are music and technology, both of which require full faculty of my hands … and right now, I type too much and play too little, but the reality is I can still play … what if the surgery goes wrong … it’s something I really don’t want to think about, but my brain keeps dwelling on it …