top surgery recovery and playing an instrument (trumpet)

[MacG]

How soon after DI top surgery were you able to play trumpet? Or any similarly physical wind instrument? Maybe sax or baritone.

I'm trying to decide whether I should bow out of marching in a short parade 6 weeks post-op. I would need to at least practice, without necessarily marching, as soon after surgery as possible.

Should I just not plan on doing the parade at all?

[Bimmer Guy]

How soon after DI top surgery were you able to play trumpet? Or any similarly physical wind instrument? Maybe sax or baritone.

I'm trying to decide whether I should bow out of marching in a short parade 6 weeks post-op. I would need to at least practice, without necessarily marching, as soon after surgery as possible.

Should I just not plan on doing the parade at all?

Mac -

I think it is going to be near impossible to keep your arms up and play like that 6 weeks after surgery, especially while marching.  I played alto sax in marching band in high school.  I don't see any way you will be able to do it, man.  Your arms will be way too weak to keep it up for any length of time.  At minimum, put yourself down as a "only maybe".

[aleon515]

Yeah that one is tough. I know someone who went back to playing Bass, but I think that's easier (not to play, but how far up the arms are). The other thing, is that raising the arms causes the incision to pull, causing stretching. (Perhaps you can take up the xaphoon in the meantime? That won't work but I wanted to write a sentence with the word xahoon in it.)

--Jay

[LoriLorenz]

Oh yeah, I would bow out. You might think 6 weeks will be ok, but it's way close to the surgery date... Be kind to yourself and let your body heal.

[MacG]

Thanks, people. You all are telling me what I know but really need to hear. Shoot.
But stoked for top surgery!!!

[sam1234]

Oh yeah, I would bow out. You might think 6 weeks will be ok, but it's way close to the surgery date... Be kind to yourself and let your body heal.

I agree. You have the rest of your life to play, and there will be other parades. Give it time. Even at six weeks, there will still be healing going on, even if it looks healed on the outside. There is new tissue forming (scar tissue, subcutaneous tissue, not mammary), and the last thing you want to do is to disrupt it.

Though it was a different surgery, after I had my OVH, I thought everything was fine after about four weeks. My ex wanted me to go with her while she worked on a lab at the school she was studying at. I was there for about fifteen minutes, just standing when I suddenly felt weak and sweaty. I had to go lay on a bench in the hall. Nothing was really wrong, I had just pushed too far.

Surgery is hard on the body. Not just the cutting. You were either under anesthesia or had a massive local and sedation. Put that with the emotional stress (not all stress is bad stress, there is good stress too), and it takes time to get back to normal. You will probably feel high as a kite from your new freedom, and that can make you feel further along than you are.

Let us know how it goes!

sam1234

[Alexthecat]

Not going to happen.

[MacG]

Ha! Clearly. I should know better, being a surgery veteran.
Thanks for the responses guys.