Personal Reflections
Today, or rather tonight was my final concert with the university jazz orchestra. I am now officially on medical leave as I step back, clear the decks and try not to be so tightly wired. Those who have read earlier accounts of my illness in this blog know that I write about it for two reasons: it helps me sort things out to write about it and I also hope that other musicians – indeed anyone who works in an environment where there is a lot on the line a lot of the time, may learn from my experiences.
I have seen so many doctors (neurologists, psychologists, psychiatrists and general practitioners) over the past 2 and a half years that I have lost count. By far and away the greatest number of the doctors have been neurologists. They move me from one to the other as there are many sub specialties in neurology. The good news: I don’t have any of the horrible possibles: MS, ALS, Wilson’s, Parkinson’s and so on. At one time there was a good chance it was Wilson’s, but that has been ruled out. THere has been a great deal of progress on the what I don’t have front, and I suppose that means we are closer to finding out what the problems are, but it all seems so far away.
Tonight I am filled with sadness in losing my weekly contact with my students. These are far more than people I interact with in an academic setting. Their talents and their intellect, their accomplishments are all such a joy, but they are really wonderful people and many will graduate before I return to the school.
This is a process you face at the end of every academic year, but it is harder to deal with in mid stream. They are all staying together while I take some to heal and investigate my mysterious affliction(s).
I don’t plan to blog on this every day, but I will keep readers up to date on this aspect of what is going on.
Thanks for reading.
Oh…..and if you are free and looking to hear a really fine band with singer. the Trish Colter Sextet hits the Rex Jazz Bar on Friday the 25th. Its our “A” team: Chase Sanborn, Pat LaBarbera, Paul Read (that’s me), Pat Collins, Kevin Dempsey and Trish. Hope you can come out. There is a cover charge and things get underway at 9:30 pm. The Rex is at 194 Queen St. West in Toronto.
Bye for now