In his 20s, Yo-Yo Ma had a spinal condition that almost forced him to stop playing the cello. When he was 25 years old, he decided to undergo an operation to fix his scoliosis. However, just like any operation, there were risks involved. Ma said that he prepared himself for the possibility that he would no longer be able to play the cello if the operation didn't go as planned. "I was kind of at peace with whatever was going to happen because I was with my wife, she was obviously worried, but that wasn't going to affect her relationship to me regardless of how the operation turned out," Ma told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs (via The Irish News).
Instead of dwelling on the fact that he might not be able to play again, Ma said that he was thankful for the years that he had played the cello and was ready to look for something else to do in his life in case the operation wasn't successful. Spinal surgeries are high risk that can result in paralysis or even death. Thankfully, Ma's surgery went well. He had to wear a body cast for six months, but he recovered without any issues. As he said to the Los Angeles Times, "Those things you've gone through add to your life experience and therefore your understanding of the music, and there's more depth to your communicating of the music."
