Putting things in perspective...

[jon112780]

Yesterday morning I purchased another CC, and couldn't wait to try it in orchestra in the evening.

In the early afternoon I received a call from my father saying my mother (who had lately been experiencing severe pains in her abdomen), was going into the hospital in a half hour for surgery. He mentioned that the tests done earlier in the day found an abnormal growth in here abdomen the size of a softball, but didn't mention what it was.

I had a performance in an hour afternoon and getting a sub was out of the question; and there was no way I could have driven from SC to MI in that time. Needless to say, it was not my best quintet performance. After the recital, I immediately checked my phone messages and my father had called saying my mother had been bumped to a later time because someone else needed emergency surgery, her condition wasn't as bad as he was earlier led to believe as more test results came back, and not to worry. Obviously this was good news and I went into orchestra rehearsal afterwards in very high spirits.

Halfway into the first movement of 'Pines' (tuba tacet), one of our cellists almost passed out out in her seat, (it was mentioned later that she only had breakfast an gave blood that afternoon). She said she was fine, but it was thought best for her to get offstage as she did not look well at all. As myself and another cellist helped her out, the 'woozy' cellist managed to knock over my recently purchased tuba (leaning against my chair) before making it out in the hall.

After the on-station nurse showed up, I went back to my seat, and looked at the damage to the horn. The bass trombone had managed to partially catch it, and the dents were not as bad as I had expected. Even if the damage had been severe, it's only a horn that can be fixed or replaced, which was obviously secondary to the condition of the cellist.

It's those kind of days that really put things in perspective.

[bort]

What a day, but foremost, I'm glad your mom is going to be okay, and the cellist as well. You're right, the tuba can certainly be repaired much more easily than a person can be healed. Here's to a better day today!