thebrig

I do sometimes think that if I'd had the "tendon" procedure instead of the "plastic" procedure in the first place, then maybe the outcome would have been better. As you can see from the attached photo, having the implant is very intrusive and requires drilling into the bones either side so the implant can be fitted.

Thanks, I am a lot happier now with my playing, although any musos watching would probably think I have terrible technique. It didn't stop me playing completely, but it was a struggle until recently, my bandmates were very understanding and if a certain song was too much for me, then they were happy to drop it. It could be different for your brother, and it depends on what type of procedure the specialist suggests, I might have been one of the unlucky ones. If he ever wanted to know more about my experience, just drop me a PM.

I have arthritis in both thumbs and had a trapeziectomy which is an operation to remove the trapezium (small piece of bone) in my right thumb in 2007, and I was supposed to have had the left one removed at a later date. I had an plastic bone inserted in the space, six month's later, I had to have it removed because of the pain it was causing and I could hardly move my thumb at all. When the artificial bone was removed the surgeon used one of the three tendons in my wrist that runs down to the thumb, it was rolled up and inserted in the space, I was in less pain but my movement was still restricted which meant placing my thumb on the pickup or strings was not only painful, but very clumsy and restrictive. Over the years I have had to rest my palm on the bass and done my best, but over the last 12 months or so, I am getting more and more movement and can now use the pickup or strings to anchor my thumb. Needless to say, I opted out of having the other thumb done and have since been told by other surgeons that it is a procedure that often fails. I would never advise anyone to have, or not have, a trapeziectomy because its down to the individual to choose, but I was told that I would have full movement within twelve months, but its been fourteen years to get back to around 75% movement. I've attached a photo of me and my better half five days after the second op.

Met up half-way with Ben to hand over my Lakland PJ which he purchased from me, a great guy and very trustworthy. Buy or sell with confidence. 🙂

I loved the song and it always went down well when we played it live

Strangely, I'm more comfortable playing songs like My Sharona and Billie Jean but I used to cr*p myself when we did AC/DC's Live Wire. I had to play the same note intro for what seemed like an age, I was always worried that I would get the tempo wrong or miss a note which stand out like a sore thumb, but once the drums and second guitar came in , no problem. 😉