Trains and carpal tunnels
I write this on the train from Portland to Seattle on Monday at 2pm. I am going up for my grandmother, Happie's, 87th birthday, which is today.
The bad news is that I seem to have a pretty nasty case of carpal tunnel syndrome. Have suspected it for a while, but it somehow got much worse as I chopped for vegetables on Friday night. So I now have a wrist brace and am trying not to use my laptop as much. Which honestly is killing me. Things I want to write are racing back and forth through my head all the time. But it's probably good for me, too. Anyway, if I'm not writing as much or emailing you back very fast, this is why...
I never thought so much about how many things I need a strong wrist for: Writing (typing and real writing), cooking, yoga (well, some, no downwards dogs for me), driving, biking, lifting... Thus my first train trip to Seattle. Which is nice, I must say. Especially with leftover Thai food, a good book, my music, and some chocolate.
But I'll keep this short and focus on listening to the new Winterpills album, The Light Divides (Flora some lead vocals on this one!!).
Next day, 4pm: Had a lovely 8am walk around Green Lake with my grandmother and ten of her friends (they do this every week), followed by a little holiday breakfast party at Molly's house. After that, my grandmother insisted on sending me to a doctor to get my wrist checked out. So she dropped me off at Group Health where I waited for two full hours in a little exam room with a magazine, and then a condescending doctor told me absolutely nothing I didn't already know (ie, I have carpal tunnel and I should wear a wrist brace and ice it). My faith is traditional medicine and the health care system is at a new low (if that's possible) and it didn't improve my mood either. But on the walk home down 15th Ave I got a Nanaimo Bar from a little bakery, which helped a little.
Any advice on dealing with carpal tunnel is very welcome. Or things to do in Seattle when the friends you knew are gone and you only have family.
OK, no more writing for me....
The bad news is that I seem to have a pretty nasty case of carpal tunnel syndrome. Have suspected it for a while, but it somehow got much worse as I chopped for vegetables on Friday night. So I now have a wrist brace and am trying not to use my laptop as much. Which honestly is killing me. Things I want to write are racing back and forth through my head all the time. But it's probably good for me, too. Anyway, if I'm not writing as much or emailing you back very fast, this is why...
I never thought so much about how many things I need a strong wrist for: Writing (typing and real writing), cooking, yoga (well, some, no downwards dogs for me), driving, biking, lifting... Thus my first train trip to Seattle. Which is nice, I must say. Especially with leftover Thai food, a good book, my music, and some chocolate.
But I'll keep this short and focus on listening to the new Winterpills album, The Light Divides (Flora some lead vocals on this one!!).
Next day, 4pm: Had a lovely 8am walk around Green Lake with my grandmother and ten of her friends (they do this every week), followed by a little holiday breakfast party at Molly's house. After that, my grandmother insisted on sending me to a doctor to get my wrist checked out. So she dropped me off at Group Health where I waited for two full hours in a little exam room with a magazine, and then a condescending doctor told me absolutely nothing I didn't already know (ie, I have carpal tunnel and I should wear a wrist brace and ice it). My faith is traditional medicine and the health care system is at a new low (if that's possible) and it didn't improve my mood either. But on the walk home down 15th Ave I got a Nanaimo Bar from a little bakery, which helped a little.
Any advice on dealing with carpal tunnel is very welcome. Or things to do in Seattle when the friends you knew are gone and you only have family.
OK, no more writing for me....
posted by Jess @ 4:09 PM
4 Comments:
At December 22, 2006 at 7:57 AM,
The Geezers said…
I struggled with a bit of CTS myself a few years ago, until a friend suggested vitamin B6. That seemed to help me enormously, though my carpel tunnel was relatively mild.
Thanks for stopping by my site the other day. I'm glad to have discovered yours, as well.
Mystic Wing (damned that beta blogger)
At December 31, 2006 at 11:27 PM,
Suzy said…
Hey Jess
You are absolutely right. There is nothing the doctors can do- wrist brace and ice- and oh yeh- the advice I got was-"try not to use the wrist that much."
Yeh, that was well worth the $$$.
Thank you for commenting on my blog.
The best of the New Year to you.
Suzy
At January 9, 2007 at 5:39 AM,
Michelle O'Neil said…
I use my laptop with an attached keyboard. I still can take it anywhere (preferably where there is a table)to rest it on, but I am not messing up my wrists.
I LOVE that your gramndmother's name is Happie. LOVE IT!
Happie New Year!
At January 23, 2007 at 9:57 AM,
kario said…
First of all, when in Seattle, let me know cuz I'm here and can give you all sorts of wonderful ideas of things to do (and perhaps join you ;-)).
Carpal tunnel is a nasty thing, but as a former surgical assistant who used to see it a lot, I can tell you that hand therapy can help a lot, teaching you strengthening exercises and giving you postural corrections so it won't get worse.
Post a Comment
<< Home