The Power of Music
My dad filled our house with music when I was growing up. Tony Bennett, Glen Campbell, Ed Ames, Montovani and his orchestra, Mason Williams – this was the initial soundtrack of my childhood, before I started listening to the radio, and before my older siblings introduced me to Jesus Christ Superstar, Jethro Tull, Joni Mitchell, Manhattan Transfer, Blue Oyster Cult, and on and on. In my early teens I discovered The Beatles and went into full obsession mode. Around the same time, I was learning to play the flute and singing in my school choir. Music has always been a friend to me, has always soothed me or lifted me up when nothing else could.
When I was diagnosed with cancer, it truly felt like the bottom fell out of my world, and I was desperately trying to grasp on to some sort of normality, some sense that things might possibly turn out all right in the end. Again, music stepped in to help.
My husband Chris has a pretty cool job. Since the early 90’s he has been part of the music production team for over 200 major films – his particular job is to ensure that the music recorded actually fits perfectly with what is happening on the screen – he uses a program called Auricle to help the conductor pace the music so that, for instance, the crescendo in the music perfectly coincides with the crescendo in the action onscreen. So, that’s his day job, but he is also an incredibly talented composer in his own right, and during my chemotherapy sessions my favorite music to listen to was a CD he recorded called “Secrets.” I used the music to help me visualize the chemotherapy healing my body. Listening to the music also helped me jump start something that kept stalling out in my heart – positivity.
Chris and I spent many long hours in the hospital during my 10 months of treatment and along the way Chris came up with the idea for what has become Therapeutic Music in Medicine (TMiM), a 501c3 public charity. TMiM consists of a music streaming app, free at the point of use, that Chris has made available to local hospitals here in Northeast Ohio. It is currently being used in oncology and palliative care settings. The music he composed for the app runs the gamut from soothing “chill” music to fast paced, energizing compositions, and is organized among ten themes. I usually use the app these days when I wake up in the night and can’t fall back asleep, or when I am feeling anxious.
Although TMiM was created to be used in a clinical setting, Chris would like to make its music available to anyone who reads this post by providing a password that you can use to access the app. Directions on how to access and download the app are below.
It’s sure to bring a measure of calm to your day.
Love,
Chris and Michelle xoxo
