Not long after I started my InArCreMo project of trying to get 50 art pieces done in 30 days, I sort of disappeared from my sites and severely decreased my social networking in general. This post is about the why of it.
First, a little history. Back in December 2003/January 2004, I was working on a major software project. I devoted 16-hour days to it, taking a break only for Christmas. I was making good progress. By the end of January, that progress slowed as I started having severe issues with hand and wrist pain. By the time February came around, my hands looked like Mickey Mouse hands (but with five fingers). I couldn’t even hold a toothbrush. I’d come face-to-face with the debilitating condition generally known as Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI), which includes the all-too-common Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).
It took over two years for me to regain most of my coordination and about 80% of my hand strength. I’ve continued managing this condition to this day. I rest my hands often. I rarely work on art or type for more than 90-minutes at a time without a significant break. Every night I have to sleep with splints on both wrists.
Starting InArCreMo, I thought I could pace myself. Turns out that I couldn’t. Midway through just the third project, I started having RSI issues again. After two weeks of not doing art and minimal typing, the situation has improved but hasn’t returned to normal. I’m hoping it isn’t related to another malady I’m dealing with, but only time will tell about that. In any case, the sudden quiet from me hasn’t been from disinterest but infirmity.
I’ve gotten to the point where I can type a bit (obviously) so I’m going to be increasing my focus on writing projects in the short term. There are definitely art projects in the pipeline, but they will be on hold until my fine motor control returns…hopefully in a week or two.
I have RSI too, I had to quit my job move out of NY and move into my parents… after 2 years I have regained typing and writing again, but still have many flares ups and can’t lift any weights…. My hands and arms are still weak and I am wondring when I can start strenghthing them without causing a flare up? What haave been effective treatments for you besides rest, ice and meds…?
Condolences. RSI is just the suck. I think the single most effective treatment I’ve maintained is wearing splints every night. It prevents my wrists from bending at weird angles, keeps the wrists warm, and allows them to just relax. The minus is that it’s like wearing two casts on your arms every night…but you get used to it.
When I was first coming out of my near-total debilitation, I was very parsimonious with when I’d use my hands. A short story I wrote at the time…the first draft was largely done using Dragon Naturally Speaking. After that, I’d edit on the keyboard, stopping whenever fatigue became at all noticeable.
Of course I also saw orthopedic hand specialists and neurologists and all the doctorly people you are supposed to see. Still, like I said, it took a couple of years to become more-or-less functional again, but I’ve always been toeing the line ever since. It’s so, so easy to overdo and have a flare-up.