Re: Young cellist battling arthritis (and me)

[Guest guest]

*I cannot even begin to express just how sad this story makes me. I'm so

glad for this young lady but it's a complete reminder of myself. *

**

*I played the cello starting around age 12 and became a principal cellist as

well. Peformed in the San Diego youth Symphony and mnany other groups. I

Looooooooooooved playing the cello and dreamed of going to Julliard. *

**

*It brought me great joy and comfort however after concerts in particular,

the pain in my body was so severe that I could hardly walk. My shoulders and

neck were particularly painful and my mom would have to give me massages and

stuff to calm the severe tension and pulling tightness. I also had great

difficulty sitting at the edge of the seat (the way a cellist is supposed to

sit) and had a judge pick on me for that during a competition . He was

actually picking on me a whole lot.. not sure why! It was TERRIBLE!! Another

cellist that plays in the San Diego symphony told me of a OT that created

someone a 'cellists pillow' that helped them sit in the proper 'cellist

position' and helped their posture so I thought that mught be a viable

option as I was getting more and more advanced in my playing, performance

and prospects for college.

Eventually the pain was just so overwhelming and performing threw it over

the edge. My ped. Rheumy told me this was NOT something that I could do with

my condition with the way it is. Basicaly my dreams of being a Cellist as a

professional career was ruined by JA for me yet this girl has JA and she is

doing it.. .why coudn't I??? It makes me feel very sad...

I do own a cello once again and while I Was at UCSD, I met another cellist

who gave me free lessons to get me going again. However the pain in my

wrists, fingers, shoulders etc returned with a vingance. I did find out that

my cello could use a few alterations that might make it easier but I cannot

afford to make those changes.

Anyways, whatever the case, I got to see Yo Yo MA perform live and have most

of his CD's... lol. I adore the cello and classical music as a whole. I have

such strange taste.. like goth punk music to Yo Yo Ma... hahahah. *

**

*Well I just thoight I would share my sadness and happiness too. *

**

*thanks for listening. *

**

*Issadora*

On Jan 3, 2008 7:41 PM, Georgina <gmckin11@...> wrote:

> Young cellist battling arthritis

>

>

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources/lifestyle_community/community\

& id=5867006

>

> (Video of story @ the site)

>

> Thursday, January 03, 2008 | 12:38 PM

> By Meyer

>

> Approximately 48 millions adults in the United States are living with

> arthritis. One of them is a young cellist whose whole life has been

> devoted

> to performing.

>

> Caroline Gomez was a principle cellist of several symphony orchestras.

> Last

> year her arthritis was so painful she had to put her dreams on hold.

>

> Gomez's music training started when she was 5 years old.

>

> " I played the violin first, and then I switched over to the cello, " said

> Gomez.

>

> Ten years ago, Caroline came to the United States from Colombia to study

> music.

>

> " I went to Roosevelt University for my undergrad and to De for my

> masters for post graduate degree there, and while I was here I got

> rheumatoid arthritis, " said Gomez.

>

> This happened in 2001 as she was preparing for a difficult audition.

>

> " I worked really hard at it, and my shoulder started hurting, and I

> thought

> it was because I was practicing too much, maybe I had over done it, and

> after the audition it started hurting so badly I had to go to the

> emergency

> room because I couldn't even sleep, " she said.

>

> Caroline's arthritis affects her wrists, elbows, shoulder, knees and neck.

> All of these joints are essential for playing the cello.

>

> " There are great medicines that have helped me a lot that help keep things

> calm in sense, but also I've had to make little changes in my techniques

> when I play the cello. My wrist for example is not straight anymore " , "

> said

> Caroline.

>

> She recently had surgeries in each arm.

>

> One of the highlights of Caroline's career was playing for Yo Yo Ma.

>

> " He's just one of the most humble, loving people I've ever met. He's a

> great

> musician, too, " she said.

>

> If she can no longer play the cello, Caroline says she will always doing

> something with music.

>

> " I also love singing, I've always, though maybe if this doesn't work for

> me, " she said.

>

> Caroline has private cello students but really hopes to be back on stage

> with her cello.

>

> (Copyright ©2008 WLS-TV/DT. .)

>

>

>

--

" Life- Like the flutter of wings... feel your hollow wings rushing... " (AFI-

Silver and Cold).

my Flight in life is a metamorphosis of growth and this flutter of wings is

within me awaiting to find a space to find it's flow...