Okay its official...banjo players are not normal

[kiwigeo]

Banjo master plays during brain surgery


BRAIN SURGERY: Eddie Adcock plays banjo as his brain is operated on.
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A bluegrass maestro whose career was being hampered by a hand tremor was asked to play his banjo during brain surgery, so surgeons could pinpoint the right part of the brain to work on.
Eddie Adcock, 70, endured agony to keep twanging his banjo during the procedure, in which surgeons prodded and inserted electrodes into his brain.
Adcock has been playing the banjo since he was a child and is renowned as an exponent of bluegrass. He formed a "dynamic duo" with his wife, Martha Adcock, the pair becoming known as the "biggest little band in Bluegrass", according Wikipedia.
But Martha recently noticed a deterioration in her husband's fast-picking style because of "mysterious shakes in his right hand", the Daily Mail said.
"When I first noticed, his skills were not the same and we were trying to figure out what was going on," she said.
"It was distressing because this has been his whole life."
Adcock was diagnosed with "essential tremor", an involuntary trembling that affects millions of people, the paper said,.
Surgeons at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville in the US, proposed a "deep brain stimulation" operation, in which electrodes placed in Adcock's brain would send electric impulses to suppress the nerve cells causing his tremors.
But to ensure they were placing the electrodes in the right spot, the surgeons kept Adcock awake with a local anaesthetic and asked him to keep plucking at his Deering GoodTime banjo, while prodding his brain through a hole in his skull, the Daily Mail said.
"When the surgeons found the right part of the brain, Adcock instantly regained his ability and was able to play at full speed once again," the paper said.
"The operation ended on a high note with a twang of lightning fast banjo picking."
Adcock told the paper: "I came up in music the hard way and learned to be a trouper fast.
"Some of those early days were pretty rough, and I've been stomped, cut and kicked; but I never went through hell like this - it was the most painful thing I've ever endured.
"And it was risky. But I did it for a reason: I'm looking forward to being able to play music the way I did years ago prior to getting this tremor. It means that much to me. I'm far from being done."
Doctor's yesterday declared the operation a success.
The electrodes are connected to a pacemaker implanted in Adcock's chest.
When electrodes are switched off Adcock struggles to draw shapes on paper, but with the pacemaker turned on, his finger picking skills are as good as ever, the Daily Mail said.

[Allen]

Banjo master plays during brain surgery


Eddie Adcock, 70, endured agony to keep twanging his banjo during the procedure, in which surgeons prodded and inserted electrodes into his brain.
.

I think it was more likely that the surgeons were suffering extreme agony.

[matthew]

Actually the local anaesthetic was only to kill the pain of the surface wound, which would have been small. The brain has no nerves. He would not have felt any agony being prodded with electrodes.

[Kim]

The brain has no nerves. He would not have felt any agony being prodded with electrodes.

The guys a dam banjo player, prodding a brain that small with electrodes would not have cause too much distress even if it was full of nerves. What surprises me the most is that the surgeons managed to find a hole saw that could cut that deep.

Cheers

Kim

[matthew]

He might have a small brain, but the guy had plenty of pluck ...

[Kim]

He might have a small brain, but the guy had plenty of pluck ...

I really should not be so nasty, some of the best people I have met on the net are banjofalist, Ron Wisdom and Steve Roberson are just two I can mention but if your going to do something, you may as do it well.

Whats the difference between a cattle grid and a banjo lay'in on the road?

Well, even in a truck you should slow down when approaching a cattle grid.


And another classic for those who may have missed it. What is the definition of perfect pitch?

It's when you toss a banjo into a skip bin and hit a squeeze box on the full

Cheers

Kim

[matthew]

And a gentleman? Someone who knows how to play the banjo, but doesn't ...

[Bob Connor]

[Paul B]

Pity they couldn't have zapped that part of his brain that thought a banjo was a good idea.

[Ron Wisdom]

He might have a small brain, but the guy had plenty of pluck ...

I really should not be so nasty, some of the best people I have met on the net are banjofalist, Ron Wisdom and Steve Roberson are just two I can mention but if your going to do something, you may as do it well.

Whats the difference between a cattle grid and a banjo lay'in on the road?

Well, even in a truck you should slow down when approaching a cattle grid.


And another classic for those who may have missed it. What is the definition of perfect pitch?

It's when you toss a banjo into a skip bin and hit a squeeze box on the full

Cheers

Kim

Thanks for the kind(?) words, Kim. I'm not much of a banjo player but I do love the instrument. Adcock is an amazing banjo player so I'm glad this procedure worked. I might let them probe me if it would improve my playing.





Ron