Quilting with disabilities

[Eileen K.]

Hello Eileen, and to all FMS and chronic pain sufferers, if there is anything that you can do to take your mind off your pain and struggles, do it. I can't sew at the machine because I have to bend my neck the wrong way, knitting is a little easier, but for me right now, music is my therapy. I'm learning to play bass guitar and my husband and I play in a little band for our middle schoolers at church. Music speaks to me in ways that nothing else can. So whatever you can do without causing additional pain, go for it. I know from experience that even an hour's respite from pain is wonderful.

Take care everyone, Sharon in TN

[Eileen K.]

Sharon,
Have you tried putting doorstops under the back of your sewing machine? I saw it somewhere, don't remember where, put 2 doorstops under the back of your machine and it will tilt it forward enough so that you don't have to bend your neck so much.
eileenkny 8)

[Eileen K.]

Eileen, I've had the door stops for years now, but still I bend the wrong way. Maybe I sit too far back from the machine and I have to bend my neck to compensate. I'll have to do a 'motion study' to see where I can improve and hopefully be able to sew again.

Thanks for the hint.

Take care, Sharon

[Eileen K.]

Tomorrow is surgery day for me!! Please keep me in your prayers. I am ready. As ready as I'll ever be I guess. It will be nice to get back to my quilting, which I have not done much of because of the pain. If I'm not in pain when I start I am by the time I'm finished, so I've been avoiding any and all things that increase it. I won't be on here much but as soon as I am able to, I'll post an update. I will be out of work for 4-6 weeks so, I'll have time to kill, LOL!!! :wink:

For the person whose husband is telling her she is letting everyone convince her she has FMS, and he just wants her to be back to the way she was before all this started - - I learned this from my own personal experience. Husbands want exactly that, for us to be back to the way we were before we got sick. they want everything to be normal again. Sometimes they go into denial rather than face the fact that there is a problem to deal with. They don't love us any less... they just want us back, in good health. And we all want that too right?? God, do we want it!! I had a couple of real good "heart to heart" talks with my hubby and he finally admitted that it's easier to deny a problem exists vs. facing it. It's been much better ever since. I think he understands just how much it means to me that I have his understanding. My suggestion would be to have a heart to heart with your hubby, and really explain how much it hurts to think that he doesn't believe your pain or problem is real. We depend on those closest to us to support us in times like this, and when that doesn't happen, or doesn't happen the way we think it should.. it hurts! No disrespect to anyone's husband here. I'm just sharing my own experience. I know my husband loves and respects me. It's just that sometimes he has to be reminded that we are all vulnerable to health problems, and I need his love and understanding to help me through.

Chat later all!!

[Damaris E.]

Jessimina, you will be in our thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery. Please keep us posted! :wink:

[Eileen K.]

Jessamina,
Good luck and Godspeed tomorrow. I'm sure everything will go just great.
I'm the one with the hubby in denial. I had the rheumy talk to him last week and now he understands much better.
eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

I am educated as an occupatiolal therapy assistant (my 1st carriere). And for all of you with pain in back, neck, sholders and arms I would strongly suggest to get an occupational therapist to come to your home. We all sit and work by preadjusted tables and he/she can help you adjust table, chair, workingtables...anything to be the rigth hight for you. My chair is standing on (i dont know what its called in usa...but a kind of mat that you will put under your rug so it wont slip)...same material under the footpedal for my sewingmachine. It does help a lot...chair dont run away....and my pedal stay in place.

[Eileen K.]

Brink,
Thank you for the information. In the US, we have health insurance policies that cover specific things. Very often, it won't cover someone coming to your home unless you are incapacitated. Therefore, it would be out of pocket and the cost could be beyond many peoples' budgets. It's my opinion that our health care in the US is reactive, not proactive. They'll look for a cure after the fact rather than trying to prevent illness and injury.
I'm not trying to start an argument, just stating my opinion.
eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

Brink, you're right about the chair and foot pedal. When I was sewing a lot, I spent most of my time chasing the foot pedal and pulling it back. I've also read how to figure the height of the table you're working on and I have an adjustable chair. I've had the chair up as high as it will go and down as low as it will go, and lots of places in between, but still my neck and shoulders hurt. I think they would hurt no matter. The rainy weather this week isn't helping a bit, either.

I wish we could have someone come to our home and help us, but as Eileen said, that's impossible for most of us. We'll just have to learn by trial and error.

Eileen, how are you this week? I hope you're feeling better.

Take care, Sharon in TN

[Eileen K.]

Sharon,
The doctor called in a prescription of Lyrica for me!! Never thought I'd get so excited over a couple of pills. :?
I was weaning off kind of slowly-I went from 100mg in the am to only 50. That was enough to send me screaming for the other pill.
I'm working on a custom quilt from the front of my machine and it has a lot of SID, so I'm feeling it in my neck. Other than that, I had an IME yesterday for workers comp. Now I'm playing the waiting game. I'll let you know what happens.
eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

I am so sorry to hear You cant get the help You need to set up a healthy workspace!!! I may have to come visit You all...free of charge :wink:
Never the less..try to figure out a way to keep up quilting and everything that bring sunshine into Your life, even though the body fights us we can bring nurishment to the soul!

[Eileen K.]

WOOHOO! Brink is coming!!! You could go from house to house. I'm sure everywhere you stay will have lots of good food and of course, wonderful hospitality. Do you want us to send you our names and addresses and you can work on your itinerary? Just kidding, but it would be nice to have some help. Right now, I'm not sure I'll sew again, which is not a good thought at all. But I can enjoy what everyone else is doing, without spending the money on fabric or hurting my neck and back!!

Take care everyone, Sharon in TN

[Eileen K.]

Hey Brink, Maybe you can do a video to show us what we should be doing and how we can know if what we are doing is right.

[Eileen K.]

Sharon,
What about hand piecing? Have you tried that? It's a slower process but it's sure to be easier on the neck. Then maybe you can trade quilting for binding.
Just a thought,
eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

Eileen, handwork is my favorite thing to do. I've done quite a bit of needle turn applique and really enjoy it. The thing is, I still have to bend my neck down to do it. I could possibly use a pillow or something to raise it up and not bend my neck so much.

You should see me knit!!

Take care everyone and stay warm, Sharon in TN