Official Luthiers Forum!

      I just responded to a PM from a fellow OLFer and thought I'd drop a
quick update in the forum.

      After my last appointment with my surgeon, he scheduled me for a
few tests to heck things out following the shoulder surgery that he did on
november 3rd of 2006.

     The two muscles that had been torn completely off of the bone in my
right shoulder had been completely detached from July when the injury
occurred to November when i had surgery to reattach them and to correct
several other tears in the rotator cuff on that shoulder.

    The surgeon had expressed some concern about whether or not they
would begin to fire again and respond to commands. Well, evidently, my
slower than expected recovery has been caused by the simple fact that
they are not firing and responding properly.

     A different approach which will include electrical stimulation and
deliberate efforts to force them to begin to respond on top if a more
aggressive therapy regimen should bring some much needed progress
finally.

    I've tried to get into my shop, but have been stopped after only an hour
or so by soreness and swelling of the shoulder. I still subsitute for the
unresponsive muscles just as though they were still detached so the new
techniques are welcome.

Thanks and regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

Kevin:

Best good wishes for your recovery.

Have you given thought to running a lutherie school as an alternative to building?

Howard

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Sorry to hear about your problems Kevin. Sounds like youre on a long road to recovery but hang in there mate, Im sure with time and perseverance we'll see a full recovery and you back in your workshop working normal hours.

Or as you are so good at putting things into words (as was commented on it the Serge thread) what about a book.

Show the world how to build a guitar as good as yours!!!

That'll gove the shoulder time to heal and get you back building properly.....

Get well soon either way!!

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

Here's to a complete recovery Kevin. The ideas above seem like great ideas to me.Someone with your experiance
could do these things, no problem!Maybe just until your shoulder recovers or along with your building. What do you think?

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

martin's suggestion is probably well founded. after all, how many of the books out there have been written by someone with the number of guitars in their resume as you have. you should seriously give it considersation. as for the shoulder and all the keyboard entry, the voice recognitions software is pretty good these day.

regardless, i hope the physio and the doctors can come up with a regimen which returns painless full function in short order.

Ditto to everything that Michael just wrote Kevin. Full recovery is my hope for you as well mate. But if you do need to wind back the shop work a little in order to allow the electro stimulation treatment and other physio to do their work for you, perhaps you could fill a bit of your spare time sharing your gift in writing.

After all Kev, you do have so very much to offer, and when it comes to sharing, you are a true master.

Cheers

Kim

Kevin,
Please do get better soon! So sorry to hear that it will take longer to heal. I like Howard's suggestion, and would be willing to donate some jigs to the new school. I'm sure many sponsor's here would be willing to help out to get it started. Best of luck in whatever you choose. Happy Easter!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

I like Howard's suggestion as well! I'd gladly help out if you ever needed and
extra arm as it were, or if you needed a guest lecturer for a day to bore the
students...

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

I second the school idea. I would be happy to come up and pick up some tips. Or help with running the class.

(Now back to your 150 gtr backlog )

Keep it up Kevin, I am in PT for my shoulder 2 or 3 times a week, ultrasound, electrical therapy, excercise, stretches etc... The electric stuff is an interesting sensation. I second the Xbox 360 approach of Hesh's. I find it stress releiving and fun sometimes.
Get better soon!!
Evan

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http://www.NewYorkGuitarRepair.com

Best wishes to you Kevin and good luck with the new treatments.

I also think the school is a good idea. With the talent and experience you have and all the weekend luthiers and luthier wannabes out there I would think that you could keep a steady stream of income coming in while your shoulder heals. In your school you may also find a good apprentice that can help you catch up on that 150 backlog of yours.

Hey Kevin-

Good luck with the new therapies. I destroyed my left ankle a few years back. Part of my therapy was electrical stimulation and it worked wonders - I hope it jump starts your muscles into working again.

Ask your doctor or therapist if a take home unit is something your insurance covers - its called a "Tens" unit and that is what I feel helped the most with strenghtening the muscles and with inflammation.

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

I am sure, Kevin, that you are disappointed that you are not fully back yet. Hang in there, we are pulling for you!

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

John,
    I have a Tens unit here that I've been using for a couple of months. The
electrical treatments they're doing now are being done by the surgeon
instead of by the therapists. It employs electrical current of much higher
frequency than the Tens unit can generate since it's actually an effort to
revive those muscles that sat dormant for the months between the unjury
and surgery dates.

    Hopefully, they respond quickly.

Thanks,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

Thanks for the update Kevin. I hope and pray that your muscles cooperate and the surgeon is successful.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.