I finally went and saw the doctor. I told her I was suffering from remodeling. Turns out there aren’t many treatments and very little medical research on the condition even though millions of people suffer from it every year. My doctor seemed to be of the opinion that it will just clear up on its own and she claims there are few reported fatalities.
Personally I suspect that remodeling related fatalities are getting miss-reported as things like heart attacks or aneurysms – mostly after receiving the bill from the contractor.
Instead of diagnosing ‘remodeling’ my doctor concluded that I am really suffering from a bit of stress and a really bad case of tendonitis in my elbow. The likely case of the tendonitis is repetitive stress caused by too many hours at the computer (I only work half days at the computer – yup, 12 hours and I stop) and lifting all the boxes and other heavy objects of furniture needed to fill an 8’x8‘x16’ storage unit all by myself. Well, except for that one day when my brother helped me load five of the bigger pieces.
Don’t remember the exact words, but I do recall my wife suggesting to the doctor that I might have avoided the arm pain if wasn’t stubborn and suffering from delusions of having youthful strength. But in my defense, I’d like to point out that I figured I have saved us about $500 on hiring a crew to do the same job.
Under our health plan the doctor visit only cost $30 and the arm brace only $25 so I figure I am still $445 ahead on the deal. It did cost two days off work but that hasn’t been reported to payroll yet and in any case, I have plenty of PTO on the books.
I don’t count the cost of the pain as it would be unmanly to do so. We big, strong, manly wood-working-types are supposed to be able to suffer great amounts of pain without complaining. When my wife calls me “a big strong man,” – it’s usually followed with a request to do some heavy lifting, or to deal with a dead animal in the back yard.
Is it possible to resign as a “big strong man” and just proudly be a wimp? It might hurt less or at least get better drugs sooner.
I do have a problem with pain – I don’t feel it much. Really, I have a very high pain threshold and seem to be able to tolerate great pain before succumbing. I am not bragging here, it’s just the way it is. My two brothers are the same. We’re just wired differently than most people.
It’s this little medical oddity that I blame my current problems on. I have no trouble complaining or whining (just ask Heather) about my health or pains, but with my arm and my pain threshold, the condition didn’t surface in my awareness until it was too late. Now, it is very painful and it’s difficult to lift any weight, or even type for very long.
Heather on the other hand would likely blame my current problem on over doing the heavy lifting without asking for help. Okay, I’ll admit the possibility that she might, maybe, possibly be somewhat closer to the truth than me. My doctor didn’t say that in so many worlds, but I got the feeling that she had thoughts similar to Heather’s.
So here I am, braces on my arm which is still cold from the ice I used to help reduce the inflammation trying to hack out some kind of intelligent post. I am somewhat hopeful that the course of treatment prescribed will eventually work and some day I’ll be pain-free.
However, there is the fear that once all this remodeling and rewiring is complete and I am finally able to make tea and toast at the same time, my arm will be too weak to carry a cup of tea or even lift a piece of toast.
Till next week,
Andrew
Andrew's View of the Week 