So for two weeks, I yearned for my nice ergonomic setup at home. (I really hate typing on a laptop. Better than nothing, but not much. There’s a reason why I don’t have carpal tunnel, I’ve arranged my life to avoid it.)
Got up at six o’clock this morning to get to work at the other job, and … my monitor blew up. The screen was covered with little lines, and then it just stopped working. So now I’m working at my kitchen table, which is far from ideal.
Here’s the thing: I do have credit now, I ordered another one. But as those of you who have had credit for years know, the balance only seems to grow and it produces much anxiety. (I just ordered a bunch of little stuff for my recovery that Medicare doesn’t cover. That was before I discovered that my walker simply doesn’t fit though the hallway of my apartment. (I kept telling them at rehab how small it was, I don’t think they believed me. Ha, ha!) And not to be indelicate, but the new commode barely leaves six inches between me and the wall. This just felt like the final straw.
Boy, I really miss those spacious rooms and hallways at the rehab.
What I’m realizing is, I’m already banging into a lot of stuff here and it’s making me nervous, because obviously, I don’t want to fall. I’m not sure I can handle crawling behind my desk and reinstalling the wires for the monitor, I’ll have to get someone up here to help. But since we’re expecting either The Storm of The Century (or some rain), it will take a few days to arrange that. I AM READY TO SCREAM. (Sorry.)
Turns out I’m feeling wobbly because my repaired knee is at least an inch longer than the other one.
I also need a bunch of not-cheap supplements to help the nerves regenerate. No one told me that nerve pain was going to be a major problem. I’m just sitting here, minding my own buisness, (or in bed, trying to sleep) and these massive electric jolts hit my leg! Three to six months to heal, according to what I read. I want to hurry that along.
Anyway, if you would like to contribute, I’d appreciate it. Thanks!
Check with your local Area Agency on Aging for free walkers, rollators, canes and other rehab equipment that may fit your needs. Most will have donated ones in good condition at no charge. They may even be able to deliver them to you. A lot of the same agencies have volunteers who are computer savvy, understand accessibility issues and can help you with electronics equipment and problems, also at no charge. I wish you well!
My stroke was in 2008. It was 2011 when we had to move from our warehouse space, and I obviously couldn’t move my stuff down the three staircases to the street, so our friend Chris volunteered to do it for me. Most of what I owned (it was all lost in our last move) was my music equipment. Most of it was bought brand new, but as I am old, so was it. After the move Chris commented “Apparently Doug doesn’t believe in owning anything that weighs less than 100 pounds.”
I couldn’t move it that time, but I did have to disconnect it all and prepare it for storage, which was difficult and scary. I did move it all into a storage locker three years later at a different warehouse space we had to move out of, so progress was made. Also, that move I did one smart thing (an accomplishment for me): I set a trap for myself by taking my Les Paul and a cable that can be used while sitting down (has to have one 90 degree end) and a Zoom box with a headphone jack and packing them all in the case to my stolen ’67 SG, so when I finally opened the case, I’d have no excuse for not playing the damn thing. It worked. Zsuzs brought the case downstairs in November of ’21 and I have played it every night since then except for a few times when I couldn’t be here.
Anyway, good luck with your monitor and wiring. The monitor to my computer that Chris moved was a Viewsonic CRT that weighed at least 75 pounds…
Our local Knights of Columbus has a warehouse of durable medical goods for use by anyone who needs what they have—for no charge. And they have LOTS of useful items! After I had bilateral knee arthroplasty, I borrowed a stationary bike to use to help with strengthening and range-of-motion improvement. And a bathtub transfer bench so I could take showers in my tub. And toilet seat handles to help get up and down. They delivered the item(s), and then picked them up when I no longer needed the stuff. A really terrific and needed service. The occupational therapist at the hospital told me about the place.
So maybe your local KoC has something like that?
I’ll check, thanks!