A few things have happened this week... maybe this post is more suitable for the flame board, I don't know.... anyway, a few pretty serious things have happened in my life this week, the first and foremost being that after a long battle, I've lost again, and I'm having severe problems in my wrist which may force me to cut off any and all access I have to the 'net, for my own safety....
About 1.5 years ago, I was diagnosed with severe tendonitis in my right wrist. At the time of the diagnosis, I'd already battled the pain associated with it for a year and a half prior.... I was also told that I may have the onset of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but after doing some recent research, I've realized that my symptoms have changed, and are not Carpal Tunnel like at all anymore...
Anyway, one would asume that the wrist ailments came from using the computer... but oddly enough, they didn't... at the time I was diagnosed, I could barely turn a computer on... I hardly used them at all... I really got this from playing in band... yes, that's right folks-- about 50% of all musicians will suffer from some type of Music-related injury in their career... and at the age of 15, I officially became one of them
Well, to get on with the story, from the diagnosis, I ended up in physical therapy, on numerous meds, and doing many EXCRUTIATING treatments... it's true, I guess--no pain, no gain! After a few months I got out of therapy, only to end up back in it a few months after THAT....well, now I've been out of therapy again for almost 10 months, and I've fought every day to KEEP out of therapy... but alas, I've failed and finally, last monday, my boyfriend helped me see the light, and I realized that I'm fighting a losing battle with MYSELF, and that the pain I suffer with day to day is going to push me over the edge soon if I don't get some help...
So on Thursday, I'm going to go see my Orthopedic surgeon again... I hate that man, hate him with a passion! But at this point I'm desperate.
This last week I've been in so much pain that it's brought me to TEARS a few times... and I've had a lot of hard realities finally come back and hit me in the face-- realities like the fact that I can never be a professional musician, even though talent wise, I have what it takes to go ANYWHERE... or at least, so I've been told...
I've also realized that I can no longer be totally independant. It's time for me, LOA, to rely on others for support... physical, moral, and emotional... So I'm going to be relying on my friends, family, and teachers now to get me through this.. and above all, I'm going to be relying on God...
Now this is probably too much personal info for you, and you're most likely bored senseless, wondering WHY I'm telling you this anyway, and WHAT this has to do with ANYTHING, so here's the part where I tell you...
My music means the world to me... so does my computer.... but now is the time in my life where 'm going to have to make some tough decisions.... my music can't go.. not now, not yet... I'm committed to too many different things... so everything else in my life has to give so that I can continue on.... therefore, after this Thurs, it's very possile that you won't see me again for quite some time... if the doctor tells me the the computer has to go, then it's going.... and so I wanted to make you all aware of it...
When/if the computer goes, I can still be reached by e-mail... but don't count on responces, because I don't know when and if you'll get them...
I'll try to remain in touch with Charles, or at the very least I'll have one of my RL friends remain in touch with him, so if you for some reason DESPERATELY need to get a message to me, or if you just want to know how I'm doing, Charles is the man to talk to....
Anyway, I wanted to make you all aware of these circumstances... I may not end up losing the computer, there's no way to know... but I wanted to let you know, just in case it happens, so you can all be warned... at the very least, even if I DON'T lose the computer, I will still be on MUCH less than normal because everytime I sit down to type anymore, the pain is too extreme for me to even put into words. And it's not just typing.. it's everything... the pain has never been like this before, and it just keps getting worse. So no matter what, things are going to be chaing for me... Anyway, now you know, whether you wanted to or not....
*sigh* And also.... one other even that happened this weekend... just so that it never comes up again when speaking of me, I am no longer dating my boyfriend.... we ended the relationship yesterday evening. Now, there are absolutely NO hard feelings at all between us, and we're still the best of friends.... *smile* Anyway, I just wanted tolet you all know, but I'm not going to go into that detail anymore. :-)
Now that I've managed to write a novel for you guys, I think it's time for me to sign off... sorry to take up too much of your time, but thanks for bearing with me anyway...
~LOA 
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*in memory of Ralph*
"Ch-ch-ch-CHIA!"
May his terracotta soul rest in peace...
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"That is the exploration that awaits you: Not mapping the stars and studying nebulae, but charting the unknown possiblities of existence." - Q, All Good Things...
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"Okay, so I'm not "SANE" so to speak, but uh... I'm the lovable kind of psycho"
http://solareclipse.net/
As for abandoning computer use, how likely is that in the modern age? Granted trying just to use your left hand is gonna be difficult, but it's better than nothing. Of course, that's probably what you've been doing and I look really stupid right now. . .
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"YOU SMEG!"
[This message was edited by Orion Syndicate on March 24, 1999.]
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"Some people call me the Space Cowboy. Yeah! Some call me the Gangster of Love. Some people call me Maurice. Whoo hoo! 'Cause I speak of the Pompatus of Love!" - Steve Miller Band's The Joker
B'bye, LOA! I hope you can come back again!
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Carpe Canem!
[This message was edited by Baloo on March 22, 1999.]
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"Audaces fortuna juvat."
"Fortune favours the bold."
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Dramatis Personae
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I drink therefore I am.
-Descartes
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Wheeelersburg Correctional Facility
Inmate #05301999
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"It's good and well to leave the government in the hands of the perfect man but what happens when the perfect man gets a bellyache?" - Belgarath the Sorceror by David Eddings
[This message was edited by Holst on March 23, 1999.]
I hope they find some way to help you. I'm sure no-one wants you to drop off the face of the cyberspace Earth. But then, we certainly don't want you to be in pain.
Hm... I guess I wasn't quite speechless after all. But then, who's surprised at that? ;-)
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"You're a looney."
-Graham Chapman, Monty Python and the Holy Grail
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Risk is our business! That's what this starship is all about....that's why we're aboard her!"
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"Okay, so I'm not "SANE" so to speak, but uh... I'm the lovable kind of psycho"
http://solareclipse.net/
If I may - perhaps you should consider some alternative treatment - trust me - I know these can work from experience.
The First One is Accupuncture. Although this sometimes an unusual way of dealing with something like this, I have found that some miracles can occur.
I would look into it - and considering I am terrified of needles..... nuff said.
The second may be seeing an osteopath. What does a specialist in bones have to do with tendons? Well, they can tell you some of the secrets behind keeping your arms and wrists suppel -
When I did my spine in, regular doctors could not find anything - after 5 months I went to an osteopath and he fixed it on the spot - with exercise I regained the ability to walk and now I am pretty so-so.
The last thing is more of a question - do you wear tee shirts alot?
One of the major factor in muscular and tendon degradation is surrounding temperature of the affected area.
On the wrist where there is little fat layering, temperature can drop by a few degrees, hence a well lubed area begins grinding (for information only I have a degree in Biomedical science and studied variant temperature systems in my Anatomy units)
This causes muscular stiffness and pain within tendon regions.
By keeping vunerable areas covered by clothing, this will insulate the area and increase body temprature to normal in those areas. Hence a "well lubed system".
I sincerely hope that this might be of some help to you.
Get Well Soon
Chris Gough.
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---- AAARRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!----
I feel better now.
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"Okay, so I'm not "SANE" so to speak, but uh... I'm the lovable kind of psycho"
http://solareclipse.net/
Eric Chow (a.k.a. Tahna Los)
[email protected]
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I can resist anything.......
Except Temptation
Sorry, sorry. . . there are just some things that HAVE to be done! 8)
(sounds like some sort of Manga baddie!)
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Space Corps Directive #723: Terraformers are expressly forbidden from recreating Swindon.
Anyway, I went to the Orthopaedic Sureon today so that I could get.. well, I don't know what.. I hate that man with a passion.... but I still went.
Some good things came out of it though... he finally admitted that he has no answers for me... he's not specialized enough in the hands to be able to help me at all... so I've been referred to yet ANOTHER surgeon.. this one is a hand/wrist specialist, and it's our hope that he can finally make a proper diagnosis and help me on my way to permanent recovery...
On Monday I start Physical Therapy again, so that should be interesting... PT hurts like HECK, but I keep telling myself that it's good for me... My Physical Therapist is a hand\wrist specialist, so that's nice... AND he works with a lot of musicians, which is by far the best part. Only those that work with musicians one a regular basis can even BEGIN to grasp the musician mentality ;-)
Anyway, on top of the new Dr and the PT, I'm going to start taking some new drugs and start doing a new exercise program.. hopefully things'll get better from there!
Until this all resolves itself though, I will not be around much... I'll probably come read the Forums every now and then, but odds are I won't post.. so again, thank you SO much for all of your support, and I'll TTYL... Things can only get better from here! *hugs*
~LOA
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*in memory of Ralph*
"Ch-ch-ch-CHIA!"
May his terracotta soul rest in peace...
Thank you so much for the advice though! It's stuff that I can now file away and call upon later when it's plausible for me to use it
~LOA
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*in memory of Ralph*
"Ch-ch-ch-CHIA!"
May his terracotta soul rest in peace...