NeuroTalk Support Groups - Winter is near

NeuroTalk Support Groups (https://www.neurotalk.org/)

- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD and CRPS) (https://www.neurotalk.org/reflex-sympathetic-dystrophy-rsd-and-crps-/)

- - Winter is near (https://www.neurotalk.org/reflex-sympathetic-dystrophy-rsd-and-crps-/6144-winter-near.html)

And like many I may find myself indoors more than ever. I am hoping that all will be willing to jump in on this posting and add your suggestions and or ideas on hobbies or interests that will keep hands and mind occupied though these long months ahead.

I am not looking forward to it, but I have always worked in the past so it will be the first for me and I am panicking I will be stuck with nothing to do!!

Please help!!!! Chin Up!!!

Mark :)

Is there any arts or crafts you like to do -or always wanted to learn?
music, puzzles, books - on a variety of subjects from the library?

Bring it on Jo!! :p Anything you can think of. I'm up for suggestions of any kind. Heck I'm even willing to learn sewing or something just to keep my hands from stiffening up real bad.

What you all can think of. I hope this thread turns out to be beneficial to many. I know there will be alot in the same boat. I like to cook some but you can only do so much right? Unless you have a lot of folks around which I do not.

But you all could come here for the winter. God knows I have the room!!!! Would love to open my home to you all. Lets keep this thread going and see how much it grows. It should get fun if we know these guys!! Jo thanks for starting it rolling!! Chin Up!!!

Mark :)

I got me a paper clock for starters. It is a large book you can buy at a crafts store. Each page (is made of thick almost cardboard like paper) has different 2D drawings only on one side of a cukoo clock on them. Your job is to diligently cut them out and fold and glue (very very carefully) certain pieces here and there together to make 3D pieces like gears and so forth and many moons later you have a bonified working Honest to God Clock. This will be my third in the last 15 years. They are quite big when you are done. The book is about $11.00 and I bought my last two through Amazon.com. (just do a search under paper clock). I gave one to my nephew. He is still working on it and loves it.

I cannot do to much of it very often becasue of my eyes and my hands. You have to have good coordination of both and I don't alot of the time. But they are wicked fun. That's my suggestion so far!!! Chin Up!!! xoxoxo

Mark :)

how about knitting? it's easy (ish) and will keep hands moving and is warm.

or jigsaw puzzles

or...buy a playstation/ X box... have to use your hands for those....

have fun!!!!

rosiexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

(whoisprocrastinating from the 2 essays she needs to be writing now because she's a week behind but can't be bothered 2 because it hurts too much dammit...)

Boy can I relate to the hands not being worth a dang this week. Must be the weather on both sides of the pond! :D I'll throw some most excellent good vibes your way to inspire you and make your hands feel better. :D

Chin Up Sweetie!! :)

Mark :)

Mark,

Well...let's see. Things to do to keep yourself from going totally stir crazy blinking bonkers this Winter. Hmmmmmm. What do I do? Well....the verdict is out as to how successful I have been at keeping myself Uncrazified all these years (ROFL!) But....maybe I can come up with a thing or two?

There have already been some really good suggestions! Puzzles are good, because they aren't too bad on troubled hands, and you can get them in different sizes and difficultly levels and what not. I have a couple of those put up to pull out later on, myself. Although, I guess for anyone with TOS symptoms/problems this might not bee a good choice, because of posture problems (ie, hunching down over the puzzle on a table top)?

I can't knit...but I can crochet. That is pretty easy, once you get the hang of it (or at least it was for me, I figured out how to do it while I was talking on the phone...LOLOL...see? I talk WAAAAY too much! Just ask Liz! Heh!). Is something that will tire out your dominate hand quickly, or at least it does mine...but then that is where I have RSD. To me, there are a few of added benefist in messing around with a craft like this, because (1) it DOES exercise my hand and as long as I am careful and smart, it is something that I can use to try to keep my hand useful and moving..(2) It helps to keep my hand from being so very hyper sensitive (the yarn...even though I got "the good stuff", nice, soft yarn, and not the cheap, ruff itchy kind...it still helps, because of how you have to handle it)..and..(3) I can make a blanket that covers me up while I am working on it! ;) Of course, I have been working on the same friggin blanket for the past 5 years now:eek: (like I said...I have to be very careful and smart, stopping when my hand says so! And, I don't work on it at all when it is warm or hot outside...it is strictly a "cold weather" project type thing for me), but that is Ok, as I am only doing this for myself, and not for anyone else. One day...in a few years down the road, I will have a beautiful blue varigated and white, very thick, very soft, and very warm afghan to wrap myself up in, or to do whatever else I want to with!

Another thing that I LOVE to do, and have since I was first inroduced to it as a 13 year old when we first moved here, is Cross Stitching! This works on fine motor control in hands....and I understand how it might be nearly impossible for some folks with bad upper RSD to do. But, there small kits that you can get that come with everything that you need...well...except a hoop, and those you can get for next to nothing. The different "counts" of cloth mean how small or large the stitches will be. So, for larger stitches, get a SMALLER number, and for smaller stitches a larger one. The "count" is how many squares there are per inch on the cloth (which looks like cloth graph paper). The largest "count" is 11. Most Beginners projects are done on that count. But, other things are done on that also. Anyway..it is pretty easy, really. You have a pattern on paper...kinda like graph paper, that is a picture made up of all kinds of symbols. Each symbol stands for a different color embroidery floss (the instructions that are on the pattern will tell you how many strands of floss you need to use). You just put that on your cloth...in "x"s. You make a row of "////////////" and when you reach the end of that particular color on that row or area on that row, you then go back over it with "\\\\\\\\\\\\" so that when you are done you have a row of "XXXXXXXXXXXX". Wa-LAH!:)

Again, with cross stitching or any kind of needle work, you have to be careful if you have upper body rsd, and LISTEN to what your body is telling you. If your hands get tired....stop. Don't over do. And...do simple things....and don't stress about it, because you aren't trying to make works of art here...this is for YOU. If you look at it like that, you will be surprised what happens!

Ummmm....then, there is COOKING! YEAH! I LOVE cooking, baking, whatever! Evidentially, there is a difference? I didn't know that until just the last year or two...I thought that if you know how to cook...it meant that you know how to prepare food, rather it was cakes and cookies or meats and veggies, or pasta and chicken and sauces...or whatever! ROFL....evidentially not. I like to do both...and this is the time of the year when I can go crazy! Er...well...a "little crazy" anyways. LOL. Not as crazy as I used to. But, it does give me and excuse to do more baking, as during the rest of the year I don't...for a couple of reasons (1) It heats up the house and when it is super hot, the kids complain when I make it even hotter in here, and (2) I don't need a bunch of baked goods laying around here all day...with only me being the one home alone with them all the time. ONE of us isn't going to survive...and we all know which it will be. ROFL, I certain do not need any more help putting any more "junk in my trunk", or any where else for that matter, thank you very much! :D

But, this time of year I can bake, and give stuff to neigobors...or even send some with the kids to the dreaded and much disliked Monster-in-law when they go over there for their "holiday Festivities". Shoot...they might not like ME, but that bunch of...erm....beingnice here.....people....will not turn their nose up at food, that is for sure. LOL. They love to eat...and I am a good cook. They might say a lot of other stuff about me...but they can't dis my cooking! ROFL!

Other than that....there is ALWAYS reading! Reading is what I always fall back on when everything else hurts to bad to do, because I just hurt to much everywhere, and my very bones ache with the cold. There have been times when we have tried to get some threads going about books and movies and such going on here. Usually, it is during the Winter when that happens. Everyone is looking for something to do. Reading....and Watching movies. I have BIG libraries of both in my house. LOL. I am book worm and movie....erm...I don't know what? Movie Moth? :rolleyes: Hmmm...

If reading is too bad on your eyes, there are audio books. I have found that I actually like those, too. Especially if I find an actor/artist that I enjoy hearing/listening to. Sometimes, I really enjoy listening to an author read his own works, when that is possible. Anyway....this might also be something that you can look into if your eye sight is too bad for reading, or you find that the strain at times is bothering you. Audio books, or large print. I know about these things, because I have explored them myself at different times, for different reasons.

Then, there is always coming here and seeing what we all are up to and talking about...or getting up on a virtual trip again....or doing some other something like that....and PLEASE don't forget that you are our Prick Policeman! We really need that around here (Meow! ;) ROFLMAO!!). And, if you just can't find anything else to read....you can ALWAYS come here and find one of the novelettes that I write...it should be good to chase some time away, long winded (er...."fingered"?) as I am. ROFL!

Wondering if you made it this far......we will see....LOLOL. You shouldn't be able to help yourself, if you did. :p ROFL

Hope I helped?:confused:

((Hugs))
Jose

I'm hooked on sudoku puzzles
we can start a book swap
make scrapbooks for christmas gifts (personalized & ppl love them)
make gifts in a jar / journal jars
GET A PUPPY! :)

watercolor painting is fairly easy and inexpensive to get into- there are so many styles - you don't have to be precise about it at all.

quilted wall hangings are fun and can be detailed or simple.

decorated T shirts, bags, jeans etc- with the fabric paints

Mark: Is your clock book by James Smith Rudolph. I found two sites on the internet and it is the same book authored by him. One site is $4 less for the same item. Regards, Lil

I enjoy reading finding it hard to hold the newspaper so I have to lay it on a table, and books it is hard to turn pages but I make do, I'm learning to use my other hand and arm retraining LOL my youngest child writes better than I. I think I will try to paint again,watercolors and draw. My kids tell me I dont play X-Box with them anymore like frogga said need my hands for it..

Yes Mamm! It certainly it. They are a blast to build. The end result, if and whenever ya ever get there is awesome. My first one was what I call my trial and error.:D My second still works perfect to this day. It has been 5 years now. Perfect time believe it or not. It's all cardboard and the weight is a paperclip. Fun!!

Mark :)

I have not done this in a while, but I thought it was pretty cool....

Japanese paper folding... Origami

Watercolors are fun. But, acrylic might be easier because you could put the painting on an easel ... watercolors usually are done flat to keep the paint from running. Bob Ross taught a style that people with almost no talent can do. I am sure libraries would have books on it. Oil is easier than acrylic, but more fumes, more cleanup.

Crocheting is not very "masculine" but it is fairly easy to learn, and you can make great shawls, afgans etc. without to much training.

Calligraphy! Italic writing.... you can make some good money doing wedding invitation envelopes too! I used to before I got my hand slammed in a car door and lost my dexterity! Used to get $1 per envelope... The book I used was "the italic way to beautiful handwriting" and I just got paper called onion skin and paper clipped it over the text book to practice instead of using the book itself.. that way I could practice more times.

I'll try to think up a few more....
Jules

Those darn hands

I just stopped to say hi and stayed too long.

Hope

Mark,
I am sorry, I read your post wrong.... I thought you had good hands, just wanted to keep them occupied. Since I now read that you have trouble with them, the calligraphy would be out. My Mom used to crochet, but now that she is 82, and her hands are stiff with arthritis, she can not do it any longer, so I don't think that would be a good thing to try to learn.

I do think you could try origami - maybe not the most difficult ones, but quite a bit of it.

Sorry I didn't understand your post correctly.

Jules

personally i reckon the playstation... i am looking into getting a chin one (eg a sip and puff one) - hate the fact I can't join in when everyone else is on them.

why can't you use dragon? I'd imagine winter was the perfect time to train it( i use dragon -but don't like it very much, I also have switch texts. )

Or how about enrolling on a college course in something you're intersted in? you could go for one which is only an hour or 2 a week with abit of work between lectures? also would mean that you'd be out of the house once a week or so?

hope things are ok

frogga xxxx who is now GOING to do the darn essay....

(are humans naturally violent? YES... my flat mates had to be murdered for all coming in drunk about 10 minutes after I had fallen asleep for the first time in days instead of dozing vaguely).

let me tell you a good crafty thing for the hands.
my 2 girls, 11 and 12, both were doing needlework after school. a teacher started this to teach the kids to learn to sew.
but what she did was do beadwork. this was end of last year so it was all chrismassy. when i first went to pick the kids up from school, the teacher called me in and said............"here's your beadwork, start." LOL she didn't charge me for it or anything. but let me tell you these beads weren't big they were small LOL. it helped tremedously just keeping hands working. you don't have to do it 24/7 just do an hour or 2, put it down for a bit then do it again. you'll be amazed at how it keeps the hands excercising. ;)