people are saying how good for you the harmonica playing can be - physicaly and emutionally.
here are a few examples from this site
http://www.angelfire.com/music/HarpOn/index.html
feel free to add more of your own
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Dot Horn, a member of Deborah Heart and Lung Hospital's Better Breathers
Club, breaks out laughing as she plays with her new harmonica as part of a
breathing exercise at the Browns Mills, New Jersey, hospital.
December 2, 1999
Web posted at: 10:07 a.m. EST (1507 GMT)
In this story:
Group offers emotional, educational support
The sweet sound of therapy
RELATED STORIES
BROWNS MILLS, New Jersey (AP) -- When members of the Better Breathers Club
blow on harmonicas, it is more than just music to their ears -- it is therapy
for their disease-weakened lungs.
The lung patients at Deborah Heart and Lung Center are learning how to use
the tiny wind instruments to perform breathing exercises while playing notes. It
is the first time that Deborah has tried musical therapy to help patients
strengthen their lungs.
"This is wonderful," Dot Horn, 75, said after her first lesson last week. "I
think music adds to anything. It's a nice way to live life."
About 22 patients -- all members of the Better Breathers Club -- gathered
recently for their bimonthly meeting at Deborah, located on a sprawling 55-acre
campus in the Pinelands near Fort Dix. They suffer from ailments ranging from
lung disease to emphysema and asthma.
Group offers emotional, educational support The group, formed 6 1/2 years ago
at Deborah, provides emotional and educational support to patients and their
families. There are hundreds of Better Breathers Clubs around the country.
"It's easy to get a conversation going because you basically have the same
problems," said Larry Sabatini, 65.
After an hour long closed-door meeting to discuss personal health issues with
lung disease specialists and each other, the group assembled in an auditorium
for their first harmonica lesson.
"This is going to be the Deborah Harmonic Band," joked Joe Koszyk, a nurse
counselor at Deborah. "We're going to be featured with the Mummers," referring
to the famous string bands from Philadelphia.
The sweet sound of therapy
A Hicksville, New York, businessman donated 36
harmonicas to the group, and Koszyk, who coincidentally already knew how to play
the instrument, gave instructions. Before they began, the group first practiced
breathing exercises to strengthen their diaphragms and help get more oxygen into
their lungs.
The harmonica is excellent therapy because the inhaling and exhaling required
to sound music are the same breathing exercises respiratory therapists teach
patients to use when they are short of breath, said Nell Kapeghian, a nurse who
oversees the Better Breathers Club.
"It's something you can take with you everywhere. It's great," Kapeghian
said.
The patients -- many carrying oxygen tanks or inhalers -- were eager to try
out their new equipment in their battle against diseases that often make
breathing difficult. Their goal is to increase lung capacity by strengthening
the lungs, diaphragm and respiratory muscles between the ribs.
"You look like you're eight years old and you got a new toy," said Linda
Ferguson, a pulmonary technician.
"It just kind of makes you feel like a kid
again."
Koszyk instructed the group on how to carefully breathe into the tiny holes
on the harmonica. They also practiced inhaling, or drawing air into the
harmonica, to make different sounds.
A few occasionally paused to cough up phlegm.
"If you're having a problem just relax; don't force it. Let go," Koszyk
cautioned. "In time, it'll be much easier."
The mood was upbeat in the auditorium. Some patients were almost giddy --
overcome with fits of laughter at their initially awkward attempts to make
melodious sounds.
"I loved it," said Angie Philbin, 63. "I felt a little high. I felt really
good."
After a few exercises learning the musical scale, the group was ready to move
on and try their hands at a song. Koszyk used an overhead projector to display
the notes for "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore" and the group was harmonizing in
minutes.
"Sounds good," praised Koszyk.
The patients took the harmonicas home with them with instructions to
practice. They want to come back for more lessons, although Deborah officials
had only planned a solo performance.
"I feel better. I really do," Helen Wills said. "I think maybe the breathing
in and out helped."
Sabatini said he plans to learn how to play the harmonica with his wife, Dot,
60, who accompanied him to the meeting at Deborah.
"We can do a duet," he said. "Then when I get good I can do a solo. I like
the sound of it."
Deborah, founded in 1922 as a tuberculosis sanitarium, today specializes in
diagnosing and treating heart, lung and vascular diseases in adults, and
acquired and congenital heart conditions in infants and children.
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