Among Friends

[Free2be]

Oh my, what a long and painful challenge you've been through!  As awful as it was, good that it can one day be a distant memory.  Chickenbutt aka Cyborg, we can call you CB and cover both personas.    We must find humor in life where we can!  So sweet to know you are on the mend.  You dealt with the rudeness in the best way, leave such a person to stew in their own juice, it has nothing to do with you, one of the good peeps here.

[Toppers3]

Hi @chickenbutt,

I try and come to the Q Boards to check in as regularly as I can, and I cannot tell you how very happy I am to see you posting again!! 

I am so very sorry to hear about your broken arm, though.

I can only imagine the difficulties...

I had a broken leg once when I was younger, and I was in a wheelchair and on crutches for a long time...

I'm sending good and loving thoughts of friendship your way, and I wish you nothing but the very best, going forward...

[Noel7]

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@chickenbutt wrote:

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@AuberriJean wrote:

"PS: Aubergine - do I know you from a previous name? "

@chickenbutt No, I always used this name.

I spelled it wrong at first lol! (I think I had it as Aubergene) and fixed it but same old name. We posted together a few times.

Glad you're back!

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Thank you so much and sorry about that.  My memory is getting so bad that I'm turning into an idiot lately.   I used to have such a good memory and only now do I really appreciate that.   

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@chickenbutt ! l !

i have been out of commission but wondering about you.  I am so glad to see you here, I am sorry about your arm.

A holiday wouldn’t be a holiday without you and our impromptu food discussions.  So glad you are back 💜💜💜

[mistriTsquirrel]

@chickenbutt  I'm sorry to hear about your arm being broken, but I'm glad to see you back posting.  

[chickenbutt]

Thanks so much everybody for your kind remarks.  They really do mean a lot to me!!!      Best wishes to everybody else who has dealt with broken bones.   I never imagined it would be this difficult.   I wonder if it would have been about 50% less awful if it had been my right arm. But I not only learned how much we use BOTH arms/hands to do things, even if one of them has a 'support' role, but I've also learned since my thumbs have both gone wonky that thumbs are pretty necessary, too.   The thumb braces are just amazing - going from having screaming, ripping pain in the thumb every time I pick up something, open/close a door, or try to open a bottle of water had become unbearable.

On that last note, BTW, one thing that I already had that has become unmeasurably necessary is my OXO bottle/jar opener.  I had purchased that earlier this year because I was already, before breaking my arm, having severe problems opening things including my water bottles and everything else.  I did a lot of research and ended up choosing the OXO opener and could not be more pleased.  I HIGHLY recommend this item.  I'll post a pic of it below, after I enter this post. 

I'm getting where I can use my left hand more and more, with care, and even been able to write a little bit again.  I was never going to get good at writing with my right hand!     Plus, typing - I can type normally again, pretty much.  I make more mistakes and cannot go as fast but it's nice becaue one-handed typing was just too frustrating.

Noel - I hope you are doing well at this time and I think of you often.

to all!

[chickenbutt]

Amazon.com: OXO Good Grips Jar Opener with Base Pad: Can Openers: Kitchen & Dining

Amazon.com: OXO Good Grips Jar Opener with Base Pad: Can Openers: Kitchen & Dining

It will open anything from the size of a 16oz water bottle to something that is 4" in diameter.  You just slide it over the top until it stops and one quick, even if you are weak and arthritic like me, small motion, and the jar/bottle is opened.  It's truly magical.

The second pic shows the cool silicone pad that it comes with, complete with storage on the back side that it fits right on the unit so you won't lose it (!).  You put that on your slippery counter and then put the jar/bottle atop it so it stays still.   Or, if you have silicone trivets right there, that works also.  My silicone trivets have also become invaluable since I broke my arm.  Sometimes you need to do something with just one hand and the thing keeps moving around and you don't have the strength to hold it down with the other hand.  Same theory.  

The whole thing is just ingenious in every way.   I'm glad I looked around and I'm glad I chose this one!

FYI for anybody who needs help with opening things.     It's so easy that it will blow your mind, even for things that the Hulk couldn't get open, and you'll want to go around finding things to open. 

[Moonchilde]

@chickenbutt

Hi, CB!

Those thumb braces (various types) are lifesavers. Due to 47 years of production typing at top speeds, I had many bouts of tendinitis, epicondylitis (tennis elbow) , carpal tunnel, bowler’s thumb and you name it, over the years.

I went to an orthopod who specialized in hands only. He made me custom thumb splints that kept both thumbs immobile in hard plastic while still allowing me to type freely - while letting the thumb joints rest. But there are many ready-made braces that do much the same thing, if not so typing-friendly.

Happy to see you back❤️

[chickenbutt]

Hey Moonchilde!  Nice seein' ya.  Thanks for the welcome and encouragement.

My ortho doc is also specialized in hands and arms.  This is the thumb brace I have, which I would so highly recommend.  Most of the stuff you can just buy anywhere does not deal with the actual problem (for me - arthritis and the right one has 'trigger thumb').  pics below

I was amazed at the effectiveness of these braces!  it took about 99.8% of the screaming pain away, even on the right one which is worse.

Push ortho Thumb Brace CMC - Hand Braces - Products - Push Braces

Push ortho Thumb Brace CMC - Hand Braces - Products - Push Braces

[Moonchilde]

@chickenbutt, mine was similar but came down further on the wrist. It started out as a soft moldable material that is formed when wet and then hardens as it dries - similar to casting a broken bone. It was better for me to have it done than to buy an already made one because my fingers/hand were a bit larger than average so ready-made ones were always uncomfortable.

I should get another one done at some point but can’t really justify it currently since I’m no longer working and it doesn’t pain me daily like it used to. Not my hand in the photo, BTW.

[chickenbutt]

Interesting - similar concept.  What I think works for my situation is that the part that goes around the thumb and across the palm is nearly rigid so it really supports super well.

These Ortho braces were designed in the Netherlands and I have to say that there are several characteristics of it that were just geniusly thought out both for effectiveness and comfort.

They come in sizes.  The ones I wear are size 1, so I guess it goes up from there.  When I was getting the second one he tried a size 2 and it was too large.   I look forward to when my left hand is not so swollen, though, as that is causing me a lot of discomfort.  Not with the thumb brace or my arm brace but just in general.  I'm hoping that will stop soon!  

Before I had gotten these, and after I saw somebody wearing a thumb brace on tv (ever knew they existed!), I purchased a total piece of garbage one on Amazon.  Glad I didn't spend much on that!  It was just all neoprene and I don't know for what purpose it was designed, but certainly not for support at all.

These Ortho ones aren't cheap but I think it's really worth it.  On Amazon they have them for $99 plus shipping, but at the orthopaedic clinic they only charged me $83 for each one.  Money well spent! 

I hope you are getting a lot of help from it.   When I was having the thumb pain it was just awful so I feel your pain.  I couldn't pick up a pencil, open a door, or anything without it screaming.  Now I can do all kinds of stuff with my right hand and am having improvement on the left.  For a long time I could't use my left hand at all for anything.  That was torturous, especially being left-handed as I am.