Dear So and So

[Catrin]

I'm sorry you're hurting. Do you think it could be a nerve issue, e.g., carpal tunnel? My palms still hurt from my days on the Moots, and I'm pretty sure it's all nerve related. There are some stretches you can do that can help a bit. For instance, hold your arm out in front with your palm face out and your fingers pointed up. With your other hand, gently stretch your fingers back toward you and hold. You should feel the stretch at the base of your hand/top of your wrist.

I will try this, and for now the pain is gone. We do know that I have arthritis in my palms, it has been there for years and is part of the reason why I've such a poor hand grip. All of the mechanical tests for carpal tunnel I seem to pass with flying colors, which is amazing considering how much time I spend at a keyboard...I do strive for good ergonomics though which has to help.

Thankfully it doesn't flare too often, once a year or so as far as pain is concerned. Thankfully it had decreased enough by the weekend that I could ride, and I think I will be able to do my normal workout with my trainer this evening. I am thankful and it makes my heart go out to those who deal with something like this 24/7. Typically I don't have more than twinges...

[Sky King]

Dear Sock Monster,
come on, cough it up. This house isn't very big and we have no pets or kids to blame. I know both of my favorite wool socks went into the wash, how is it possible that only one came out. grrrrr

[OakLeaf]

Dear car,

I'm sorry for blaming you for what I suspected was mice all along.



Dear mice,

I could literally buy half a new car for what you've cost me over the years. There's a whole outdoors out there. Not only that, there are plenty of nooks and crannies in the garage where I'd never find you and you'd never bother my stuff. Stay out of my freakin' car.



Dear wiring harness manufacturers,

Seriously, do you really make enough profit off replacement wires that you continue to make housing that tastes good to mice, even though it's been a known problem for decades???

[Crankin]

Oak, we have spent about $2,000 on fixing the damage that mice have done to both of our cars. My car is in the garage, so once it was fixed, we then had to fix the garage. For like 2 years, I kept smelling a burning smell when I started my car... they ate through the fuel pump .

[Biciclista]

to whom it may concern
so it really is true that some people actually fight cancer and win somewhat... on a cellular level! My DH has stage 4 cancer, but only 1 node is affected. all the other ones that should have been affected are clean clean clean. ON with the (reallyscary) surgery!

[snapdragen]

Please give my best wishes and blessings to RD Mimi, and to you too.

[Blueberry]

(((((((Mimi and RD)))))))

[NbyNW]

Wow, Mimi! Sounds like mixed news, if I understand you right?

Let us know if there's anything you need ...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Dear car,
I'm sorry for blaming you for what I suspected was mice all along.
Dear mice,
I could literally buy half a new car for what you've cost me over the years. There's a whole outdoors out there. Not only that, there are plenty of nooks and crannies in the garage where I'd never find you and you'd never bother my stuff. Stay out of my freakin' car.
Dear wiring harness manufacturers,
Seriously, do you really make enough profit off replacement wires that you continue to make housing that tastes good to mice, even though it's been a known problem for decades???

I hear you. My car only has 11,000 miles on it. It sits on a pristine asphalt driveway, with neat lawn all around. Last month, a chipmunk had my engine wiring harness for a little snack, and it just cost me $1200 to replace a stupid bunch of wires wrapped in chipmunk jerky- oops, I mean wrapped in rubber. My insurance coughed up $450 which helped ...a little.
The next day the chipmunk was back inside the engine and left his little tufts of red fur and poop on the sticky trap I put there.
I started placing RAT TRAPS baited with p.butter right under the car engine, on the driveway. In one month the traps have killed 5 chipmunks under my car. The chipm population in my backyard seems to be almost gone now, and no signs of them in my engine now. I'll keep putting the traps out till thanksgiving i think.
I dont like killing things but this was simply too expensive to let happen again.
I'm just glad nothing else gets caught in the traps by mistake.

[Biciclista]

wow! never heard of such a thing. Must have been an ad in chipmonk.craigslist.com advertising what a cozy set up was in your engine compartment.

that would have been traumatic at the least for me!

[spokewench]

I will try this, and for now the pain is gone. We do know that I have arthritis in my palms, it has been there for years and is part of the reason why I've such a poor hand grip. All of the mechanical tests for carpal tunnel I seem to pass with flying colors, which is amazing considering how much time I spend at a keyboard...I do strive for good ergonomics though which has to help.

Thankfully it doesn't flare too often, once a year or so as far as pain is concerned. Thankfully it had decreased enough by the weekend that I could ride, and I think I will be able to do my normal workout with my trainer this evening. I am thankful and it makes my heart go out to those who deal with something like this 24/7. Typically I don't have more than twinges...

Catrin - do you have CMC joint issues? That pain is at the base of your thumb joint as it enters your wrist. Have they only checked you for carpal tunnel? They just need to take an xray to see if it is CMC. The things that will cause you pain the most when you have this is any kind of pinching action.

[OakLeaf]

I've read that it's common for pain originating in the CMC joints to be referred to the MCP joints, and vice versa, too. It's most common in the thumb joint, but I don't see why any of the CMC joints couldn't be arthritic.

[spokewench]

Mimi: Always thinking of you and your hubby! Hang in there.

[azfiddle]

Mimi- more hugs from me and Chuck. I hope the surgery goes well. RD is one tough guy and you two are staying focused where you need to be.
Sharon

[Catrin]

Catrin - do you have CMC joint issues? That pain is at the base of your thumb joint as it enters your wrist. Have they only checked you for carpal tunnel? They just need to take an xray to see if it is CMC. The things that will cause you pain the most when you have this is any kind of pinching action.

I've read that it's common for pain originating in the CMC joints to be referred to the MCP joints, and vice versa, too. It's most common in the thumb joint, but I don't see why any of the CMC joints couldn't be arthritic.

CMC joints? Will look that up and see where those are

Spokewrench, while sometimes I do have pain there, a pinching action doesn't bother me. Really, 99% of it is right in the middle of my palms, just last week it was really bad...but THIS week there isn't a bit of pain at all, for which I am thankful. My fingers are always a bit cranky, but am so used to that I am hardly aware of it... Of course it doesn't mean the pain isn't referred to my palms from elsewhere.

I am considering asking my doctor about it the next time, I need to see him about my dog bite anyway which still isn't quite healed... I just hate to say something and get a bunch of co-pays for tests to only find out that I need to take ibuprofen for it...