Ukulele Healing Power

ukecantdothat

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Aloha UU ohana, all! Well I just got out of the hospital (unrelated to last year's stroke...) and while I'm laid up around the 3rd or fourth day into recovery, I felt better enough to ask my wife to bring my CBU in, since it's still semi-solid body, no sound hole, quiet enough for late night strumming at home, and in this case a hospital room where my the last thing some people want to hear is some dope with a mighty strum competing with the beeps and hums of medical equipment. Anyway, it turns out my neighbor from down the street spends part of his free time playing his beautiful Taylor acoustic to patients at Cedars Sainai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The healing power of music in this environment is not to be denied. Many of the patients there have been laid up for months. Visitors tend to start dropping off after a few days of an extended stay, and the sight of a complete stranger walking in with a guitar or uke, keyboards in some cases, is a welcome sight over that of another health care provider armed with a bag of potassium chloride for the I.V. stand. When I am fully recovered, I have vowed to put together a set with Rick so we can take our act to every ward in the joint! Any one who knows me says, "Yeah, sure. You say that now..." but I swear I'm a gonna do it! I implore anybody with the will to look into their local medical/hospice community to volunteer to lift the spirits of those who can't lift a finger on their own. The personal reward is nearly equal to the joy you can bring to the suffering. This is my challenge to all y'all. It's the purest form of aloha spirit and all you need is a couple of songs in your heart and an ukulele in your hands to make a difference.

Last year I had a stroke and lived to tell about it. Now, a perforated colon on the verge of rupture that could easily have also meant "Lights out for you, Mr Ukecantdothat..." Nice try, but it looks like UU's got my back! I'm home now. Tomorrow's my 53rd birthday. I used to disregard birthdays. I have two boys, eight and two who need me as much as I need them, so bring it on. What doesn't kill me will make me stronger never meant so much.

Here's a clip of me and Rick havin' at it in Rm. 8809:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukecantdothat#p/a/u/0/hlzkxNFzUfw


Aloha
 
Glad you are better - my wife just went through a perforated colon & septic shock, so I know you were close to "lights out" as you stated. I also know how much a bit of music can brighten someone recovering from one of these life-threatening events. My daughter & I have spent several evenings duet-ing on our ukes as my wife recuperates & I can attest to the fact that she LOVES it to hear the two of us singing, laughing, & uke'ing.

Pray that you are back 100% soon!
 
What hoosierhiver said.

Glad you're back on your feet!

Happy Birthday tomorrow.
 
That's awesome!!! Hope you are doing well and are getting back to 100% real soon!!!
 
Yay for healing Ukuleles!

Feel better soon and Happy Birthday :D
 
Glad you are better - my wife just went through a perforated colon & septic shock, so I know you were close to "lights out" as you stated. I also know how much a bit of music can brighten someone recovering from one of these life-threatening events. My daughter & I have spent several evenings duet-ing on our ukes as my wife recuperates & I can attest to the fact that she LOVES it to hear the two of us singing, laughing, & uke'ing.

Pray that you are back 100% soon!
Thank you, and give your family big hugs and kisses from me, too!
 
Very glad to hear that you are doing well and getting better. The video was awesome and yes music does heal!!!
 
Congratulations on getting out of the hospital. It would be a great thing for you to go back and bless the patients with your playing, you are very talented. Eventually I'd like to be good enough to make folks forget about their pain and smile. I'll bet you could write a great song about your experience.
God Bless you,
DAP
 
What a great video. Hope you are feeling better and take care. Happy Birthday!
 
Aloha Ukecan'tdothat,
I'm glad to hear everything went well and you're back on your feet!!!!Whew that was a close one...eh!!Maybe you should change your user name to
UkeCanDoIt.....The healing power of music...works wonders!!!!! I'm guessing it was a life changing moment for you too!!!! and now you want to give
back, how cool....intresting when you meet people you know, doing good things and never realize that side of them....that's what I call "Awesome".
I see that you are following your friend's path and you both will be the new dynmanic duo making the rounds there.....My hat's off to you both!!!
I've wondered why I didn't see you here for awhile, Take Care and Many Blessings to you....Have fun and Enjoy the uke!!!"Keep strumming them strings"
Oh yeah, Almost forgot!!"Happy Birthday"" MM Stan...
 
happy birthday! Im glad to hear that you are doing better and watching that music video brought a smile to my face, the power of music is magical!
Good luck and I hope you stay in good health
 
hi ukecan'tdothat

Thanks for the inspirational story of what's happenned in your life. And like others, I pray too for your full recovery and for your future witness to the healing power of music in the hospitals.

I work as a carer in a nursing home and always have a uke close by to play to the residents there. It's amazing what impact music, and especially the ukulele can have. For example, there is one lady there who is almost catatonic, but as soon as I play either "Amazing Grace" or "When the Saints Go Marching In" her lips start mouthing the words to those songs...her daughter has told me they were favorites from her childhood as she was raised by Christian parents.

I also run a little residents choir in the home; we meet once a month and I know how much we all look forward to it. It is one of the most satisfying aspects of the work, which can be challenging and confronting at times.

Wishing you and your family many blessings brother
eugene
 
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