Subject: [Shop-talk] out of the shop

From: "John Niolon" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2012 20:57:06 -0600

the shop content is that I'll be out of the shop for several weeks...

after struggling with a bad shoulder for 9 months, feeding it Tylenol and
muscle relaxers that did no good, loosing sleep and being hindered in pretty
much everything I do I broke down , had an MRI and xrays and the diagnosis is
torn rotator cuff on my dominant arm.  Solution is arthroscopic surgery to
repair... 6 weeks in a sling with no use of that arm then rehab and another
3-4 months of limited to finally good use of it...

I've been paying attention to what I do with my left arm (which is pretty much
everything I attempt) and I'm seriously concerned about 6 weeks without that
arm... besides writing and typing and anything mechanical down to brushing my
teeth. I don't see how I can manage without a manservant !  (wife says
womanservant is out of the question ;-)

I know lots of you guys are as active and probably a few that are a clumsy and
accident prone as I am.  I'm wondering if any of you guys have had this
surgery on their dominant arm ( surely there are a few)  and what exactly were
your limitations and your ways of overcoming.  I know about the sling and the
foam couch cushion under it... and all I read is that that arm doesn't get
raised up AT ALL for a while...  do you have use of your arm from elbow to
fingers IF you keep that shoulder/upper arm stationary ??? even if I had to
strap it to my chest I could possibly manage with the forearm and hand free...
How do you button blue jeans ?  or wash the side of your body that has the
good arm ???   anyway...

I'd love to have some conversation by email or phone with survivors...the
forum certainly isn't the place for it...   anyone want to answer about 600
questions and give me the 411 ??

thanks
John

What every man worth his salt should know how to do.....

Sweep a woman off her feet, ...motivate a peer
Make a wish come true - for someone else,
keep a promise... change a tire... calm a fear
make a child giggle...tell a ghost story
write a love letter, ask for directions
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From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2012 18:22:32 +0000 (UTC)

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Elton E. (Tony) Clark" <[email-masked]>
> To: "Neil Sherry" <[email-masked]>
> Cc: "Shop Talk List" <[email-masked]>
> Sent: Friday, December 7, 2012 12:10:26 PM
> Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] out of the shop
> I had a young counter sales person once who was the closest I've seen
> to
> being ambidextrious; he'd write with which ever hand was closest to
> the
> ticket and I've seen him with a pen in each hand checking invoices.
> I confirmed my idea later when I heard he was not only a switch hitter
> but
> a *switch pitcher *on his softball team . . that's scary!

"I just hired a new switch-hitter.  He's completely amphibious."  - Casey Stengel

Phil Ethier West Side Saint Paul Minnesota USA
1973 Triumph Stag LE22439UBW "uncle jack", Sapphire Blue
2004 Suburban 8.1, Sport Red, the only automatic of the bunch
2005 Lotus Elise, Bordeaux Red Pearl
2007 Saturn Ion 3 2.4, Berry Red
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/pethier
http://www.flickr.com/groups/triumphtransamerica
http://www.mnautox.com
http://www.mntriumphs.org
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From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2012 11:55:08 -0800

> I had a young counter sales person once who was the closest 
> I've seen to being ambidextrious;  he'd write with which ever 
> hand was closest to the ticket

My late wife was the same way.  Not surprisingly, her handwriting was
different with each hand, which got us in trouble with the bank more than
once.  Finally had to fill out two signature cards, one lefty and one
righty.

On buttoning pants, my suggestion is to pick up some that don't need to be
buttoned.  Stretch sweat pants are perfectly in fashion when worn with an
arm sling.  And I can't button mine even with just my dominant hand!

-- Randall 

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From: Dave C <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:00:18 -0800

I had an instructor in the Navy who could write on a blackboard 
(remember them?) with either hand, but when he used his left hand 
everything was backwards/mirror image.  He did it mostly to annoy us.

Since I started teaching wood shop I have learned to do most manual 
tasks (sawing, chiseling, operating a lathe, etc)  with either hand so I 
can demonstrate with what ever hand is most convenient with respect to 
where the student is standing.

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