ericcoleman | Entries tagged with health

Actually pretty good. The last couple of months I have had back problems which are almost entirely resolved. I had to sleep semi-sitting up on the recliner for a month or so. Laying down caused a lot of pain.

I am slowly coming back to playing guitar. My hands are doing very well. I don't have my speed up, nor my calluses where I want them yet, but I'm getting there.

My lungs are good, I mean really good. I am not as worried this winter about them. Doesn't mean that I am taking too many chances, but less stress is good.

And of course there is the whole thing with us asking for some help, and our friends taking that as a dare. The response helped us immensely and gave us a piece of mind that we have not had in a couple of years. I can never be able to properly express my thanks.

The Shifting City project keeps, well, shifting. I am still looking for the point of view for the lyrics. I am on story line #4 now. Three of them are connected and the direction I am going seems promising. I have all this music, I need words.

FilkCast is done for the year. We put together a month of just music shows and they are already uploaded and scheduled so we have 5 weeks off. Our intention is to get a lot more done with our music in that time.

My weight is a problem, I am the heaviest I have ever been. I still can't get around well, but now that the holidays are over a lot of the temptation is gone. Back to no soda, no chocolate, no fast food, a lot less sugar and simpler snacky things.

Having the trike at the end of the summer helped a lot, but I need something with a more powerful engine. I can still only do so much of the pedaling myself, and not having pedal assist means that even the slightest inclines become difficult if not impossible. We do have a place nearby where I can go several miles with no real struggle. I want spring to get here so I can get back to that.

The new car is ridiculous. We're slowly digging into what that screen does. It came with a few months of Sirius radio, so Lizzie has been listening to nothing but Christmas music since we got it. We were listening to the pop Xmas channel and became the musical MST3K. We've spent several evenings wandering around town looking at Christmas lights. It's our favorite thing to do this time of year.

It gets amazing gas mileage, we can't wait to take it on the road to see what it gets there. Once again, we would not have had the means to be able to do this if it wasn't for the help from our friends.

Our passports expired in 2019, not too long after we got back from England. We sent off the renewals yesterday. That means that FKO is a definite possibility. We need to see our friends.

We're still not dealing with people well. 14 months of isolation did both of us a lot of damage, physically and mentally. Hopefully there will be a couple of road trips and a couple more cons in 2024.

Speaking of which, who will be in Indianapolis for the eclipse? Talk has gone around about there being filk happening somewhere. There are a lot of filkers in the area, and since Lizzie's family lives there, it's where we're going to see the eclipse.

This ended up a lot longer than I thought. If you got this far, say hi, I need to hear from people. I do feel isolated sometimes. Not as badly as I did, but we really don't go much of anywhere, especially with it being so hard for me to get around. We are heading to Winter SACC in a few hours, see some local friends, play some music. We intend to drop in on the 24 Hour New Years Filk tomorrow.

This year has been hard, but it is ending well. Now to make next year better.

It has been a matter of question for some time as to how my guitar playing was going to go. I was having all kinds of problems with my hands. Trigger finger in my left index finger, so playing anything where I had to bend that back was almost impossible. My right index finger and thumb were in pretty much constant pain. I can’t lift things very well, so just putting on a guitar is difficult/.

I worked out what was bothering my right hand, and took out out of the equation. I have very little pain or stiffness now.

I pinged my doctor about the left hand, ready to go talk to the surgeon who has worked on my hands before. My doctor wanted to see me first. I ended up with a shot, something different than what the surgeon has given me before, and ya know … it worked. Playing a D chord hurt … a lot. I had to snap my index finger back straight, and that sent a surge of pain through my entire body. I had been playing in alternate tunings, playing songs that took one or two fingers to play, and even that hurt. Last week I picked up a guitar and ran through some chords. The real problems, D, Am and Dm were all easy. My hands are weak, but that is just a matter of playing every day.

We have our second show this year next month, and that is a real frustration. Not that we have a show, but that it is only our second. I’m still hoping on getting a place to play locally, but that is still elusive.

My old bouzouki has gotten to where it is probably more effort to fix it up than replace it. It needs a fret job, a new bridge, the neck may need to be trued. I have a Sweetwater credit card and don’t have to pay things off for months to years. I have a lovely Gold Tone bouzouki. I hate the strings, they are brutally heavy, but lighter strings are on the way (The strings I used on the old instrument are too light for this). She is taking a bit of getting used to, but we are coming to terms with each other. Lizzie says her name is Angelique.

We went to Wisconsin this weekend to see Alexander James Adams play. We really shouldn’t have spent the money, but we desperately needed a bit of road time. Traveling is so much of who we are, and we have done so little even as the world has become a little more sane. It was worth every penny. We saw great music in a great place. We saw dear, dear friends who we do not see often enough.

Then today I contact my CPAP provider to see how I was doing on the requirements for the insurance.

We owe a fair amount of money for health related things right now. We have monthly payments going out, which take up all the money we would normally spend for things like travel and cons. Today I was told that I was not in compliance, and insurance would not pay for the CPAP. So we’re another grand in debt. So now I feel like a complete idiot for taking a road trip and for buying an instrument.

I’m hoping on being able to get out of all this medical debt in a year, and the rest in two years. We’ll see how that goes.

The podcast is both wonderful and a strain. It gets hard to pick songs. Our library has grown to ridiculous levels. But people are being more vocal about it. There was a great deal of silence for a very long time, and that makes someone who suffers from impostor syndrome, well, get very worried. Thank you to everyone who has said nice things. We need to hear that.

The trike riding continues. We about to the end of the season for that, but we are going to continue for as long as we can.

I worry about diving back into the depression I was in for much of the last several years. We both need to find ways to find joy. We need to play, we need shows. Cons are out of the question generally, since they cost so much. We are doing the two Iowa cons, and those because they have both been so good to us. We need to finish the re-writing of two albums, and see about getting them recorded, but that is more money than we have, and more than I think we can raise. I have two finished songs for my synth project. I need to get those properly recorded, mixed and released. And it’s so hard. Lizzie’s job can be kind of mind-numbing. It takes so much of her energy. Mine is mind-numbing in a totally different way.

I need to get myself playing guitar (or something like it) every day. I need to do the same with my synths. Getting better sleep because of the CPAP has made me sharper. So I am more inclined to be creative. I need to keep that going.

We need to find a local place to play. The problem is that original music has very few outlets in this town, and even fewer for an acoustic duo.

Life continues to be a struggle, but I am more hopeful than I have been. Although it is likely that some that is the anti-anxiety meds. I turn 65 at the end of the year, so all of my medical stuff is going to change. We’ll see how that goes.

So how are you?

It’s been pretty damn interesting.

I am generally doing better physically. I am certainly doing better mentally. I have a Cpap, which I still struggle with, but it’s getting better. I’m getting around a little better, but only a little. It’s a long process.

The electric trike is marvelous. I have not been out on it nearly enough, but it’s been too hot. I really don’t cope with 100 degree weather. This week is better. Once we get this week’s podcast done, we are going to head out for a couple of evenings.

Had a home invasion Friday. My son, his wife and Miss Izzy came to see us. We went downstairs where there is more room to sit and Izzy saw the synths and said “PIANO!”.

“Do you want me to turn them on?”
“YES!”

So she and I sat and played the keyboards for a while. Then we went off to see model trains and have frozen custard. All in all a pretty good evening. She finally knows us and remembers us. We haven't been able to see her as much as we would have liked. That is changing.

Our air conditioning went out yesterday, hopefully that will all be covered, we’ll see. Someone is in tomorrow to look at it.

We seem to have come to an end to the mounting medical bills. Now we just have to pay them off. That’s the hard part. It's a lot of money.

Lizzie’s job just got weird. There is a power mongering manager who cannot deal with the idea that more work gets done when most folks are at home so they are insisting that people be in the office more. They cannot accept that the whole working world has changed. This will do odd things to both of our schedules. Fortunately my boss is cool with it.

My job continues to be boring and tenuous. I still have a job, hopefully will for the next two years, at which point I can retire. But they are doing cuts through the company again. If I lose this job we could be in a bit of trouble.

I want to get the synth project really moving. One song is written, but there hasn't been time to relearn the music and get it recorded. I have lots of fragments for the rest of the songs.

Cheshire Moon is stirring quietly. We're trying to get going again, but it's a struggle. We have one show ahead of us, ICON in Cedar Rapids in October. If we had more shows, we would be more motivated, but we can't afford cons. ICON will be a little easier, it's relatively local. We haven't been to a Chicago con in quite a few years. I think we have put out 2 full length CDs and one of the EPs since we were there last. We want to get back on stage. There is a local place that is promising, but neither of us can get up the energy to contact them. If anyone wants to host a house concert that is in a 6 hour drive for us ...

So that is the update. Things move along, some good some bad.

I went to the cardiologist this morning. I have apparently remained grossly unremarkable. No sign of any blockage at all. This makes me very happy.

Hopefully there will not be much more in doctors bills this year, we still have a lot to get out from under.

I got a message over on FB a couple days ago asking if I was ok. I had been pretty much silent online. It's nice to have someone reach out. I feel really isolated most of the time. Lizzie is pretty much the only person I actually speak to.

The short answer is pretty good. I have gone through a bunch of testing the last month, two scans of my heart and a sleep test.

The first chest scan led to my favorite thing ever said about me. I understand that this is a medical term for everything looks fine at first glance, but if I ever do another solo record, I will call it this ...

Grossly Unremarkable.

It makes me giggle.

The scans seem to be OK, but I talk to the doctor in a month for the real diagnosis. The fact that he has not called me in early is a good sign.

The sleep test came out pretty much as expected. My sleep apnea has gotten worse. I will say that that night was the worst night sleep I have had in months. The night before or after may have had a different result, but, they know what they are doing.

We're taking a beating financially. We have a bit of extra money this month, so I was able to get rid of a lot of the little stuff, but we both still have two very large medical bills hanging out there with more coming.

Helvetica cracked a tooth. He is getting that dealt with in a month. More money going out.

So we are not traveling this year. No cons, except Icon which is local. We probably shouldn't do that.

I can get around a little better but I still can't walk very far. I want an electric trike so I can ride and pedal as much as I am capable of, but wow are they out of our price range.

Lizzie continues to work from home and I work from home part time, so we get a lot of time together. Yeah, we still like being around each other all the time.

I'm trying to get back to playing guitar, but it's hard. We have no shows, we have no way to record either album this year, all that drives the depression that made me stop in the first place. We're looking for local shows, just so we can get back to playing live. I think I have a location. There is an open mic at a coffee shop we have gone to a couple of times and they have a nice space. We'll see what they think. I am uncertain as to whether we can pull in an audience.

My granddaughter turned 3 last week. We have seen her twice in the last couple of weeks, and she is finally getting to know us. She ran across the room and gave both of us a hug. And there is another due in October.

My former father in law passed a month ago. I am sad that I had not seen him for quite some time, I liked him a lot.

I do comment and post on some groups on FB, but I hate it so much.

There was a Toyboat reunion of sorts at Demicon. Mike Nixon was playing a solo show, Random Fractions were playing as well, so Mike thought it would be fun if the 4 of us got together for the last half of his show. We called it Mayday. We weren't too awful, considering we had one rehearsal. I don't expect it to happen again, we're not traveling for awhile, and Cathy and Pat are moving out west sometime next year (I think).

So there ya go. Eric in a nutcas ... nutshell.

How are you?

I want to post about ever other day.

I went to the cardiologist last week. The numbers are not as bad as I feared. Still not good, but not immediately dangerous. My scans are mid May.

I went for a consultation on a sleep test today. At least I am didn’t have the doctor I dealt with last time. I called her The Sleep Cultist. She was scary. When I told her about the music circles, and how late (or early) they could go she freaked.

This doctor was much more reasonable. And I don’t have to go to some strange semi-hotel sort of place, have them paste a bunch of sensors to my head then then try to follow the instruction of “sleep normally”. They will send some gear home with me, I’ll put it on one night, and then drop it off the next day. Easy (he says)

We snuck out of town for some special shenanigans this weekend. I won’t say what is going on specifically, but I will say that you want to come to Demicon May 5-7 to find out what is going on. That and the great music track Bryan Baker has put together.

Adam Stemple
Orckes And Trolles
Valerie Baker
Bryan Baker
CW Smith
Michael Nixon
Dave Stagner
Random Fractions
Beth Kinderman And The Player Characters
The Microphone Misfitz

And some local pair as the music GOH. She’s nice, he’s kinda sketchy.

I still don’t have my voice completely back. I did some of FilkCast last week, we’ll see if I can do more this week.

More later in the week.

I got the phone call from the cardiologist’s office late last week. They wanted to get me set up for the stress test. The woman on the phone was very funny. She said that the doctor may decided to do something else, but they wanted to get me in as early as possible just in case. If the doctor decides to go another direction, they can cancel it.

Another reason why I like my current health system better than the last. My last doctor would have waited for me to have the heart attack, and then done something. Never anything preventative.

The bad side of this is that the stress test isn’t until mid May. So I have a month and a half to worry.

The first bill from the ER visit hit last week. Hit is the right word, it’s a lot. I called yesterday to see about starting a payment plan, and the very nice person I talked to said that I should wait. There was still a smaller part of the bill out to insurance, and the bill for the follow up with my doctor. Neither of those will be much, but it is so unusual to hear anyone say “hang on and do this later” when it comes to bills.

Music continues, slowly. My calluses are nonexistent. I have a month to do something about that. We’re playing more, and feeling better about it.

We have been rearranging gear. Lizzie’s pedalboard had become too small, so she grabbed my old board and is using that. The sounds she can get out of the fiddle are amazing. I have a small acoustic board, just a volume pedal, a tuner, a reverb and my usual preamp/DI. I’m also putting together an electric board. I want to get back to using the effects. There is so much gear in our house.

My voice is almost back to normal, I may actually be on FilkCast this week.

I’m tired today. I took yesterday off, had a mental health day. It helped a lot.

We have shenanigans planned this weekend. Rehearsal for some stuff at Demicon. Then a few quiet weekends, then Demicon. Oh, and we’re hosting a Steve Goodie house concert near the end of the month. That is always fun.

So better, but still dodgy.

When the alarm went off, I went back to sleep after Lizzie got out of bed. I had not felt that tired in ages. A couple of hours later I woke up with a mild fever. It got quite a bit worse as the morning went along. I was freezing, which is odd for me. I usually feel warm when I have a fever. This has puzzled people for most of my life. It wasn't until 15 years ago or so that I started getting chills when I had a fever.

After my second nap, also unusual for me, we decided that I needed to be tested. Calls were made, some less useful than others. We ended up at the Mercy Clinic over by the Capitol. My fever broke on the way over there. I was at my usual low temp. By the time I got home, it had come back slightly.

The Nurse Practitioner that I dealt with was wonderful. She alleviated a lot of my fears.

They took saliva, not the nose or throat swab. I told the Nurse that I adored her for that. I also made a point of telling everyone I dealt with how much we appreciate what they do, and how much we worry about them.

So the end result is we will know in two days. I have some specific instructions as to when we need to go to the ER. They are not news to me after earlier this year.

We are in isolation, which means none of our usual weekend food, which makes me sad. But that's ok, I can deal with being completely locked up with my wife.

A quick aside on how we are doing generally. Even with all the stress in the world around us, we love being together all the time. I mean really love it. We're 3 months in, and we are more crazy about each other than we were before.

Some good things happen.

Ok, a bit of food, then back to the couch. Our love to all of you.

So, yesterday. A football game. First of all, I hate football, I really do. I used to watch it occasionally when I was a kid, but over the years I have come to despise it.

That said, it was the most active day I have had since I got hurt earlier this year. I walked about 3 1/2 miles according to Lizzie. That included a 35% incline up to our seats, and not a short distance. Then a walk all the way down to the 6th row. Going down stairs is still hard for me, my center of gravity is still forward. Then back up those stairs later, and back down the incline, also difficult.

And we gamed last night.

My legs are kinda done today, but I'm still in better shape than I was just a couple months ago.

I keep going forward.

Good news. Finally.

Well, I am doing generally better. PT is kicking my butt, but in a good way.

Money is still a bit hairy, but better than I thought. Insurance covered pretty much everything for my hand. All of what I went through this last month cost very little and CD sales covered most of that. Thank you everyone who helped.

We're still dealing with the lost wages but it fell on a month where some of that can be dealt with.

If you want to help out, we do have CDs and shirts for sale. Even if you don't want to help out, we still have CDs and shirts for sale.

http://www.cheshiremoonband.com/merch.html

Sleep, lots and lots of sleep. I feel so good today. And we have a houseful. Jared and Reilly are over for the first time since I got hurt. It's lovely. We're making a run to Des Moines later in the day for GC and custard. They are staying over tonight as well. Just as well, we are off to Detroit next weekend. Then home for a weekend, then off with them to Musecon. That will be our last con until Capricon. Next year it is likely that the only cons will be Cap, Balticon and Demicon.

We have shows coming up, next weekend at Detcon, then a couple in August, a couple in September. I'll post about those later.

Moving forward in leaps and bounds now. I am still being careful.

Still trying to get some CDs sold. We have a lot of extra bills the next couple of months and we can use all the help we can get.

There are CDs and shirts on the webpage below. We're almost sold out of shirts, we only have a few sizes left. We do have both of our CDs available. We will also include a burned copy of the Summer Singles with every purchase. If you go to our Bandcamp page, linked on the page below, you can get all of our songs in mp3 or flac format.

Please boost the signal, and if you can think of anywhere else we could post this that wouldn't mind, please let us know.

http://www.cheshiremoonband.com/merch.html

I got sleep. That has been the main problem over the week or so, I just haven't been sleeping. I woke up about 1:30, in the nights before that meant I would be awake till dawn. I was back asleep in an hour. I woke up around dawn, and went back to sleep until a little after 10. So about 9 hours of sleep total, the most I have gotten since before this all began. I've been averaging 3-4 the last week.

It feels glorious!

I am frequently overwhelmed by the people I know. Being a bit of a misanthrope, being a bit of an introvert (yeah, I know, it's hard to believe but both Lizzie and I are kind of shy homebodies by nature), I am continually amazed that people actually like me.

I am even more amazed when I ask for help, and people give it. We have sent out packages today, enough to pay for any of the remaining medical bills for my hand. One of my dearest friends showed up at our door today, handed us cash, and then took off. (it was kinda cute)

I have no idea what we have left from the last month, but thank you for this bit of piece of mind that you have given me.

Next week is going to be rough. I go back to work on Monday, and It's still pretty rough getting around. I still wear out really fast. I will be careful.

And if you still want to help us out, go take a listen. CDs are for sale on our website. There is a link on that page to our Bandcamp page, where you can listen to all of our releases.

Thank you. Everyone who has posted kind thoughts on my various pages, everyone who has bought a CD, everyone who has boosted the signal.

And thank you to my beloved Lizzie Crowe. She has pulled me through two crises this year. I hope this is the end of it.

http://www.cheshiremoonband.com/merch.html

I'm going to be doing this occasionally over the next couple of weeks. Please, if you can, repost this, spread the signal. And please let people know why.

As most of you know, I have been off work for a month now with a pinched nerve. I spent a lot of that on my back. Lizzie took leave to take care of me, since I was not able to take care of myself without a lot of screaming and crying. The pain was horrible.

Lizzie is not getting paid for that time. I didn't think so, she thought that she might, but it's unpaid leave.

We don't know how much the medical bills will be. Not a lot, I have good insurance, but we are still hurting and a bit scared.

So, we're asking that you take a look at our music. We have two CDs out and a series of singles that were released last summer. We also have shirts for sale.

If you have the slightest interest in our music, please go take a listen and if you like what you hear, buy a CD. All of our music is also available on our Bandcamp page, which is linked to at the bottom of our merch page. You can also listen to everything on Bandcamp.

We do intend to play all of the shows we have now, after having to cancel a couple. Come out and see us. Throw some money in our jar.

This is hard to ask. I have always been a firm believer in supporting my friends who make music, but it's always been a little odd to push my own.

Please Help us out if you can.

http://www.cheshiremoonband.com/merch.html

Trying to sit at the table earlier today was a disappointment. Not unexpected, but still.

One of the problems, your basic solid wood dining room chair.

I decided I needed to get out of the house. You cannot believe how enclosed I have felt over the last weeks. From being in bed all the time, to being able to be in bed, or on the couch. It's been so frustrating.

To be in the car, I had to put the seat down all the way so I could lay down wherever we went. Think about that, the feeling of helplessness.

We got in the car, I put the seat up, and then slightly back, and off we went, just driving around town. Windows open, not going anywhere in particular. It was glorious. I felt better than I have in almost a month. I thought about work, and sitting up at home and decided to head to Staples.

I found a comfortable chair. Sat in it for a good 10 minutes. No leg twinges, no pain. That chair is now sitting in our dining room.

I never had to lay down in the car. I was up the entire time.

I'm still weak, I still have a long ways to go, but we have a new thing now. We get out of the house every day for the next week. We go somewhere. I get out of the car and walk a bit.

Big step forward.

I keep hoping we can get some sales. We certainly need the money. Both of our physical CDs are available at cheshiremoonband.com/merch.html. You can get digital downloads at cheshiremoon.bandcamp.com, you can also listen to the music there, see if you like it. If you buy both CDs we will throw in a burned copy of the summer singles, normally only available on Bandcamp or at shows.

Also, all of my solo CDs are available for download at Bandcamp as well. They are pay what you want so even free downloads right now would make me feel better.

We've been through hell this year between the pneumonia and the pinched nerve. I have been out of work for a total of 6 weeks so far this year, Lizzie 3 weeks. Please help us out. Please spread the signal.

I'm hoping on getting back to work on Monday. From how I have done today, with a bit of running around, this doesn't seem likely. I'm just so weak. The leg is better every day. Very little pain today, and that mostly from standing in one place. Walking is working pretty well.

My main worry is if they will approve the short term disability. I've already had to pay out so much money this year over health issues, both Lizzie and mine. If I have to pay for the last couple of weeks of work, we're in a bit of trouble.

If you haven't heard Lizzie and I, and have a bit of interest in what Cheshire Moon sounds like. Now would be a good time to go exploring. We could use the help.

cheshiremoonband.com/merch.html

Also, all 4 of my solo CDs are available at ericcoleman.bandcamp.com, pay what you want. They are

Fear And Self Loathing in Central Iowa (EP). 4 songs, three of which were rerecorded and in most cases rewritten for the later CDs
Some See The Glass Half Empty - My first full length CD, featuring Bang My Bald Spot, as heard on the Dr Demento show.
Eric Comes Alive - Recorded almost by accident, it's live at Windycon. It was a fun show.
I Had To Suffer For My Art, Now It's Your Turn. Some of my best songs, the best recorded stuff from my solo years, it sold the worst. Go figger.

My hand is doing better today. Yesterday my grip was really weak, today it is stronger. Still not up to full strength, but that will take awhile.

I have few pain issues from my hand as long as the area worked on doesn't make contact with anything. Most of my pain issues are from my desk and chair at work. We're trying to get my workspace figured out, but it has been awful the last couple of months.

There are certain things I have decided I can't do at work, I need to talk to my co-workers and get them sorted out. I should be able to get back to them next week. Mostly things involving the metal printing plates for the presses.

I can type just fine (or as fine as I normally do). The mouse bothered me over the weekend, but doesn't now.

Friday evening I will get to work on the guitar, I will have 2 1/2 weeks to get ready for the next show. If today is any indication, it shouldn't be a problem.

And the verdict is in. If my thumb has gone back to where it is in the time since I had the last cortisone shot, another shot will make no difference. So, Thursday May 29.

On the plus side, he says that I can get back to playing guitar as soon as the stitches are out, and I have almost four weeks to get back to where I need be for a short set. If I am not up to it by that time, it's ok, since it's a short set opening for Heather Dale at a house concert at our place, and I can back out of that if need be, or pick songs carefully to put the least strain on my thumb.. The next show is Detcon a month later.

It will take about 5 minutes. I will be awake for it. I expect it to be kinda creepy but cool as well. I ended up with two or three stitches last time, should be the same this time. My grip will change. But the doctor seems to think that it should be workable.

Profile

ericcoleman

Cheshire Moon

June 2025

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30

Syndicate

Page Summary

Style Credit

Style: by timeasmymeasure

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags

Page generated Jun. 25th, 2025 02:13 pm

Eric's House Of Ego

Entries tagged with health

The State Of The Eric - Late 2023 Edition

An update

May you live in interesting times they say

Another update

The state of the Eric

I haven’t posted since last week.

More stuff!

I have to say that Nurses and Nurse Practitioners continue to amaze me.

My weekend

Hey ...

Forward !!!

(no subject)

Sleep!

(no subject)

Asking again ...

All the news thats fit to print

Asking again