Brain Surgery, Broken Shoulders and Weird Times

On December 12, 2024, I sat in a neurosurgeon's office, looking at an MRI that showed my brain tumor had grown back. I had two brain surgeries in 2016, and my last MRI in 2021 still showed an empty cavity where a tumor had been. But now, it was back.

I knew another brain surgery was coming. My wife and three-year-old daughter were flying east to visit family, and I stayed home to watch our pets. But I also saw that weekend as my chance to finally get to recording an album—something I’d wanted to do for years. Suddenly, I felt an urgency I’d never felt before.

Why?

Because it hit me that more than anything, I want to create something lasting for my daughter—something she can always have as a piece of me. So I hunkered down that weekend and laid down the bulk of the album’s foundation, acoustic guitar and vocals for almost every track.

Skip ahead to February 3rd—I had brain surgery, and it went great. I actually felt better than I had after the previous surgeries. By then, I had even released the first single, Today, and was deep into finishing the rest of the album. I had session musicians from around the world adding parts through Musiversal, and I was reconnecting with old friends to collaborate. Everything was going according to plan.

But you know what they say—if you want to make God laugh, make a plan.

Just over a month after brain surgery, on March 8th, I took a gig playing bass at a vineyard near San Francisco. I knew chemo and radiation were coming soon, and I wanted to play a couple of shows before starting treatment. But in the second set, I had a seizure. A brutal one.

When I came to, I was in an ambulance. Both of my shoulders were dislocated and broken. I spent days in one hospital before being transferred to Stanford Palo Alto for surgery on both shoulders. Finally, on Saturday, March 15th, I made it home.

Why I Need Your Help

Right now, I don’t know exactly when I’ll start chemo and radiation—they want me to begin ASAP, but I need at least some arm functionality back first. In the meantime, I’m pouring everything I have into finishing this album. I can still use my hands to type, mix, and edit, so that’s what I’m doing. But with medical bills stacking up, our family’s resources are drained.

I need to finish this album, but at this point, I can’t do it alone. I need your help to make it happen.

I hate asking for this kind of support, but now is the time. Anything you can contribute will help me cover medical costs, give me what I need to complete Weird Times, and make sure my daughter has this forever.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for sharing. And thank you for helping me make this possible.

Check out more pics and such here:

https://tinyurl.com/DavidBarsky