This blog post is nothing more than a desperate grab for sympathy, there is going to be wailing, whining, cries of WOE and possibly even a bit of begging.
Now that I have fully disclosed at the TOP of the article, all those readers who have been expecting witty words of wisdom have now been warned about the high probability of self obsessed sympathy grabs contained within. I have fully and transparently, *DISCLOSED MY INTENT DEANNA and now I can get right to the heart of the matter knowing that I have not tricked anyone into reading here.
Part One: WAILING.
Six weeks ago my hand decided to instigate industrial action and imposed a strict stop work policy. My head railed against this policy as important deadlines were looming but my hand didn’t care, it had declared itself CACTUS FUCTUS and was now in charge of all decisions relating to the work production schedule.
I ignored the stop work edict as my head was full of work that needed to be made and I knew the ideas would vanish and all the work would be lost.
My hand became increasingly militant in it’s enforcement of the stop work policy and we came to an impasse on the day when I could not pick up a coffee cup. So I took myself off to the doctor and had X-rays and did all the things you do when you are an adult and bits of your body stop working. I spoke to my doctor briefly on the phone yesterday and he said it wasn’t good news. I have severe degenerative arthritis in my wrist and thumb. My finger joints are a also bit iffy and I need to alter my work practices, sadly, my hand is cactus fuctus
Part Two WHINING:
I am a professional mud hardener, I work with my hands. There is a lot of hands on, hard physical work, that can not be avoided and the first step in making any pot is “wedging the clay.”
Wedging the clay is very similar to kneading dough and as dough must be kneaded, so clay must be wedged, or the pots wont rise and the bread cracks and I mix my metaphors and everything goes to shit because, CACTUS FUCTUS.
I can’t have a proper and sustained moan about my POOR CACTUS FUCTUS hand to my family because pfft what is a sore hand in the scheme of thing when your hips dislocate in bed overnight (The Spouse) your jaw makes an ominous “dislocation pending” clicking sound every time you eat anything (The Son) and your ribs move independently of themselves and your collarbone doesn’t like being near your collar (The daughter)
Oh I know they all made appropriate poor Mum sounds and here have some deep heat and oh do you want a pressure bandage Mum.
BUT it isn’t the same as the PROPER Sympathy I can get from you, my dear, dear internets.
Part Three BEGGING.
What do you do to ease the pain of arthritis? I am off to the physio to get a wrist brace made. I am currently using a home made job The Spouse suggested, which is a pressure bandage and a neoprene stubby holder and that is working well enough as a temporary measure. I already take fish oil and glucosamine tablets to keep my dodgy knee working properly. Heat packs give some relief as well. BUT I WANT YOUR MAGIC TRICKS. I need your home remedies.
How do you manage your arthritic cactus fuctus bits and pieces internet? How do you keep on working when bits of you go on strike? Did you grieve your previously usable body parts that now are a bit past their used by date? Did you cry a little bit?
And even though this artistically highlighted and sharpened to buggery, Xray shows my cactus fuctus hand in all it skeletal glory, I am forced to admit that I have quite elegant bones. Cactus Fuctus, they may be, but still rather Elegant.
*This blog post was brought to you by the dire need for bucket loads of sympathy.
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You have lovely bones.
A dear lady that I used to see where I worked prior to becoming stay at home mum used to put those wheat bags in her pockets to keep her hands warm. She did a lot of knitting & the like so she could keep popping her hands in her pockets when she needed to. Not sure how it would work with pottery though
Thank you Karen, speaking of Lovely Bones have you read the novel of the same name by Alice Sebold?
And I have a wheat pack I use here inside but I don’t think it will be practical in the studio because my hands are often wet. But now that I have said that, I could wrap it in a plastic bag. Hmm. Thanks 🙂
Paul has arthritis in his knuckles and he uses one of those magnetic, copper bracelets. He said it doesn’t make it go away completely but he notices the difference if he has to take it off for an extended period of time.
I often wondered about those bracelets, thanks Tegan
Your hand looks very elegant, I agree, and I’ve read that Lovely Bones novel. It was frightening to this mother’s heart, but I liked it. I’m sorry about the pain! I’ve been wondering where you’ve been, and now I know. Had to look up Cactus Fuctus, and that sums it up. Bummer. When my feet get sore and really uncomfortable I soak them in a crazy bubbling, vibrating, heated foot bath-thing. I use mine on ‘cool’, but the heat setting might help loosen-up your hand joints in between wedging the clay. It creates masses of bubbles that overflow the footbath (handbath)… messy yet clean. I hope your pain simmers-down, and soon.
Cactus used to be slang for something that was broken and well fuctus is as it sounds, I would have been interested to see the search results for it from your end Janet as from here google took me all over the place hehe. I had one of those foot thingies for David and I think it is also cactus fuctus. BUT I am finding relief with a heat pack. I will just work to a new rythym in the studio and as winter is coming I will spend more time cooking and reading and planning and less time frantically working.
Oh, poor you 🙁 I use SAMe (s-adenosyl methionine) for depression and detoxing purposes, and I keep coming across it being recommended for arthritis. Worth giving a shot – a little pricey but if it helps you keep working, I guess it would be worth it!
Your hand x-ray looks lovely! 🙂
Thanks Sue, I will do some research and yes it is a lovely X-ray *grins*
Oh your poor lovely bones. I find using them is important but not too roughly, so perhaps you can still keep working them but gently. Then warmth and massage is always good – you can do a selfie on the hands.
I think I will just have to work out a “softer” working pattern. And thankyou for the sympathy 🙂
Oh hon, am so so sorry, my poor mother in law had it in her hands and her fingers would make you cringe… I know she ad a few home made recipes in addition to the copper braclets… Soon as dad gets back to me, Ill send you the recipes for her cures!! Worth a try
Thankyou very very much Maureen xox
oh dear Kim! I know how you must be feeling. I have arthritis in my thumbs too, but not nearly as bad as you do and not in my wrists either. I do have carpal tunnel syndrome though. I’ll tell you what I used to do when the aching got too bad, I would massage in deep heat at night, cover my hands with cotton gloves, then wear a brace to bed, sometimes on both hands. This would enable me to work during the day without the brace. It may work for you just enough to keep you going, but at first I think you may need to rest the joint until the first wave of pain lessens. I found that when my thumb pain first announced itself I was in agony with it for a day or two, then it lessened and I was able to move it more and more as time went on, just needing to be careful how I did things. Keeping the joint moving as much as you can is essential so it doesn’t lock up. I have arthritis in the back of my neck too and way down in the lumbar portion of my spine, a bit in both shoulders, a bit in both hips and a few finger knuckles. Heat and massage help a lot. Take it easy.
Your bones look lovely and delicate, like a fairy.
Such elegant bones.
I am so so sorry. Can you get regular massages to help? My pain is not arthritis but it does leave me sore, sorry and supple as a brick and massage DOES help.
I wouldn’t knock back medication either. Did the doctor have any recommendations (other than stop creating and stop being you)?
Not being able to use your hands when you need them to create your amazing art is really, really shitty and totally worth whining about. You have my sympathy.
Glad you disclosed your intent though … you really just can’t sling words around like this without some sort of disclosure statement on sympathy or what flavour tea you prefer when you write about it on the internet anymore m’dear. Some people really get their prissy little knickers in a knot over such things … but then, you already know how I feel about those prissy little buggers who complain about that sort of shite.
I will go one better than SYMPATHY and give you SNYTHATHY – something worth much more in our house!!!
If heat helps, you can get a waterproof heat pack that wouldn’t mind getting a bit dirty, and you could wipe it clean at the end. I got one for Mum years ago in Priceline, but I don’t know if they still have them. They have gel inside instead of wheat, which was required by the Nursing Home so that they didn’t overheat and catch fire in the microwave!!! There are also smaller thingys that heat up when you snap them, then to return them to normal you add them to a pot of boiling water – all much cheaper and more instant than some alternatives. I don’t have any arthritic pain so I can empathise, but muscle and nerve pain both respond very well to massage. Good luck, chook, and I have no doubt you will work out a way around this, so that you can keep creating masterpieces. xx
Sympathy?
By the bucket.
Empathy?
By the tonne.
Understanding?
By the power to the what’s it.
Kim— I have had surgery x 5 on my hands. My wrists ( left then right about 4 years apart) Carpal Tunnel. Trigger finger x1 then when left hand (am left dominant) became incredibly painful from thumb joint arthritis I had a new form of surgery where the joints were shaved back and an “artelon spacer” was screwed either side of the joint to make a buffer which reduces the bone rubbing. 6 weeks of recovery – day surgery all- & lots of Hand Physio .. I went back for more – right hand done too.
I thought it was the over-use syndrome – computers became part of my daily role as a deputy principal from 1988. However, the Hand surgeon told me this is arthritis & it’s part of genetic heritage .
Would I have the surgeries again? Yes. Even though I get some pain still, and I have reduced strength I can do all that I would like now as “mechanically” my thumbs, wrists are ok.
The scary part? Very bloody expensive. Around $3000 out of pocket for the major ones. I am grateful that the last surgery the doctor ( one of the best hand/shoulder surgeons in Sydney) reduced his fee considerably when I asked him.
What about you? All the recommendations I see work. Heat is still my best friend if I need extra comfort. A warm washer is wonderful as is a wheat bag. I also had wrist sprints made which isolate my thumb to give it a rest. The hand Physio made these (moulded the shape via heat) to fit my hand.
I am aware that the resources available to me in sydney with private health insurance are not as easy to come by for you. It is so hard when that thing that keeps your heart & soul happy is being compromised by the very physicality of your body. I wish I had a magic wand… I don’t but I do understand and I do care & in my case of living with a very chronically ill person I “get” what you wrote but Kim this IS happening to you and you deserve some TLC too – D xx
YES a bucketload of sympathy coming your way. Don’t these people know you are an artist and you just CANNOT stop work like that… too many ideas need to take physical form.
Loads of sympathy!
Here are strategies from the nursing textbook–luckily we just ‘did’ degenerative joint diseases 🙂
Don’t keep the splint on for more than a week at a time.
Use heat…consider a warm shower first thing in the morning, hot packs as everyone has suggested, paraffin wax baths for your hands…
Sometimes in particular situations, cold will help more, so if that is ever what seems right, go for it.
Lose weight (dread saying it ! but must!) especially to benefit your knees. Wear well-fitting, supportive shoes.
Acupuncture may help. Relaxation &/or guided imagery.
Capsaicin cream (Zostrix)–ask the pharmacist.
If you need pain meds, ibuprofen will give better pain relief than paracetamol, if your tummy can tolerate it. 200 mg up to 4x daily. Make sure you don’t take a higher dose. If paracetamol works well, then that is fine. Important, don’t hesitate to take a med if you have tried other ways and they genuinely don’t help at that time!
Sending love.
Beautiful x- ray that shows they definitely are the delicate bones of a princess 🙂
I lived on Macleay Island years ago and there was a very lovely old lady there who swore by molasses for the relief of arthritis.She ate spoonfuls of it every day.I have never been game to try it but she was very active and a good example of it working well.Im sure she had a book on its benefits.
I find the heat wheat packs work well and especially if you use them before doing anything as the heat warms up the joints.Also again after your activity.
I use a cream called Pain Away.You may have seen it on one of the current affairs programs.I have a bad neck/back and I rub it in and then put the heat on.Pain doesn’t go but is not as bad as before use.The chemists sell it for about $25 but it is often on special at the Chemist Warehouse for around $14.
I have also seen on tv many people who swear by pawpaw products from http://www.mcarthurnaturalproducts.com.au but they are expensive.
Hope you find some relief as I know how much you love to work with your hands.You create amazing things.x
Armload of sympathy here. I deal with arthritic paintings by using glucosamine, SAM-e, hot packs, massage and the baths with epsom salts. The gel heatbags are really good. I also take a prescription driven, breathe only a low dose but it’s essential. Magnetic wristbands seemingly to helper. Tools to make the repetitive tasks easier are the way to go. Can you get a commercial breadmaker to pummel the clay?
Oh, Kim, no! Just no!
xoxoxo
It’s an x-ray to me, won’t say more than that. Seen way too many of them and I get all technical about that sort of stuff. I will say that all your bones appear to be at normal angles, which is good thing. No nasty twisting going on; that doesn’t negate the cactus fuctus joints.
I get the hand going and strike thing when you have deadlines, Had exactly that problem a few years ago when I’d taken two weeks off work to finish the manuscript for the book. Timing could not have been worse. But you learn to manage and find new ways of doing things. Heat will, I suspect, be your saviour overt the winter. Heat or even just warm water. Don’t ignore the anti-inflammories – speak to your Dr about which ones would be best for long term use. Also, some of those topical ointments (e.g. Voltaren) seem to have helped my parents when they have a flare up. I am however, firmly not a believer in magnetic therapy. Can you guess why?!
Hope the pain eases quickly and life returns to normal rapidly. X
More fish oil … not 1000 units but more like 10,000 units. It’s the best for joint pain. Good luck with all of it!