NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) - A little bit of stage fright was no match for Rick Miller on New Year’s Eve.
The Norfolk guitarist marked the end of 2020 by playing a three-hour set at Black Cow Fat Pig, his first performance in front of a crowd in about a year.
“There’s always a little bit of nerves when you get up in front of people,” Miller told the Norfolk Daily News. “This was (about) the confidence - having the confidence to get up there and play and knowing you’re going to hit the chords and notes.”
Miller - who began playing guitar as a child in Puerto Rico more than 50 years ago and has played in venues near and far ever since - had his confidence shattered a little more than a year ago. He lost the ability to play after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness and difficulty with walking, balance and coordination.
“My guitar playing wasn’t right,” Miller said of the first indication that something was amiss. “It shakes your hands, and you can’t move your hands in the same formation for the chords that you want to play.”
Upon receiving the diagnosis, Miller said he had only one thought: “I knew I had to fight it.”
He began physical therapy, but he credits his ability to play a guitar again to classes at the Norfolk Family YMCA suggested by his physical therapists.
Miller takes part in three different classes at the YMCA: Silver Sneakers, Rock Steady Boxing and Foundations of Movement.
“The best one that’s helped me is the foundations. It’s more intricate,” he said.
Tina Collison, group exercise director at the Norfolk Y, said Miller approached her after one of the Foundations of Movement classes where they had completed hand dexterity exercises with stress balls.
“He said, ‘I play in a band. I play guitar, but I haven’t been able to play since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Would this help?’ I said, ‘Yes!’ ” Collison said.
Collison sent Miller home with stress balls and some exercises he could do on his own. Although he still can’t play bar chords, Miller was able to begin fretting the guitar again shortly after beginning the exercises.
Foundations of Movement works participants through a full range of motion, using all muscle groups, and combines cognitive and physical cues in an effort to help them retain or regain some movement lost through the disorder.
“We talk out loud and count everything out loud together,” Collison said. “We’ll count by twos or count by 20s - just something to get the brain and the body thinking at the same time.”
Collison said several physicians in Norfolk refer their patients to the Foundations of Movement classes after they receive a Parkinson’s diagnosis, and Miller’s story is only one of several from those who have regained some strength and range of motion after a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
“One gal hadn’t been able to knit or crochet, but now she’s crocheting stuff and giving them as gifts,” she said.
In many cases, Collison added, the class goes beyond helping participants with strength and range of motion. Some also have formed friendships with one another and offer support and advice as they navigate the complexities of their diagnoses.
“It’s like a support group,” Collison said.
She added that the loss of camaraderie and participants’ inability to regularly meet for exercises during last summer’s COVID-19 shutdown at the Norfolk YMCA was difficult for class members.
“When they did come back, they had increased tremors, they had increased shuffling, their voices grew quiet, they lost hand dexterity,” Collison said. “That was really hard on them.”
Now with the benefit of hindsight, Collison said the Norfolk YMCA would do regular classes via Zoom to keep participants active if a similar shutdown happened in the future.
Collison said it’s easy to get emotional when working with participants of the Foundations of Movement class, and it was especially inspiring to see Miller’s success story from New Year’s Eve.
“I think there are people with Parkinson’s disease who think (the class) is not going to help,” Collison said. “I think there are people who are embarrassed that they have Parkinson’s and they don’t want other people to know. They’re not exercising because of that.”
Miller said he strongly recommends everyone who receives a Parkinson’s diagnosis to come to the Norfolk YMCA and get involved in the class.
“Don’t ever give up on it,” he said. “You can make it better. … If you work every day at it, there’s some benefits to the working out.”
Miller said his own story - and the compliments he got after his New Year’s Eve performance - serves as proof that the exercises are beneficial.
“I told Tina - she was wondering how I did (at the show) - and I said, ‘I got paid,’ ” Miller said with a smile.
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