Just the other week I did a blog post on a pastor who at thirty-two was diagnosed with tongue cancer–and they removed his tongue! He’s still in the active ministry–and still preaching. I hope Scott Schmieding’s story lifts your heart, as it has so many others.

Interesting about the surgery options; obviously I want to stay away as long as possible, but maybe technology will catch up if I’m careful and look into some of Lucy’s suggestions. I’m open to everything!

But my problems pale in comparison to other writers, and I had hoped to spark a discussion on how to deal with those impediments. One of our writers had a detached retina and a book deadline. Her husband put together a specialized hammock so she could lay on her stomach and type . . .

Others have dealt with even more severe disabilities including Christie Brown’s one left foot and Jean-Dominique Bauby who only could communicate one eye blink at a time. What an heroic effort for him to write The Diving Bell and the Butterfly!

You might want to look around for a qualified medical massage therapist. Castor oil packs, Biofreeze, and other treatments can substantially reduce your discomfort. You also may want to investigate dietary changes, i.e. eating almonds and adding or subtracting foods based on how they reduce or increase inflammation. Some have found it beneficial to reduce/stop using dairy and animal proteins. And drink water, of course.

If I can possibly help, feel free to e-mail me for a more detailed conversation on the subject. Good luck to you with the typing!

I waited until my right thumb felt like someone smashed it with a hammer before I went to the doctor. Opening a jar, sometimes even picking up a glass hurt so badly that I would cry. Diagnosis – arthritis with no cartilage remaining in the basal joint.

I had a joint replacement – remove the small destroyed bone, replace it with part of a tendon which hardened over time like a bone, 3 months in a splint and physical therapy.

Four years later, that joint is still pretty much pain free. I can type fine, though I try to alternate which thumb hits that blasted space bar. I do still have trouble writing by hand. More than one page makes it sore. And I try to take care of it, and the other one which has arthritis, too.

So there are options to fix it, but it’s not easy. Much better if you can prevent it! Do everything you can to ease the strain on those joints! And, no, I haven’t mastered voice-activated software yet.

Hope that vacation was just what you needed and that with some TLC you can keep those thumbs happy.

Bill

I’ll write about voice-activated software tomorrow.

The physical therapist told me they see lots of “rounded shoulders” folks these days and everyone who spends time on a computer should be rolling their shoulders backward and forward frequently. Another good exercise is to stand in a doorway with hands shoulder high on the jam. Lean forward through the doorway and feel the stretch.

And of course strengthen your hand muscles, stretch them and rest as much as possible. We own an electric can opener for the first time ever as a result.