Update on my hands and the Cthulhus
November 11th, 2011 · 14 CommentsI’ve been waiting to write this for a while in hopes that things would sort themselves out or that I could get some kind of timeline. But it’s nearly mid-November now, so I think I really owe an update.
Last summer, I suffered a repetitive motion injury from over-crocheting. That injury is now completely gone, but in August I suffered a far worse hand/arm injury at work. After 3 months, I’m to the point where I can take pain-killers in the morning and do most of my everyday tasks without any difficulties. I’m restricting some of the things I do, but I can type and cook and do most of the things which I was struggling with or unable to do in August.
But I still can’t crochet without pain. The doctor says she expects that level of healing to take longer (and I’m not yet off pain-killers anyway). She’s also disappointed that I’m not healing faster. Sadly, with hands, it’s almost impossible not to use them—especially when you’re a grad student with a full-time job.
I think I will get better. I’m looking at physical/occupational therapy options beyond the exercises my doctor gave me. But I really have no clue whether it’ll be another month or two or six. Or a year. I hope it’ll be less than a year. I really miss crocheting. I want to get back to it. I have all these ideas for Cthulhus. It hurts that I can’t do it. But, for now, I can’t.
When I can, you’ll be the first to know.
November 11th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Just wanted to wish you a continued recovery. I know what its like not being able to do the things you want to do. We loved your ebook and have been loooong time fans of all of your crochet cthulhu’s. If I had a $ for every time someone had mailed me a link…
Ia! F’tagn!
Derek.
November 11th, 2011 at 2:03 pm
I hope your hands are better soon, Ruth! Your llama must be hurting too. I hope she’s better soon too!
–TheMediocreYoungishOne–
November 11th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Well, I’m pulling for you! (So to speak.)
November 11th, 2011 at 8:29 pm
Fingers,toes, tentacles crossed for a speedy recovery. I broke my wrist a few years back and it was hell when I couldn’t sew so I have lots of sympathy!
November 15th, 2011 at 10:36 am
Ugh! As a fellow artist it is doubly upsetting to hear this and am hoping for a timely recovery. Might acupuncture be of use?
In the meantime, have you considered outsourcing to R’lyeh??
November 28th, 2011 at 8:25 am
I hope your hands recover soon and that the occupational therapy will help you. Hmmmm, is it possible to find a crochet club near you and convince the members to do your bidding?
In essence, you’ll still be “pulling the strings”. If not, Great Cthulhu’s bidding must be done…after you feel better. Also, if there’s anything that we could do on our website to help push the products you currently have, let us know.
Good luck and feel better.
December 15th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
Hope you get well, been a while since I passed through your site and was sad to read this. As a programmer and someone that uses a keyboard excessively, I can imagine how painful it can be. Stay well and heal up!
January 9th, 2012 at 4:38 am
New here, first post I read so far.
Unfortunately I do not know what injury you have sustained, but I do know how to treat repetitive motion injury. As you recover, you can get benefits from the same therapy.
See an Active Release Technique specialist. (ART) Physical therapists and Chiropractors are sometimes co-trained in this skill. (And one of those is often covered by insurance.)
There are also things you could do at home, involving rolling tennis balls over sore spots, although with an injury, I would seek out a professional to make sure you are not making things worse. But done right it can speed up recovery.
January 20th, 2012 at 12:34 am
@above
Chiropractor =/= professional
Chiropractor = crook
There’s no medical science involved in it. Simple placebo accounts for your feeling better when you go. And you can get that from a good doctor, while also actually being treated for what ails you.
To Cthulhu Chick: I found your Lovecraft collection on Amazon a few months ago and bought it for my Kindle. I’d only really known of him vaguely through internet and videogame mentions of Cthulhu.
I came by just to say thanks! I had no idea what I was missing.
Hope you’re getting well. And good luck getting off the painkillers. That can be hard, believe me I’ve been there.
February 8th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Hi. I just found your HP Lovecraft ebook on the kindle site and followed the breadcrumbs to your website. Thanks for taking the time to make the this free complete works of HP Lovecraft. I just downloaded it and uploaded it to the cloud.
I also wanted to send you light and love and good wishes for your healing. I am also recovering from a RMI (from needlework) and have found out other things wrong with my wrists. I switched to clay from cloth sculpture so that’s helped. Hope you can get back to crocheting your lovely cthulhu creatures.
Happiness and gratitude,
Creaturesmith
February 8th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
PS: I thought this will cheer you up…
http://www.etsy.com/listing/89141827/lady-cthulhia-hanging-head-ornament-by?ref=ss_listing
Its by another etsian who is also a cthulhu lover.
March 22nd, 2012 at 1:05 am
About 6 years ago I started jogging. I jogged until my right hip started aching. I took ibuprofen for the pain but still continued to jog non the hip(I was training for a 5k run).
Anyway My right hip pain grew worse. To the point of delibitating. Barely able to walk. I then decided to stop the pain killers and relax. I increased my water intake to 10 glasses a day. I went to the bath room a lot for the next few 2-3 days! And I also kept my right hip stiff and immobile. I basically imagined a tight girdle around my waist and kept my right leg stiff/straight. And did you know that within 5 days the pain decreased. I could not miss anymore work , so I went back to work from my 5 break. But kept drinking water and keeping my right leg stiff as a board.
Guess what? In 2 weeks time, my hip completely recovered.
I stretch it with yoga now, and work out. But I can’t you how much you can hurt yourself taking pain meds and not drinking enough water(joint lubrication) and immobilizing te injured body part.
Doctor said my hip was a torn acl band and people never fully recover from them.
I did. I stopped taken my pain meds and hydrated and rested.
I don’t know the extent of your injury but please try my methods. Btw, I found your site due to fascination of cthulhu. Thanks for you efforts!
April 12th, 2012 at 9:57 pm
Heya, I was so very happy to find the gorgeously compiled Complete Works you’ve put together, and sad to read about your injuries. You know what I would like? A nice “Donate” button under that “Download the FREE Lovecraft eBook” note in your sidebar. Seriously, you did some work to put that together. People appreciate it. Some of us would like to slide you a couple of dollars as a thank you.
April 14th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
thanx i wass loking for the work of lovecraft this pdf is what i needed thanx