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  • LCHIEN
    Internet Fact Checker
    • Dec 2002
    • 20914
    • Katy, TX, USA.
    • BT3000 vintage 1999

    Hi All

    Someone inquired via private mail if I was OK because I had not posted too much lately.

    Well, I'm OK, sort of. In December I tore my rotator cuff, badly, according to the surgeon, playing tennis and then fishing.
    I could not lift my right arm higher than my waist.
    I went ahead with a 3 week cruise to Australia and New Zealand avoiding carrying anything and living with one arm.
    I had surgery in March and it will take a long time to get back to normal... 8 weeks in a sling immobilized so it can heal and then I'm looking at 6-12 months rehab/PT.

    So very little woodworking... I just made a swing seat for the tree swing; the boys outgrew the baby seat. ANd that involved the Table saw, miter saw and drill press. Very difficut with jut one hand. I can grasp and turn with the fingers of the right but I can't lift or apply any pressure. THe doc says I don't want to tear it any while its healing.

    RIght now he said I could take off the sling for a bit at home. which helps in typing. Otherwise I have to type and mouse by hunting and pecking with the left and mousing with the left.
    I can't drive and its is very hard to eat left handed. Try pulling up your pants left handed alone. Sleeping is hard with a sling.

    That's why I have been relatively quiet.

    And the board's been pretty quiet, too.

    Loring
    Last edited by LCHIEN; 04-06-2019, 05:55 PM.
    Loring in Katy, TX USA
    If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
    BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions
  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    #2
    It has been kinda quiet! Take care of yourself. Rest isn't always painless!
    Hank Lee

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

    Comment

    • tfischer
      Veteran Member
      • Jul 2003
      • 2343
      • Plymouth (Minneapolis), MN, USA.
      • BT3100

      #3
      Take care of yourself. You're one of the few that (normally) keeps this place alive.

      Comment

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

        #4
        Take care and don't re-injure yourself! I've been down to one arm for about a year and a half due to a stroke. I know the difficulties! Good luck in physical therapy!
        "I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in."-Kenny Rogers

        Comment

        • cwsmith
          Veteran Member
          • Dec 2005
          • 2737
          • NY Southern Tier, USA.
          • BT3100-1

          #5
          Very sorry to hear of your injury, and certainly the time it takes to heal. But don't rush it, you certainly don't want to prematurely do something that will lengthen the healing process. Does your doctor recommend any kind of treatment or physical therapy that will help your mending? I just hope this isn't causing you any amount of physical discomfort, though I'm sure the restraint is hard enough.

          Wishing you well and healing soon,

          CWS
          Think it Through Before You Do!

          Comment

          • Slik Geek
            Senior Member
            • Dec 2006
            • 669
            • Lake County, Illinois
            • Ryobi BT-3000

            #6
            Glad to hear you are alright, albeit impaired. Hope your recovery accelerates!

            Comment

            • oakchas
              Established Member
              • Dec 2002
              • 432
              • Jefferson City, TN, USA
              • BT3000

              #7
              BTDT, three times! One right, two left.. Rotator cuff repairs ain't fun. Prayers for a speedy and full recovery. My wife had completely torn 3 of the 4 tendons in hers and had less pain than I did with smaller tears... Go figure.

              Comment

              • Jim Frye
                Veteran Member
                • Dec 2002
                • 1051
                • Maumee, OH, USA.
                • Ryobi BT3000 & BT3100

                #8
                Ouch! Take care and take it easy. I just have bad knees. Doesn't interfere with woodworking, except for lifting stuff without using the back. Anyway, take it slow and heal fast.
                Jim Frye
                The Nut in the Cellar.
                ”Sawdust Is Man Glitter”

                Comment


                • billwmeyer
                  billwmeyer commented
                  Editing a comment
                  I've had both knees replaced. One of the best decisions I've ever made. If I hadn't done that I would have been completely incapacitated when I had my stroke.
              • LCHIEN
                Internet Fact Checker
                • Dec 2002
                • 20914
                • Katy, TX, USA.
                • BT3000 vintage 1999

                #9
                Originally posted by cwsmith
                Very sorry to hear of your injury, and certainly the time it takes to heal. But don't rush it, you certainly don't want to prematurely do something that will lengthen the healing process. Does your doctor recommend any kind of treatment or physical therapy that will help your mending? I just hope this isn't causing you any amount of physical discomfort, though I'm sure the restraint is hard enough.

                Wishing you well and healing soon,

                CWS
                PT comes after this 8 week healing.
                Healing in the sling is not really painful per se but annoying as all get out between itching and heat rashes that get under the sling..
                not to mention itches in the good arm you can't scratch either.
                The 6-12 month PT is going to be tough, i think.
                Last edited by LCHIEN; 04-09-2019, 10:48 AM.
                Loring in Katy, TX USA
                If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                Comment

                • LCHIEN
                  Internet Fact Checker
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 20914
                  • Katy, TX, USA.
                  • BT3000 vintage 1999

                  #10
                  Click image for larger version  Name:	20190403_160200_resized_1.jpg Views:	1 Size:	119.7 KB ID:	836468
                  Here's my swing project, the ropes were hanging for the old baby seat swing when the 4 y.o. grandson says grandpa can i swing? so it takes me a day to build this swing seat. miter saw, drill press, table saw. table mounted Router

                  you have to clamp the **** down before cutting and drilling. did you know that drill press levers are not on the correct side for lefties? or is the handle and trigger for a miter saw?
                  on the table saw, i could use a hold down shoe for the rips, but your left pushing arm has to reach over the blade...All three tools were awkward for one handers and made three times worse so for lefties.

                  table routing not so bad, small item like this, one hand OK.

                  i never knew there were so many obstacles for lefty wood workers.

                  Then i had to use the bolt cutters with one lever arm on the bench pushing down on the other lever arm with my good arm. i cheated a little and used the sling arm to stabilize it so it wouldn't flop over.
                  varnishing it today.


                  ​​​​​​​
                  Last edited by LCHIEN; 04-09-2019, 08:09 PM.
                  Loring in Katy, TX USA
                  If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                  BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                  Comment

                  • twistsol
                    Veteran Member
                    • Dec 2002
                    • 2893
                    • Cottage Grove, MN, USA.
                    • Ridgid R4512, 2x ShopSmith Mark V 520, 1951 Shopsmith 10ER

                    #11
                    Originally posted by LCHIEN
                    i never knew there were so many obstacles for lefty wood workers.
                    Welcome to the 10%. Shopsmith can have the levers on either side, most cricular saws blow the dust right at you if you're a lefty. Buy an ergonomically incorrect miter saw so you can actually use it ...

                    Nice one handed project!
                    Last edited by twistsol; 05-05-2019, 07:22 AM. Reason: Typo
                    Chr's
                    __________
                    An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
                    A moral man does it.

                    Comment

                    • gsmittle
                      Veteran Member
                      • Aug 2004
                      • 2784
                      • St. Louis, MO, USA.
                      • BT 3100

                      #12
                      Originally posted by LCHIEN
                      did you know that drill press levers are not on the correct side for lefties? or is the handle and trigger for a miter saw?

                      on the table saw, i could use a hold down shoe for the rips, but your left pushing arm has to reach over the blade...All three tools were awkward for one handers and made three times worse so for lefties.


                      i never knew there were so many obstacles for lefty wood workers.


                      ​​​​​​​
                      Yep. Being strongly left-handed is … challenging. When I was teaching my desk was set up left-dominate. Sometimes when I had a sub I'd come back to class and find all my desk stuff was moved to the right side.

                      Loring, hope you're feeling better and recover quickly. Remember us when you're a righty again.

                      g.

                      Smit

                      "Be excellent to each other."
                      Bill & Ted

                      Comment

                      • jabe
                        Senior Member
                        • Apr 2006
                        • 566
                        • Hilo, Hawaii
                        • Ryobi BT3000 & Delta Milwaukee 10" tilting Table circular saw

                        #13
                        Take care and do the PT to help with mobility. I had surgery on both shoulders at different times and it took about 6 months to completely heal each shoulder. The PT was painful but no pain no gain.
                        Don't try to do so much now, take it easy have the wife & kids take care of you.

                        Comment

                        • LCHIEN
                          Internet Fact Checker
                          • Dec 2002
                          • 20914
                          • Katy, TX, USA.
                          • BT3000 vintage 1999

                          #14
                          I stated PT this week and my arm is sore from the exercises I have to repeat three times a day.
                          I'm going to get fat because the PT clinic is right around the corner from little CHinatown and I've scheduled all my PT for 10:00

                          The good news is that the PT guys says it shouldn't take as long as the Surgeon predicted... we'll see. Maybe he just meant I would learn all the exercises in a short time but not have to go in but have to do them for as long as the surgeon suggested.

                          But its great to be out the **** sling and be able to move some but I can see the arm is going to be sore a lot. Still not going to be lifting anything very weighty for a whille. Even a can of soda is a load to lift.
                          Last edited by LCHIEN; 05-08-2019, 09:59 PM.
                          Loring in Katy, TX USA
                          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                          Comment

                          • Pappy
                            The Full Monte
                            • Dec 2002
                            • 10453
                            • San Marcos, TX, USA.
                            • BT3000 (x2)

                            #15
                            As gs and twistol said,..Welcome to our world! I am luck that I am close to being ambidextrous. I am left dominate but I throw right. I write and shoot pool left. Pretty much anything else either hand is good. Get comments about looking funny eating with my left hand and I just shrug my shoulders, switch to the right hand and ask them if they can eat with the left hand.

                            Had a rotator cuff done several years ago and was put in therapy a week after surgery. Back on the job delivering mail in about 8 weeks. I need to have it done on my right and I am putting it off. Pain or use isn't too bad and I refuse to be down through good riding weather. I was going to have it done in January but the wife was in the hospital. Like I said, that was YEARS ago and at 70 I'm sure it's going to take longer to heal this time around but the surgeon still says 2-3 months for recovery.

                            Take care, work hard in therapy and don't do anything to reinjure the shoulder.
                            Don, aka Pappy,

                            Wise men talk because they have something to say,
                            Fools because they have to say something.
                            Plato

                            Comment

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