This Forth of July! (#I)
By this Forth of July, it would be about a year since last I posted. I had been miserable, mentally or spititaully, more than physically. The only exception was during the short visit with my family in New England states, USA. Physically speaking, it was mainly from the advancing age of being 79, counting both ways in the regular way and the Oriental way which counts in the numbers of years involved. A person with a age of 79 is belived superstitiously to be a year of bad luck, because there is a number 9 which is pronounced like “dog” in Taiwanese and other Southeast dialects. For older people, when you hit that “dog gone” year, you need to be carefull, lest your life came to its end!
Physically, my problem was with hearing. I lost my left side 12 years ago by an acoustic neuroma and since minding myself to cherish the remaing side. In order to have the pleasure of hearing that remains, I picked up cello lesson when I was 75. An very atractive young lady was my first and only teacher who is an excellent musician. After a year of basic lessons, she said “Sorry and Good-bye” because Taipei American School invited her to teach there and could not find time to spare. I tried others, but no go because their comments after lesson were univocally “Hen-hao” (Very good), but no help to me! So, I just practice by myself since.
My cello was a choiced pick for me by a musical couple (a former First Violinist of Taiwan National Orchestra and his wife, a Cellist). Altough a Chinese made, it has a rich, warm, and beautiful tone. To my horror, it produced extremely warped sounds on every string! I took it to my luthir earlier, insisted that cure be found. Sound post, briidge, tailpiece, even the end-stick were renewed, and it inproved greatly. But one morning in March, this year, it suffered again the illness and I suspected that there must be cracks inside and my luthier relucktantly open the top plate on my insistance, and done further improvement. Now, you should hear it and congratulate for the wonderful results!
To my surprise, the moring after my birthday in May, I found my cello, though covered with a piece of cloth, standing in the passage of cold air conditioner blow. When I played it, the warped noises came back again!. “Oh, my cello must have cought a cold!” I thought and move it away to gradually acclimate it, and afterward, to my relief, it returned to normal. I was very happy! But, the similer thing happen again several times and I was greatly saddened by the occurances.
Realization that it is not the problem with the cello but my own hearing came last week. I lost hearing of my right ear almost completely! I waited for a few days but there was no improvement. The cello sounded very faint. TV only hissed. So, I then went to a ear specialist at a Christain Hospital in nearby city. Hearing tests were conducted, after a week of medication my hearing has restored much, but the cause of the hearing problem is still not certain. A series of treatments will be had next weeks and I praying for good results.
I said earlier that lowness has been in spirit rather than physical. The part above is an account for the body side. My next segment will come back to the main track.
July 16th, 2008 at 05:44
Great post, Dad! I like how you told the story behind the event at the end. It is a mystery that unfolds. It must have been very alarming to realize that your hearing was the culprit. I’m glad that the medication had an effect, and I’m praying that news is good next week too.