Save John Kanazawich's Hands

No, my hands are and will be attached to my body for the foreseeable future. So, it's more like, "save the functionality of my hands". That said, I've spent a lifetime using my hands to: play instruments, tune pianos , build things, cook food, type, write, hold a book, etc. - which unfortunately has resulted in the very undramatic condition known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  By nature I am a doer and a maker. Many people know that I spend a lot of my time doing things for family, friends and community, which, they may not realize, takes time away from  income opportunities. I'm fine with that, but it does leave me short of funds at a time of need like now. 

Surgery is scheduled for July 23rd, so donate now if it is something you are comfortable with and have the resources to fund. For the others (strugglers and scrapers like me and many of my friends) who might wish to help, prayers and good thoughts will be great! I'll be going to the Ovation Hand Institute near Milwaukee, Wisconsin to have a  state-of-the-art procedure performed by Dr. Guo who, with his two brothers, invented it: Thread Carpal Tunnel Release, or TCTR. It is the least invasive and least risky of the available surgeries, with only a local anesthetic needed, with the fastest return potential to the type of work that I do -within 2-3 weeks. Ovation Hand Institute is currently the only place in the world, as far as I know, offering this amazing technique.

The whole thing started about 30 or so years ago when I was doing a rehab on a house in my off hours after tuning pianos as my day job. I had a fairly big flare-up of  Carpal Tunnel-like symptoms, was treated with alternative remedies, and over time it all pretty much went away, with  only low grade symptoms persisting for the next three decades,  what I considered "normal". But it wasn't normal. One gets used to things.

Then last year, I tore down a garage at my 95-year-old aunt's home (she told me there was a loose board - that's my red miracle van)which was rotting, insect-ridden and about to fall down and re-sided that portion (that's not the re-siding LOL, that's what it looked like after removing the garage, hence, requiring the re-siding, which you can see is completed in the next photo on the side under the ladder). Then I tore down her rotting, insect-ridden front porch and took away the crumbling concrete steps.Then (with a helper here and there) I built a new porch from the ground up. I'm her only relative in the area capable of helping her, so I did and I continue to. She's been struggling to pay for the supplies and the helpers I've engaged, but my work and time has all been donated (WAYYY more time than I could have possibly imagined! For some reason  - egomania? - I believed I could knock this thing out in two weeks. TWO WEEKS!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJhHjACjJjA Well, it's been the better part of a year (when weather permits, which for a long time was rather infrequently)  and the costs have been WAYYYY more than I originally figured. My aunt is on a fixed income - (her daughter is living with her) - so all of my work has been volunteered as a gift to family. During the winter break the (until now) mostly dormant Carpal Tunnel came back with a vengeance.

Symptoms include: frequently interrupted sleep due to arm, hand and finger pain, daytime clumsiness, numbness, hypersensitivity, weakness (dropping things), tingling, vibrating sensations in the hands and fingertips, and more. Testing showed surgery is needed, and there may be permanent some nerve damage. Time will tell.  

While finishing up the last of the porch construction for my aunt, I've been continuing my day job tuning and repairing pianos, and my other occupation of producing shows at Atomic Tom's with Binghamton Live Songwriters Series and presenting live original music on an outdoor stage during LUMA Fest,  and also performing on the piano  and guitar.I'm still having the occasional soiree, cooking for a few guests, juggling, karate-chopping, dealing cards at illicit poker games (not really). All of my activities revolve around the use of my hands. And my symptoms are aggressive and heightened due to my need to survive and the push to finish up the work I started before the surgery.

With your help, together we'll give my hands a new lease on life, another twenty or thirty years of contributing my talents and services to the fans of my musical performances, the audiences who attend the shows I produce, my piano service clients, my dinner guests (past and future), my family and my friends. 

We all make choices to get where we are now. If I had elected to only do those activities that enhanced my financial situation, I would never be producing shows, performing music, building porches for family, hosting soirees, etc. -  I would only be doing what brings in the most money for the time spent - the day job. In that case, I wouldn't be asking for help from my community - I would be well resourced, more than enough to take care of myself. I might even be well-to-do! But I have no regrets, man! I love giving to the community through performances and shows.

I've selected the amount of eight thousand dollars as a goal - about $4600 is for the actual medical expenses, $1000 is for airfare for me and my advocate/assistant, $250 for hotel, $100 for auto rental, a few hundred is for the original testing, and the balance is to keep the lights on and the bills paid while I rest and heal for three weeks. If we raise more, great! I can ease back into work without the pressures, stresses and worries.

A hearty "Thank You" in advance for your support.

Love, Peace, Music, Art and All That's Good to Eat!!! --- John Kanazawich