Stabilising

[watervole]

I'm getting onto a slightly more even keel. The news re Rosalie still isn't
good, but at least the initial shock is over.

The shoulder is starting to ease up, though the voice is as bad as ever.

I phoned my sister up north (not the one with cancer - I have three sisters and
a brother) and asked her for the family news. She knows my voice problems of
old and helpfully spent 20 mins giving me all the family news she could while I
made Clanger noises down the phone (for those who don't remember the Clangers -
shame on you - I made expressive whistles).

Thanks to everyone who's posted. It's meant an enormous amount to me and it's
nice to see old friends again. I've only been on LJ since Easter, but I've had
to severely limit the number of people I can friend as the shoulder goes way too
fast if I read too much in LJ.

Comments

[cdybedahl.livejournal.com]

About five years ago while suffering a bit of RSI, I bought a chording keyboard (a Handykey Twiddler). Fortunately my wrist got better, so it's just been gathering dust for a long time. It's a sort of short wand-like mouse/keyboard thing that you strap onto your hand with a velcro strip. You control the mouse part by leaning it, and you produce characters by pressing different combinations of buttons on it. It takes some training to use, but it's a lot better than not being able to type at all. You can see a picture of a later model at http://www.handykey.com/site/support.html (where there are also drivers for my model available for download, I see). Oh, and it needs a PS/2-style keyboard connector, a PS/2 mouse connector and a 9-pin serial port.

Anyway, if you think this thing would be helpful for you, just get me your address somehow (since I've naturally mislaid it since I last sent you stuff) and I'll mail it to you.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

the problem isn't in the wrists per se, it's the neck and shoulder.

I took a look at the gadget you mention, but I don't think it would help. The position you have to hold it in looks like one that would give me problems (I have trouble driving much as holding the steering wheel often sets it off)

On a different topic, can you recall if Roberta Settles (the sandal lady) takes credit cards these days? I may send her a letter.

[cdybedahl.livejournal.com]

The mouse function works as long as you can move your hand freely in a sort of joystick-like manner, and the keyboard function only requires finger movement. There really is no required arm position. I've used it with my lower arm lying on an armrest.

She didn't the last time I was there, but that was a while ago now. I'll try to drop by and ask. It'll give me a reason to leave the flat, if nothing else.