Went to ER....

[TheTuba]

Went to ER yesterday (allergies--Asthma---Bronchitis---Pnuemonia)

I have Band Monday.

Got prescribed steroids, a inhaler, and a antibacterial thing.

How do I slowly get back into playing?
Should I play monday at all?

Thank you!
-Raghul

[toobagrowl]

Seriously, take Monday off, and notify your band director or school. They should understand especially if you went to the hospital! It's not like you have something minor like the sniffles; what you have is much more serious. I'm guessing it will take you some time to clear it up. Your health is more important than a rehearsal

[Sousaswag]

I would also make sure you aren't contagious... Don't want to blow that into a school owned horn!

[TheTuba]

No Sousaswag, Doctors only gave me antibiotics to keep it safe.
Told me I wont be contagious since the Steroids/Antibio did their work (took some blood samples).

What are some techniques you guys use to get back into playing?

(Just in case, Woke up today and already feel 100x better. Not a legitimate reason to get back to playing, but thinking of starting tomorrow)
Will keep you guys updated.
Doctor said I will be OK by Sunday and be able to go play Monday.
Thank you for you concern toobagrowl! I am not skipping over your concerns, just telling what they said.

-Raghul

[Antontuba]

No, don’t go to band, rest up, get your strength back, drink plenty of fluids. Health before music.

[Paul Maybery]

Not that your case is one for alarm, but your health, particulary in the respiratory, coronary-pulmmonary department is not to be taken lightly.
About 6 weeks ago I went to the ER as I was having difficulty breathing. I was diagnosed a few days earlier with pneumonia. Now I was having serious difficulty breathing.
I made it to the ER door and hit the floor and was stone cold dead. A team worked on me for 5 hours but could not get me back and eventually my body was put in a hypothermal therapy unit (part of intensive care) in what could be called an induced coma for several weeks. I was on life support, that is a respirator (intubation) and also a pump that kept blood circulating to all parts of the body. I eventually emerged, and clinically very disoriented and confused, but oddly there was absolutely no neuro or brain damage. It did take close to a month to where I could do everyday tasks like feeding myself or standing and walking. Today I practiced about three hours and am booked for a concert later this week. I am truly a very blessed person and am a happy man who smiles a lot these days. I suppose if I had not gone to ER and side tracked things and paid a visit to the grocery store, I would not be writing this now. Fortunately having been a teacher for over 40 years I have been able to understand on what exercises I need to focus and how, in a sense of physical therapy to I need to practice them. I must have figured something out as I did compile a series of techniques that brought back my playing, and there were several cases there where I could avoid some of the bad habits that had crept into my playing years ago. There were scores of techniques, but each was specific to something that needed attention. I doubt that I could use the proverbial "shotgun" metaphor where there is a generic cure. I recalled an old adage from generations back. "Remember what made you good and keep doing it."

[PMeuph]

Clean your tuba....

That's what I do after a cold. That way it's still productive for the instrument as the instrument will play better.

Sidebar: there are plenty of things that you can do to get better that don't involve the horn on your face. Sing the music, listen to recordings, play it at the piano, count it out-loud, play it through with just the fingers, etc . everything that you can due to develop your "inner voice" of music and become a better musician.

That said, it's also good to be able to take breaks and not to feel guilty about it. It's probably more important te develop a healthy mindset towards practicing than it is to just want to log hours for the sake of logging hours.

[sweaty]

Paul,

We're so glad you are better and back with us. We appreciate your contributions on this forum. Take care of yourself.

[Tuba Shorty]

You definitely don't want to push yourself too much with having health concerns. I have personally pushed myself to the point of blacking out in marching band because I am that type of person who refuses to sit out. I have a friend who has had Pneumonia like you and she pushed herself to the point of throwing up at a competition and was sick for a while after that incident. When my friend takes things easy she can last longer and is in much better health. I am a big supporter of pushing yourself but, in this case, you should really focus on taking it easy so that you can heal up. You probably should not work on pieces that make you short of breath but, maybe work on playing your fundamentals at a volume that won't hurt your lungs until you feel fully recovered.

[bort]

Paul! What an incredible story, SO glad you are back with us. (Such an understatement to try and put this in words, that really is amazing.)

[JESimmons]

I have asthma and since the US banned the manufacture of many asthma medications in 2009, I’ve had some episodes. I think playing bass trombone and now tuba have helped keep me alive. Play long tones. Play as much as you feel like for awhile. If you feel like going to band practice, go. If you get tired, stop playing. Follow the instructions on your medications. I don’t understand the antibiotics, but take them exactly as directed.
Keep playing. You are fighting excess mucus production and strong breathing muscles help that.