One handed!

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  • billwmeyer
    Veteran Member
    • Feb 2003
    • 1858
    • Weir, Ks, USA.
    • BT3000

    One handed!

    I haven't been around here for awhile. I retired about 2 years ago, and started doing craft shows and enjoying myself. Then at the end of July, out of the blue, I had a stroke. I lost most of the function in my left leg, and all of my left arm. After 8 1/2 months of therapy, I'm walking better, and not using my cane much, and my left arm is better, but not there yet. Have anyone else found a way to get back in the shop with minimal use of a hand and arm? Luckily, I'm right handed. Any ideas are welcome.
    "I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in."-Kenny Rogers
  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    #2
    Bill, glad to hear you are doing much better. I have wondered about what I would do in situations like you mentioned. I did cut 1/2 inch off of the end of my right thumb off years ago; took years to get feeling back to the tip of my modified thumb but after about 10 years I got to the point that I could use it like normal.
    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

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    • capncarl
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 3564
      • Leesburg Georgia USA
      • SawStop CTS

      #3
      Bil, not what you want to hear, but since you asked..... I know 3 ladies that have experienced strokes that effected 1 side. One had her stroke at age 63 that effected her left side, she worked on her therapy for a while, I’m saying she gave up on therapy. She has always been heavyset but has added some weight that hinders her walking. She was left handed and really artistic and has been working hard to get her right hand to where her dominant hand was with some success, but her left hand and arm is not improving. The 2 other lady stroke victims, probably in their mid 40s, I see at the gym several times a week. They really try pushingthemselves to regain the use of the effected limbs are maintaining their weights and feel good about theirselves and their conditions but sadly I don’t see much improvement in the use of their arms and hands, although their use of the effected leg does seem to improving. That said, I’ve worked with several men who had strokes and have nearly complete recovery.
      Keep on trying and keep your spirits up. Everyone’s different

      Comment

      • KenBurris
        Established Member
        • Jan 2003
        • 439
        • Cincinnati, OH, USA.

        #4
        Sorry to hear that, Bill
        my stroke was 12 years ago, but sounds like I was more lucky than you. I regained about 90 % of my physical functions, but my feedback circuits on left side are at about 10 % (have to look at a remote in my left hand to know it is there, else I drop it). keep going at it, you may find in a few months or years that some neurons have made an alternate path and have some improvement. Best of luck
        Ken in Cincinnati

        Pretend this line says something extremely witty

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        • billwmeyer
          billwmeyer commented
          Editing a comment
          Sorry to hear about your stroke. I'm glad you're doing ok. Luckily, I have no sensory loss. My fingers are working, but not too well. My index finger curls when I stress it. I can just barely move the pinky. My arm cannot raise up very far yet.
      • Black walnut
        Administrator
        • Aug 2015
        • 5438
        • BT3K

        #5
        Sorry to hear this Bill. I'll echo capncarl though, keep trying. It is good to hear from you.
        just another brick in the wall...

        Boycott McAfee. They placed an unresponsive popup on my pc.

        Comment

        • billwmeyer
          Veteran Member
          • Feb 2003
          • 1858
          • Weir, Ks, USA.
          • BT3000

          #6
          Thanks guys! I think that I'll get back close, but I'm getting impatient. I need sawdust. I did scroll sawing and I am going to try that soon. I bought a foot pedal switch to help.
          "I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in."-Kenny Rogers

          Comment

          • radhak
            Veteran Member
            • Apr 2006
            • 3058
            • Miramar, FL
            • Right Tilt 3HP Unisaw

            #7
            Bill,
            I hope you recover functionality of your left arm. I can imagine it to be frustrating!

            To relate somewhat with your situation, some years back I had hurt my left hand, and had it bandaged for weeks. Some of those days I was also home recuperating, and it got boring, so I got back into the garage (my wife does not know, of course). I had a project pending, and I was itching to get it done, but I was not totally crazy - I did not want to aggravate or risk my left hand in any way, so I worked slowly, but deliberately to try and use just my right hand. I found that I had to use clamps a lot more, and innovatively: I ripped wood on the TS by building a 'channel' for the wood to pass thru - securing other wood and all on the left where my hand would have guided it. I used the router a couple of times similarly, though that was a bit harder. The drill press was harder only because I had not built a dp-table and had to use the small stock one that came with it - clamps are not easy on that. I left the lathe alone, because of the bandages on my hand.

            I had to take care of my bandages (for hygiene, and also to avoid getting them caught on any moving teeth!), which you may not have; but I did have the use of my left arm, at least while setting up; I could carry stuff using my left arm/elbow, use my left elbow to hold something down while clamping, etc. You get the picture. I gather you don't have that small leeway either, so YMMV, and maybe all I wrote here is not helpful.

            But I think if you plan ahead for the task you want to complete and think it thru in your head, you might achieve more than you think. If you have a helper to at least set you up, you could do even better. In my case I had to work surreptitiously as my wife would have blown her top if she knew where I was sneaking off to when nobody was home and I was supposed to rest! But man! Lying in bed or sitting around watching TV is so much more exhausting!

            Best of luck!
            Last edited by radhak; 03-21-2018, 01:46 PM.
            It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
            - Aristotle

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            • billwmeyer
              billwmeyer commented
              Editing a comment
              Thanks! I see your point on extra planning and using clamps more. Good ideas, thanks! I think I remember you posting during that time. I hope it's healed well for you. Watching tv seems to be my main activity now. I hardly watched it before. Where's Norm Abrams when I need him?
          • UPS1990
            Forum Newbie
            • May 2017
            • 36
            • Southern Cal
            • BT 3100

            #8
            Hi Bill,
            my hope is that you continue to make progress and hopefully get back to where you want to be. I know you love woodworking, we all do. There's some thing special about this hobby, we're constantly thinking about, at least I do. Keep pushing yourself during those rehab sessions, you'll get there.

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