September 20, 2009 | about me, parenthood
Yes, I’ve been away for a while. Blame RSI.
I went to a physiotherapist on Thursday, hoping he could recommend some exercises or treatment that would help my aching and twitching hands, caused by spending hours on a computer. What he said to me was quite simple. It went like this:
“If I came to you with a headache, you could give me aspirin or a massage or whatever and it might feel better for a little while. But if I then told you that my headache was because I spent half an hour each day banging my head against a brick wall, you’d say that the answer to my problem was pretty obvious, wouldn’t you?”
And so it is. And I’m not stupid. So the work of this past week has been to invest in some equipment that will make my working environment less harmful—an ergonomic keyboard and mouse, for example. Would you believe that for nine years, I’ve been working on my dining room table sitting on a chair that doesn’t really support my back? So I’ve got a new chair and I’m having a real desk delivered soon—my first real desk ever. (Maybe that makes me a real writer now?)
But along with equipment, I’ve got to make some changes to my computer habits. Working smart will mean using the limited time I’ve got at the computer writing, instead of surfing the net and chatting online. I’m afraid this blog is going to be updated less often than I’d like, and I’ll be able to visit other blogs less frequently, too.
Anyway. I’ll be here when I can, and certainly when I need to for my sanity. But maybe with a few less words.
I’m off to Oxfordshire tomorrow, to teach a 3-day residential course on writing women’s commercial fiction for Cornerstones, and after that, I may be able to get back to my book after an enforced hand-related absence. I hope so, as it’s been driving me mad to be away from it.
We started potty training the Fecklet yesterday and I’m promptly leaving, so my poor husband has to take charge of the whole thing. Wish him luck. Wish me luck.
Wish our carpets luck.
See you soon.
carolc says:
Can’t wait for the course Julie. Glad to see you’ve been able to blog again, even if it will sadly be less frequently.
Leave your husband to do the dirty work, I like your style! I’m about to have my first two child free days in over two years. Will I even know myself? Good thing it will ficticious characters I’ll be focusing on.
Lacey Devlin says:
Don’t you hate it when the physio uses logic? Don’t they know we only want to hear good news?
Have a fantastic time away
Lori x says:
Hope the habd heals quickly! Good luck with the potty training – I am soooo glad those days are behind me (though my son took to it really well, unlike my daughter).
I read Girl From Mars this weekend and LOVED it. I completely loved the friendship between the guys and Fil and I’d definitely have loved Jim back ;-D
Or maybe it would have been Digger I’d have fancied. Then again Dan was fantabulous.
God I’m glad Fil told you who she wanted cos I’d have been sending her all over the place…
Phillipa Ashley says:
Oh ((())))Hope you get better soon, Julie – look after yourself and your greatest assets. You’ll find less blogging and surfing has many other benefits, i think.
Lorraine says:
Hi Julie, I know you’re reluctant to come over to the ’speech to text’ side just yet but you could use the software for emails, blogging and letters and save your hands for the WIP.
Just a thought anyway, hope the other changes do the trick
Carol Warham says:
You have to be sensible so it just means that the blogs will now be extra extra special for us all. Good luck with everything
Tammy says:
I’m glad to hear you got a new chair and that a desk is on the way. A proper setup is so important!
For what it’s worth, when I had RSI I got a cortisone shot in my wrist and followed that with three weeks off the computer entirely. I have rarely had a problem since, and I usually spend way more hours on the computer than anyone should.
(Well, that’s not entirely true. I get bad shoulder pain when I have too many days in a row of 16 hours on the computer.)
I hope your new work station helps you feel better very soon!
Julie Day says:
If it helps your health then it’s worth it. I always say, if you don’t have your health then you can’t work. I hope your new work station helps your RSI. Good luck.
Tammy says:
We love your blog and just wanted to stop and say hello!
Marcy says:
We’ll miss you, Julie, but spending your time and energy writing is definitely the best use of your wrists
Hang in there.
jude says:
Poor you Julie. We will miss you but a writer’s gotta do what a etc etc…
Pat on back re Fecklet’s potty adventures. We’re about to start with Ez. And having been through it once before I’m kinda jittery. One step forward, several back. But man are they cute in teeny pants! jx
jude says:
Sorry. Should have added. I’m reliably informed by my hairdresser that a magarine tub is the perfect recepticle (sp?) for ‘out and about’ with potty training boy toddlers. It means they can wizz and go! Sorted.
Unfortunately it doesn’t work for girls. We still need a mobile beack bucket.