My right arm has been numb and tingly for about a month now.
I picked the softest yarn I could find. I bought 12 skeins and settled myself down to knit the 1×1 swatch to measure the rows per inch to properly design the sweater. My husband had a meeting so it was a perfect night to start the new project.
The young’ins at work had also been talking about a new t.v. show called “Heroes.” Since I don’t watch t.v., I felt left out of the conversations. So, I surrounded myself with the laptop set to Netflix.com’s Instant Viewing option for the first season of Heroes, opened a bottle of wine and sliced off a huge hunk of Irish Dubliner cheese and proceeded to knit. And drink. And eat.
Four hours later, I looked up with a start as my husband walked in the door. I was surrounded by cracker crumbs, cheese droppings and my arm was tingly and numb. I looked over at the wine bottle. It was half empty. Oh. Perhaps that explained the tingly number arm thing.
Then I looked at the cheese. I had eaten exactly 3568 calories worth of cheese. Whoops. There goes all the diligent working out from the last week. Then, my eyes caught the sweater. Wow! I had made progress! And, when my dear husband said, “Hi Honey. What did you do tonight?” my mind raced furiously. Where had the last four hours gone?
All I could answer was “Um, I know the entire plotline for Heroes. Did you know that Nikki has a double personality and that it’s really the senator that can fly and the cheerleader’s father really isn’t a good guy!?! And oh, I knitted this partial sweater, drank wine and ate a straight block of fat.”
It’s been about a month now. I haven’t been able to knit again. My arm is still mildly numb at times and I can’t use the mouse at work anymore. So Nicole, I guess this is my way of telling you that the sweater won’t be done in time for the birth.
Erin, I am STILL eating the cheese and I love it. I’ll do a search for the carpal tunnel exercises. Thanks for that hint.
And Miss Teresa, you are a funny girl. I just saw your cheese art. It’s hilariously kitschy.
Too late! Cheese reinforcements from Wisconsin will be mailed on Monday and should arrive NTL Wednesday. Hope you like the cheeses we picked!
On a different note, I suffer from the same thing re. repetitive motion (occupational hazard from being a web developer). My chiropractor showed me some exercies to do for my hands and fingers. I believe they really do help!
Aw, you’re sweet but you totally don’t need to do that. Really, truly. Just having you hanging out with the Soap Queen community is a huge treat. =)
On a rambling personal note, I have gained at least 3 pounds thanks to the wine cheese fiasco with the knitting and still haven’t gotten it off yet.
=)
I agree with the other ladies about your poor arm. Take good care of it!
If you like cheese, maybe you’ll like some cheese art:
http://suspectandfugitive.blogspot.com/2008/06/provolone-ranger.html
and
http://suspectandfugitive.blogspot.com/2008/05/herman-muenster-cheese.html
*grin*
Hi Again:
Re. France, it wasn’t all the glamorous. I was there on business (when I used to belong to the big corporate world). I don’t know that I would return there for a vacation. But, I wasn’t in Paris, so maybe it’s nicer there. They do have wonderful cheese, though!
Re. the Cheese Sampler…
I’m on a mission now! Watch for a goodie basket in your mailbox soon.
; – )
Erin
Erin, I’ve never been to France but it sounds amazing!
Ashley, gosh, I hope I don’t have to quit knitting. I really love. I’m going to really baby my wrist and arm for the next month and see how far that gets me. =)
I have to agree with the others about the the massage. I picked up knitting three years ago, knitted for a year then had to quit because I developed carpal tunnel.
It’s very painful but my Chiro massages the muscle on the inner side below the elbow. He said the nerves pain can be released from there. He also adjusts my arms.
I would seriously recommend having the electrode test done just to see if you have nerve damage, especially if it bothers you more at night.
Hi Again:
Well, then, better tell me your favs and I’ll put together a goodie basket…
Have you been to France? Their cheese is to die for!
Erin
Erin, I am ADDICTED to cheese. It’s the main reason I work out – so I can eat copious amounts of cheese. (swooning and drooling)
Anne Marie:
I live in the state of Wisconsin – the “Cheese State”. Remind me not to send you a sampler (LOL)!
Erin
Ha! That sounds like something I’ve done in the past.
I recommend the massage too. You probably have tight muscles in your arm that are pinching the nerves.
Gosh, thanks for all of your great ideas. For right now, I’m definitely taking your advice and switching my mouse to the left hand and starting to baby my right hand (maybe only hunt’n’peck typing with just the left hand).
It is certainly a good reason to try massage though, isn’t it?
Now … if I could only find time! =) Things at BB and Otion are so busy with opportunity that it’s hard to find an extra hour in my day right now. But, I’m not complaining – that’s definitely a blessing! =)
If I’m still numb after trying the mouse switch thing, I’ll definitely go see a doctor. Knitting for four hours is apparently not such a hot idea.
I agree about the massage. The root of the probem is in your shoulders and possibly elbows…that’s where the nerves run. A good therapist will start working on your upper back and shoulder area then work down your arms to your hands. Thats what I do for one of my clients w/ the same problem and it always helps. Oh, and keep up witht the yoga too =)
oh i love it! well, the fact that it is not just me who does things like this….
I also have been having the tingly hurting arm thing over the last year – bad computer ergonomics and knitting I’m sure.
Wanna know what worked for me? Good massage and ACUPUNTURE! 1 or 2sessions and I haven’t had a problem since – plus you get to lay there for 40 mins and do nothing!
Maybe worth a try?…hope your arm is feeling better.
Oh, you poor thing! Have you gone to see your doctor about it yet or asked your dad’s opinion since he’s a doctor? Repetitive strain injuries are no laughing matter. You should get it checked out before it gets worse and you develop permanent nerve damage. And try resting your wrist/arm & apply alternating cold and warm compresses to the affected area when the pain flares up again. Hope you feel better soon, Anne-Marie!
Repetitive strain injury is no joke.
I had trouble in grad school, writing my thesis. My mouse hand and arm hurt. My solution was to switch the mouse to my left hand, and that solved the problem. When the left hand started hurting, back to the right.
Years later, I still get sore if I spend too much time on the computer. I just switch hands, and the pain stops. It works!
HAHA! That totally sounds like something I would do = ) Minus the knitting…oh, and the entire bottle of wine would have been gone.
Ha ha. That’s funny. I didn’t know you knit too? I hope you don’t have carpal tunnel syndrome.