Bobadohshe Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 It's been an interesting week. I was so pumped to sub on a challenging jazz hit on Tuesday at a cool venue five blocks away from my house. I had just parked and was getting out of my car to unload when I proceeded to slam the car door on my right pinky. I felt the throbbing smash and hoped it was just a nasty pinch but when I looked down there was a gash and blood was flowing at a nice clip. It was one of those moments where you wish you could go back and do the last 5 seconds over. I called the leader sheepishly and told him 'Sorry, I can't make the gig I have to go to the E.R.'. which was just great, as there's nothin like that feeling of letting your fellow musicians down. So I stopped by my house and burst in telling my wife 'I am taking your car to the E.R., I need you to put my car (full of gear) in the garage'. I made my way to the room that has our first aid stuff in it and flicked the light on. But the light didn't come on. I cursed at the light and all of a sudden the power for the whole house went out. Sure why not. So in mild shock I fumbled for my cell phone light and grabbed some gauze, some ice from the freezer, and put a woefully overmatched band aid on my gaping wound. I made my way to our local ER and sat around for 2 hours until they could admit me. While I sat around I watched the relatively empty waiting room steadily fill up with a diverse cast of characters including a couple of good looking young tweakers holding but not eating chicken nuggets, to some homeless guys to EMTs pushing wheelchairs containing bummed people. At about 90 minutes I approached one of the EMTs and showed him my wound and asked 'Hey, am I in the right place?'. He said yes. But people with life threatening stuff like traumas and heart attacks are admitted first, through a door that I don't see. And it happens to be one of the busiest nights they've seen in weeks, at pretty much the busiest ER in the county. Okay well that makes sense, treat those folks first! I just don't want to lose the use of my finger because I waited around when I could have gone somewhere else. It happens to be how I make my living. I finally get treated with X rays (which were negative), a tetanus booster, a bunch of shots of lidocane at the base of my finger (to numb it) and five stitches on this cut. While I'm waiting on this I am texting everybody from this great week of gigs I had been looking forward to. Fun funky organ trio at a pizza/beer spot on Thursday - sorry dude I have to bail. Duo on Friday at a hotel with one of my favorite singers - gotta find someone else. So I left with a prescription for 800 mg Ibuprofen and antibiotics. The next day I went to my church rehearsal on Wednesday and figured that if I can't play piano with 10 fingers at least I can lay down something utilitarian with 9 fingers. It went better than expected. The big test would be over the weekend. 2 huge corporate gigs with my Top 40 band for which it would be both really difficult and really obnoxious to the band for me to find a sub. Not to mention how much $ could I stand to lose? So I decided I would soldier on through it with 9 fingers. Some of the stuff on these top 40 parts would need to be simplified, but I could get through it. My biggest worry was this jazz trio set we had to do before our Top 40 set on Saturday. Exposed soloing down a finger. So we nervously count off the first tune and right away I was pretty happy to find that my sub conscious could mostly plot a course around that finger. I breathed a sigh of relief and the rest of the gig went well. The morning right after I had church which went off without a hitch, that afternoon I went to a buddy's high school big band rehearsal to help their keyboardist, and I did more talking than playing so that was cool, and that night (last night) had a corporate hit for 3 freezing hours outside on the beach, but again it mostly went smoothly. And now all the gigs are being cancelled due to corona virus and AB5! What a time to be alive. But the good news is my finger should hopefully have time to heal. The bad news is I can't practice and I can't garden. Still, I was pretty lucky that nothing was broken and that I didn't totally ruin any gigs for anyone. Gnarly pics and video from the 9 fingered jazz trio set below:: (cross posted with some alterations on Facebook) [video:youtube] Quote Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanael_I Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 So glad you will eventually be OK! Scary stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyNQ Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Ah that sucks Bobby. Wish you a speedy recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 [video:youtube] Very nice! Best of luck hope you heal soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 When something like that happens, you can focus on your bad luck, or instead on how much worse it could have been. Just a few centimeters one way or the other would have been so much better or worse. Reminds me of the several times I've had to play injured. Unlike you, it's never been my livelihood. Yet that doesn't make it less, um, interesting. The one that stands out was dislocating my shoulder bodysurfing, then somehow playing a gig that evening barely able to lift that arm. I remember my girlfriend driving me to the gig and possibly some self-medicating. Quote Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 I'm sure you figured this out by now, but you're supposed to be fully outside the car before you close the door. Hope this helps. Quote Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokely Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 [video:youtube] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaware Dave Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Happened to me many years ago. I was getting stuff out of the basement for the gig that night. I carried my 8 space rack up the steps and tripped on the last step. As I fell forward my right index finger pushed across the edge of the door, ripping a cut in my finger at the joint. I could see the bone. I rushed to the doctor and he put 8-10 stiches in my index finger and wrapped it up. I asked him to make it as flexible as possible and he laughed at me saying " there's no way you are playing tonight". Well, I did and about 11PM the finger started throbbing and it hurt pretty bad. At the end of the gig the guitar player said with a straight face "dude, you really sucked tonight..". And he was serious. Quote 57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn Delaware Dave Exit93band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
re Pete Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 I'm a big believer in CA glue to the rescue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Fingers are tough to deal with, we are so dependent on them, especially on the right hand. Quote "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted March 10, 2020 Author Share Posted March 10, 2020 When something like that happens, you can focus on your bad luck, or instead on how much worse it could have been. That's true! And I have to say after my initial shock at my new circumstances, I actually got kind of fired up for the free nights I'll have to hang with my wife and kid. It could have been WAY worse that's totally right. Quote Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 That's true! And I have to say after my initial shock at my new circumstances, I actually got kind of fired up for the free nights I'll have to hang with my wife and kid. It could have been WAY worse that's totally right. You have a kid? Wow, congrats, Bobby! Yeah, so now there's an upside to any downtime. Endless entertainment and the unique sort of satisfaction that only comes by suspending a busy life and really spend quality time with a child. Quote Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephonic Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Dang, Bobby, sorry to hear that! Get well soon. Quote local: Korg Nautilus 73 | Yamaha MODX8 away: GigPerformer home: Kawai RX-2 | Korg D1 | Roland Fantom X7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Not gonna read this thread. Mangled finger thoughts give me nightmares. Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Mike Metlay Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 Here's to a speedy recovery! Quote Dr. Mike Metlay (PhD in nuclear physics, golly gosh) Musician, Author, Editor, Educator, Impresario, Online Radio Guy, Cut-Rate Polymath, and Kindly Pedant Editor-in-Chief, Bjooks ~ Author of SYNTH GEMS 1 clicky!: more about me ~ my radio station (and my fam) ~ my local tribe ~ my day job ~ my book ~ my music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Mike Metlay Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 Not gonna read this thread. Mangled finger thoughts give me nightmares. This from a guy named "stubb"? Quote Dr. Mike Metlay (PhD in nuclear physics, golly gosh) Musician, Author, Editor, Educator, Impresario, Online Radio Guy, Cut-Rate Polymath, and Kindly Pedant Editor-in-Chief, Bjooks ~ Author of SYNTH GEMS 1 clicky!: more about me ~ my radio station (and my fam) ~ my local tribe ~ my day job ~ my book ~ my music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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