skip to content or skip to search form

Goodbye (this is not goodbye)

After a long spring of frustrating writer’s block, I suddenly find myself with so many things I want to talk about and things I’ve made promises to discuss that I finally feel ready to fulfill, but I’m not going to be doing any of that for a while. My job is more taxing than it really ought to be and we’re in a heavy season right now, which always brings a lot of pain for my poor curved spine. But now there’s something new, pain all along my right arm to the point where it’s hard to hold a hairbrush even. I’m using a trackball at work as of today, which does seem to help a bit, although it will be some time before I get my thumb motions coordinated enough to do a really good job moving the cursor. It will be another week until I can see a doctor and I have no idea what will happen next. I just want to feel better, and so I’m trying to stop as much recreational arm use as I can for now. So don’t think of this as a hiatus, just a medical leave of absence. If I get desperate enough, I can do what I’m doing now and peck with my left hand, but no matter what I’ll still be reading here and on the other blogs I enjoy and will return in full as soon as I’m able.

Comments

  1. Dave Carter says:

    Ah, that sucks. I had a bout of RSI several years ago due to mouse use. I ended up having to wear a wrist brace for several weeks, until I trained myself to use my arm instead of my wrist.

    Hopefully your prescription will be as simple as that, and you’ll be blogging up a storm again soon!

    — 13 May 2005 at 2:02 am (Permalink)

  2. Dave Intermittent says:

    Well shoot. I guess I’ve got to wait a while then for the extended comment you promised. Ah, I’m sure it’ll be worth it. Hope everything gets better expeditiously.

    — 13 May 2005 at 3:00 am (Permalink)

  3. Ed Cunard says:

    Aw, poop. Feel better, Rose.

    Of course, Steven’s not doing anything–dictate to him! Make him take down everything you say!

    — 13 May 2005 at 12:31 pm (Permalink)

  4. jamesmith3 says:

    The above suggestion proves, conclusively, that Ed Cunard is reading my mind.

    Get better, Rose! (You can take that as a command if it helps.)

    — 13 May 2005 at 2:28 pm (Permalink)

  5. Rose says:

    Word on the street is that it’s carpal tunnel syndrome, which isn’t really a surprise. I’ll see a hand specialist in June and the initial doctor thinks I’ll be needing surgery from there. Since that means no knitting or much of anything fun for months, I’m going to retract my statement about going away and try to post here once a week or so, either typing with my left hand or dictating to Steven. I just don’t want to be gone forever, so I’ll be back soon.

    — 17 May 2005 at 12:46 pm (Permalink)