Playing the flute with nerve damage

[calantha]

Hello, I was hoping someone would be able to help me. Sorry for the long explanation!

I started playing the clarinet in primary school and all went well for a couple of years. Did two grades and loved it. When I was 11 I was in a car accident that broke my jaw and I lost a couple of teeth. I had to give up the clarinet as my front tooth is a false one and I couldn't hold it right. My school teacher offered me the chance to take up the flute. As soon as I picked up the flute I knew it was my instrument. It was love at first sight. I did and played it for a year. My jaw pain became worse as the break never healed properly, so I had to give it up. Fast forward a decade through a couple of jaw operations (last one was two years ago) and I was determined to play the flute again. The only problem was the surgery has left me with significant nerve damage. I can no longer feel my lower jaw, bottom lip or chin/cheeks. Obviously, this is a major issue whilst learning to play the flute. I have persevered for 18 months and passed grade 1 with distinction a year a go. But I have hit a wall with my progress because of the nerve damage. I cannot expand my range past D3 and it is holding me back. I have worked hard on my tone and technique in the lower register and I am very happy with the results. I have no idea how I am changing my embouchure because I cannot feel anything in that area! My teacher has been very wonderfully helpful, but is stumped herself at how we can proceed. I play with a mirror in front of me, but that hasn't appeared to help.

I have looked for advice, but only seem to find out about people who had to give up their flute because of nerve damage.
Does anyone have any advice or tips or experience to help me?

Many, many thanks.

[Zevang]

I'm so sad to hear your story, but at the same time I feel proud of people like you that persist with their dreams.
Listen, I'm no expert concerning the kind of limitation you have. But I know that even considering that your progress tend to be slower there is always a progress involved.
I'd say for you not to give up and continue your journey. Maybe your teacher got the boundary of what she actually knows about flute teaching, so I'd say you may need someone else to help you with it. It should be a person with some knowledge in physiology so you can manage the lack of sensibility and develop other kind of perception on your playing.
Generally, when we speak of higher notes on the flute we ask the student to project the jaw a little bit to the front so it helps the airstream to change the angle in relation to the embouchure hole. Maybe it's the time for you to work on this aspect and maybe this would help you "train" your lips to follow your jaw movements.
I don't know really, it's just my idea of what could help you in this regard.
I just read a book by a survivor of the september 11. He is completely blind since he was a baby and managed to scape from the 78th floor of one of the towers at the WTC with his guide dog. He proved to me in this wonderful reading that the limitations he had by being blind were never a boundary in his life. To be a succesful professional he had to use many devices that helped him to develop just like a normal person. He even invented some!
So, what I wanted to say is that sometimes the limitation you have is just what you need to continue your fight and that it's just a matter of developing other skills that would lead you to the same place as a "normal" person.
I hope this can make some light on your questions.

[Phineas]

+1 Zevang!

I would just like to add that with a strong will and therapy, almost anything is possible or can be over came. I have met many people with similar issues learn to adapt to their physical limitations and become almost fully functional. I personally know someone who had severe damage to his spine, and was suppose to be paralyzed. Now, I see this same guy jogging every morning.

I cannot say that you may fully recover (obviously), but I would not give up either. Maybe someone like a friend, another player, or a teacher can help you figure out away around your limitation. Maybe even work out some sort of exercise to help you better maximize your control.

Keep up your hard work, have fun and.....

Just play the D&&n thang!!!!!!!

[jseligmann]

First off, amazing things can be played on the flute up to D3. Really. At worst, you may have to transpose some of the pieces you play so they don't take you higher than that note.

Also, don't give up on your nerves. Twenty or so years ago, I had an operation that left me with no feeling from my right ear all the way to half of my right cheek. It was a slow but steady process, but now all feeling has returned.

Don't give up. Play.

[flutego12]

This is one of the many many reasons why I LOVE 3x this forum.

All things are indeed possible. I salute the tenacious human spirit (and the comraderie) in challenging the boundaries and not being afraid to believe for more.

I better go back to practising my flute now that the severe GAS stage has passed.