FAWM: "COVID Wrecked My Health But At Least I Got These Cymbals"

COVID Wrecked My Health But At Least I Got These Cymbals

2 weeks ago by @spinhead

Liner Notes

#cymbals #instrumental #experimental

In early 2019 I heard about some very nice hand hammered cymbals that were very reasonably priced. After 6 months they were finally back in stock at Amazon and I grabbed a set (14" hats, 16" crash, 20" ride) for $250US.

In January of 2020 I was the sickest I've ever been.

The cymbal brand: Wuhan.

Yup. Weeks before getting COVID I bought cymbals from its home town.

A few of us who had COVID got a bonus: Long COVID. The virus altered our body chemistry, and due to an as-yet-unknown mechanism, my body no longer has access to energy in a normal way. Perhaps the mitochondria aren't making it. Perhaps they are, but it can't get through the cell walls. Perhaps some other thing. There are research scientists pursuing all those theories and more.

Sleep does not do for my body what it is supposed to. It's primarily a period of unconsciousness (and not much of it) where my brain rests, but my body just lays there wondering what happened.

Imagine the brain fog and physical fatigue you'd feel if you didn't eat for a week, and didn't sleep for a month. That's how I used to feel on a good day. Still do, physically.

No more travel. Can't go for a walk; crossing the living room is hard, and there's a stool on the stairs 'cause I can't make them all in one go. Time in my woodshop is drastically reduced.

At least we have the little blue placard that lets us park closer to the doctors' office doors for all my appointments.

But the work I've done over the past two years has restored my cognitive function almost entirely. Still grope for words, in a manner nothing like your usual 'tip of the tongue' moments everyone experiences. The shrink prescribed Scrabble and other word games as therapy.

Best Beloved now earns all our income and is my full time caregiver. All the songs I write about her are well-earned.

I am in no way set up to record cymbals. They sound ever so much better than this recording.

Comments

@sierain 6d

I can't explain how this makes me feel. There's just very powerful.. symbolism(?) in this piece with the Wuhan brand cymbals and all.

This track appeared randomly in the "Songs To Check Out" section and I had to click because of the title: I know some people who have suffered from LC for years now and I it has touched me personally pretty much daily as well. Luckily, the situation for these people is slowly getting better, and there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Unluckily, many doctors still seem to think that this is not a thing at all.

Glad to hear your situation has improved as well. I hope it'll keep getting better. Thank you for sharing your story.

@karan 1w

Thank you so much for speaking out about Long Covid and its detrimental consequences! These lovely cymbals are a wonderful gift to yourself and they will accompany you on many more musical adventures when you feel better. I pray that you will, and very soon!