Hello everyone,
Please accept my apologies for the brief “commercial” nature of this post.
My email account has been flooded lately by email from yahoo email groups.
I’d like to ask my customers to please be patient. If you’ve tried to contact me and I’ve not replied, please try again. I’m 95% sure I’ve caught most of the valid emails…but*! Believe me, I FEEL your pain, and your orders are on my mind 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If the emails fail to reach me as quickly as you like, my phone number is 651-765-0048.
Yes, it’s official, my customer service MUST be the worst right now! I’d like to accept that award on behalf of… oops! Seriously, my thanks to all of my customers who have been so patient. This has been a nightmare of a year for me.
The carpal tunnel saga continues. The first surgery appears to have been pointless and has cost me months of productivity and anguish. My new Doctor now tells me I never should have had the first surgery at all.
So after months of anguish, money lost, bullying and fear mongering by doctors, I’m not much closer to understanding what is going on. We’ve had to stop homeschooling our girls and my wife is under the gun to finish her degree. Besides the constant pain and discomfort, my spirits are at an all time low and I have suffered constant personal attacks.
And now… As a famous officer once said …“just the facts”
All whistle orders are nearly complete and as long as my current condition continues to improve, should be shipping within the next month or two.
Pipe orders will be completed as quickly as I am physically able without damaging myself or compromising the quality of my work.
I still intend on continuing as an instrument maker, though under an altered buisness model.
David,
sad to read this. I wish you all the best for a quick recovery. As long as you communicate openly and honestly how things are going on, your customers should be understanding and patient.
I am shocked to hear that anyone would criticize or pressure a person with health concerns.
Please rest and recuperate in the knowledge that this member of the piping community wants only your health and well-being. Beyond that nothing matters.
David (and Kora),
My thoughts and prayers are with you. Bad health and low morale are a disastrous combo, so I hope that they both improve as the days pass. Take care of yourself and the family…
You wrote …"fear mongering by doctors"the fact that you would write this proves my point once again…half the feckers who graduate from med school have no business doing so. Good Luck with the hand doctors…and better luck with all the impatient musicians!
David, I had -have- a very, very, very, very similar problem in both arms. I really know how much you are suffering now.
I´ve been more than four years with that, but now I can play again the flute and pipes. After all (some days I couldn´t eat with spoon or even caress my girlfriend!) it has almost disappeared with calm, gymnastics, good postures at playing and time.
Don´t worry, trust me. You´ll play and make pipes again.
Thanks guys..Joe I send you a pm regarding the massage…and hey, if Laurie is willing, well then!! I guess I’m game!!
oops sorry… Lewis, I hope I didn’t insult you..seriously, none was intended. The fact is, I have truly only ever met (in a doctor-patient situation) one..maybe 2 doctors who deserved their title. I don’t think the rest are evil..(well maybe one hand surgeon I can think of) ..mostly a reult of a badly broken system. But it is sad when the Doctor that takes his time, listens to the whole story, goes the extra mile, CARES etc. is the exception rather than the rule. And believe me, I accept most of the blame. The fact is I let myself be bullied and intimidated. Frankly I’ve been scared witless… THESE ARE MY HANDS I’m talking about here..not my big toe!
…even the nurse, who was assigned to the evil dr. and the one to remove my stitches, was an utter moron and almost got a head butt from me (seriously) Everyone here knows the fundamentals of sewing yes? OK…my stitches…IN MY BLASTED HAND..ahem… were knotted at each end. What does Nurse Moron do? She cuts one stitch in the middle and starts to pull. HARD. Still not following??..ok..think of a drawstring on a laundry bag..what happens when you pull it tight? There you go. OUCH.
Anyways…I did it myself.
Again, thanks guys. This truly has been a hideous time for me. Besides the physical strain, I’m left feeling like a failure and like I’ve let everyone down. But I can only work so many hours before my arms look like Popeye’s! Where is that apprentice when I need him!? Egore? Or is that Eye-gore?!
take care of those mitts and get better. Get some glucosamine/chondroitin pills. Supposed to be great for the joint health. My fingers are a mess from rock climbing and it seems to have helped aid recovery time.
Massage therapy is also great. It’s fixed me up good a couple of times.
Pipe making is an art and quality takes time. Not stating anything there that I don’t think we all agree on, but I know I’d hate to see any artisan have to rush just to please clients. I’m sure none of us would. And in the piping world, there are plenty of opportunities to get instruments to tide us over until a custom set is ready.
Yes, go out and buy yourself a recorder if you’re that hard up. About the time you’ve actually figured out how to play it, your pipes will be in your lap.
Sorry to hear the news David. I have had some very bad experiences with doctors. They seem to be either really bad or really good, but it is a crap shoot, not to be confused with a poop shoot (can I say that here).
The doctors I have had to deal with concerning my son could really put one in depression. But he is doing great right now, despite their efforts, a totally different kid.
By the way, the C chanter is a real joy to play and does not seem to be as bothered by the dry air as my concert pitch.
