BUT, I went to the morning service on Wednesday morning. I spoke to a retired doctor who told me he was recovering from a soar throat. I said I wouldn't kiss him! But talking to him was enough. during the night, I felt this awful pain in my throat, cold hardly swallow.
I rinsed my mouth with warm water and some vinegar. I took some Paracetamol to be able to sleep until the morning. This I did. In the morning, my throat was on fire, I was coughing and my nose had changed into a cataract. I've been rinsing my nose and throat with warm water and salt. I wetted a cotton bud with almond oil, bergamot and tea tree oil. More Paracetamol. I won't go and contaminate my singing friends at church!
I hope I'll be alright to play the flute on St John's day.
I did try to rehearse what I thought would take the morning. Because of coughing, blowing my nose, inhaling steam, phoning my pulmonary nurse, the morning extended into the afternoon. I was so shattered I went to bed too during which I had a respite. Bergamot oil is soothing. But my nose runs and runs and runs!
I must find a silver lining in this! Cheers, Mic
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O dear Mic. When is St John's day? Sorry - ignorant about these things. Are you nervous about your playing? I play in semi-pro orchestra - violin. I've only just been diagnosed with COPD but I realise that for years really I've been getting infections just before performances. It's anxiety and no matter how well prepared I am I can't seem to relax and just do it. I don't know what to do about it. Think it's fantastic that you've taken up the flute. Do you still play the piano sometimes?
Piggi, Breathing exercises can calm you and also extremely good for your lung health/strength. Have a look on YouTube for demos.
Also there is something called Alexandra Tecnique. It's excellent for musicians for posture & opening the chest. I first took my asthmatic son many years ago.
Mic, I'm so sorry you've caught the bug. Do take care, I know that you know how to look after yourself (apart from being too polite)! Hope it doesn't worsen and that you make a speedy recovery. P
peege, Yes, the Alexander Technique is good. There's a book for Musicians about it too. My problem is to stay with my head up. I tend to lower it. It's so difficult to beat the bad habit!
I shall gargle my week away to try to be ready. Thank you for the good advice. Mic
I don't think you would use such a thing, however, I always use Corvonia Throat Spray. 9 times out of 10 it kills my sore throat & prevents it going down the tubes. P
I had some Benylin last night, a left over from my wife who only buys "the proper stuff"!
After having stuffed salted water, vinegar water, almond oil with bergamote and a drop of teatree in both nose and throat, the virus thought better and is going fast! I feel immensely better, skipped church and practised some flute. I think I shall be ready to play my little pieces for next sunday! Thanks for your advice. I'll keep the spray in mind, because Corvonia is a good brand. Cheers, Mic
Oh Piggi, what a wonderful thing you play with this pro-orchestra. The violin is such a beautiful instrument. Yes, I sympathise with you, because when I am training and make mistakes, I hear the inner critic voice who says: "You are rubbish, you'll never make the grade. You'd better stop playing right now"!
WellI thought I must deal with this from teh start, rather than let it plague me. It's my father's voice who was a big bully and dismissed me almost completely.
But help is at hand!
I am reading "Mind over matter, A handbook for musicians to help you overcome Performance Anxiety by Susan Whykes M.A. .
She is a lovely sympathetic author. She gives very useful tricks really worth trying.
I read in an American book for teenage girls how to stand up to bullies: Write on a card, stone, hankerchief (with a nice scent perhaps) "I am so smart and totally amazing" Say this several times a day until the critic fades!
The book by susan Whykes is a pearl.
My sore throat is just my lung weakness. I ctch anything. BUT I SHALL gargle all week and beat it. If it gets worse I have some Clarythromycin which I can pounce on.
I could also talk about exercises, which I do daily:
I do also an exercise for the arms, since like the violin, th flute is relatively heavy when you play it for some time:
Standing, arms against the body. bend the elbows so the fists are facing each other parallel to the chest. Now lift your elbows outward up to shoulder high and come back. You can do this with weights, tins andything you can lift.
Exercises in all form are vital to maintian the fitness and stop the progress of COPD (Bronchiectasis, emphysema).
May God bless you in your practice, Best wishes, Mic
Aw Mic thank you so much for this. Especially the tai chi - I'm really interested in doing a lot more of that. Semi-pro orch ie: us amateurs lean on the others ha ha ha. Seriously though I hope you get better and enjoy your performance. x
Piggi, Lovely to hear your encouragemnt, thank you.
Well after having stuffed my nose and mouth with salted water, vinegar water, soothing almond oil with bergamot and a tinge of teatree and a good dose of sleep, I am getting better! The sore nose and throat have gone. I still rinse with salted water until it's completely gone, as I still cough a little, but it's nowhere near where it was.
You have defined the orchestra very well. Artists like us are very sensitive; very sensitive to criticism and praise. So we are shy. So this woman sya to this other woman, "I play the barcarolle on the violin..." The other says: "I play at home on the piano".
The third lady sipping tea at this little artists' café says, "I like French style flute, but I play badly"
Then they all say, "Can we meet together somwhere, and play together?" that sounds a very good idea. And they get together, leaning on each other they gain confidence, because, in fact, they play rather well. They don't say to each other which grade they have reached, although it is good too! See you Sunday, then? OH YES! Cheers, Mic
Yes, that's a lesson I had to learn after catching a friend's cold and being really unwell for four weeks, taking more Ventolin as advised by the respiratory nurse, and then getting oral and nasal thrush. Thankfully better now. I'm a church organist and also used to get very anxious before services. There are some great books on coping with performance anxiety. One suggested to me that I think of the tension as excitement at playing rather than fear. It also helps me that there's no-one else prepared to play the organ at my church and the congregation is very helpful and supportive - they know what it's like to have no accompaniment at all. If you're in a band, there's much more safety in numbers.
Yes, the thrill, the excitement of playing, this is it. I know one of our organists is a very shy man, such a sweet person too and he plays marvellously. I always thank him for playing for us. he nods quickly flutter his eyelids; he is so talented. I bet you are as well. I use bonzo, a soft doggy toy that my wife gave me. I take it in front of the mirror and say: We are really great and people really love our playing!
Do you take any antibiotics as well? I only gargle and take Paracetamol so far; but if it becomes worse, I'll dive on Clarythromycin for the chest.
best playing on Sunday.
St John is practically on 23rd June, hence St John's wort blooms around this period. It's hypericum, I have some in my garden, a big bush with yellow flowers. The juice of the plant will get rid of warts (Latin name either calendula or hypericum; I think they are the same).
Best wishes, and thank you for the reference.
See my answer to Piggi, I'm reading Susan Whykes Mind over matter, A handbook for musicians to help you overcome Performance Anxiety, it's a lovely book.
Only trouble with "numbers" is that it shows up more when you make a mistake! Up bow when everybody's going down and vice versa. Well you've got to laugh..... the tension as excitement rather than fear is a wonderful notion. Thank you. x
Did you know that "wrong" notes are called accidentals Nobody notice them in the audience because they haven't got the score in front of them! Modern pieces have all sorts of harmonies nowaday! I wouldn't worry! Cheers, Mic
Hope this does not set you back Mic, can't avoid germs but they take so much longer for us with lower resistance to fight off don't they ? Here's to a speedy recovery for yourself, rest and take care xx
flibberti, I had to laugh, just imagining his face if I'd said that. But you are right!
Be it as it is, I shall gargle with salted water, vinegar water and take Paracetamol. vinegar is a powerful disinfectant ( It destains too: nickers, and all undergarments). good idea flibberti, but even thoughtless of me, I should've acted fast! Mic
eregendal, Your good thoughts and the advice of people around here have worked! + salted water, + vinegar walter, + almond oil with bergamote and teatree! The bug said AAARGH, this is not pleasant at all and is going fast! No pain left, just a niggle! Thank you so much for your attention. It works marvellously well! Mic
Hi Mick. Sorry for the delay. I'm hoping your feeling much better by now. Singing & playing the flute.
I am keeping really well at the moment followed your advise about bottled water, hand jell etc & haven't had a chest infection for about 3 months. Were touring in Denmark in our camper van. Having a wonderful time. Have you heard how Jimmy is the last I heard he was in hospital. Best wishes Nan
Nanaeal, I am so delighted that you are so well. It does good to know!
I am better indeed, but have to take the antibiotics to keep what's inside out!
I shall play the flute on Sunday for the church festival, I am really excited about it. I played the same pieces for my teacher, since they are exam pieces, and she said Well done! I am encouraged by her, On my own I am learning s.l.o.w.l.y to play the minuet from orchestral suite no 2 in B minor by Bach. It was a goal out of reach, but now i'm learning it to be real in my own fingers! Love it so much. Cheers and thank you. Mic
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are very sensitive; very sensitive to criticism and praise. So we are shy. So this woman sya to this other woman, "I play the barcarolle on the violin..." The other says: "I play at home on the piano".
chronic productive cough for 2 years. Moldy house.
Heavy Nasal Blockages +++
update: tomorrow I’m at the hospital for suspected head & neck cancer
This weather is so bad for my breathing 😟
newly diagnosed with copd
