Dawn- so sorry to hear about your friend.

Dabbo - I forgot how old your daughter is but even if very small still -
what about lying on the floor with pillows - or reclining on the couch or chair and letting her lay on your chest? Or use extra pillows around your arms and on your lap to support her?

The heartbeat sound is very soothing to babies & she may put you to sleep too with her little breathing.

when she is older she can climb and crawl all over you- kids love for mom & dad to get down on the floor and play with them.


I just noticed all the new /more smilies...

Dawn,
I am so sorry for your loss. I heard that just happened in Florida too, but patient had just been dropped off.........
It is so hard because some of us are not done yet mourning our own lives. Puts things in perspective....at least we are here. Hope

.... and realized I've been missing out on some pretty amazing stuff here. I'll be coming back for more!

hugs everyone,
Nolina

I meant to post earlier that my beautiful girl likes to be held on the left side, preferrably with the left arm - of course, thats the affected side - too much holding = lotsa pain. Taking the problem one more step - i'm left-handed and mainly left-side dominant- drive with my left arm (baaaaaaad idea), carry bags with the left arm, etc. I'm trying to re-teach myself to do this w/ the right side, but its a tough process!

Precious baby! I kept my 3 yr. old gr'son this afternoon and also a 3 mo. old that my DIL keeps during the day, so she could go to the doctor and boy, they keep you hopping! The 3 mo. old is a very good baby and he slept most of the time but my gr'son is very smart and VERY "busy" which is a deadly combination.... BTW, I'm lucky- I'm right handed but my left side is my bad side. I don't envy you trying to teach yourself to do everything with your right hand/arm.

Dabbo, sorry to hear how difficult it is to hold your precious little girl She sure is a beauty.

When you drive, you might try tucking some little pillows under your arms, if you can, to support the arms, that way you don't have to try to hold the arm up the whole time (and maybe give the right arm a small break) . I would be lost without my pillows. I also use a little ball that attatches to the steering wheel to help turn the wheel much easier, w/o using the whole hand - i forget what it is called. Don't know if those ideas would make driving easier at all for you.

Please be careful of the shoulder bags if you are still working and carrying laptops, etc back & forth - I'm certain those contributed to my injury. Maybe Santa can bring you one of the newer, more ergonomic backpak style bags if you don't already have one. Don't want you to get hurt worse than you already are!

Thanks for the advice Nolina- fortunately, i don't have to carry much back and forth from work right now. I always carry the diaper bag w/ the right arm. I like the pillow idea -- we have a boppy (sp?) for the baby - i think someone else recommended it here too. That knob you're talking about is "lovingly" called a suicide knob- my cousin has cerebral palsy and has to have one to drive. I've been very lucky car-wise. the car I own is a 2002 Camaro Z28 with a manual transmission, so driving that was hurting. My parents live in town, and have an extra car that my sister drove (she's now in college) - its a 1986 Ford Taurus thats in great condition. Just switching to that car has helped. But i still try and drive w/ the left arm. i've gotta break that habit somehow. And Red - thank you! thats very.....brave of you to keep both of em (especially the active 3yr old!!)

am sorry for Dawn and her friends - sometimes it is hard to understand why those accident happen.

I suffer again from headaches: yesterday I stayed at home and today I am at the office but I will retourn home earlier. I have the impression my head is burning!!!

I wish you all a good day with a low painlevel!
Nice greetings,
Barbara

Today (after ANOTHER doc visit) - I realized what I can compare this to that the people I work with can understand. Follow me here.... Your car has a problem. When you're driving down the road, the gaugues will start flashing and flippping back and forth , all the while the car continues to appear to run normal. You tell your friends, who of course don't see this happening as often as you swear it does. When you take the car to the dealer, not only does everything appear to be working, they can't figure out what would have caused the problem in the first place. Of course, you keep taking the car back in. The thing is, the entire time YOU know that something is wrong! does that make sense.....sorry to ramble. again.

TODAY I.......

..................Pass along to dabbo, first of all, looks like you have a real gem there, one thing being a part time dad(divorced, but have and had liberal visitations every weekend and during the week) that the only wrong thing you can do to a child is not try>>> I think they somehow sense the love you have for them and by trying I mean doing things you feel are of best intrest to the child! It is unfortunate that you have this nasty disorder that you can not do more, but seen mentioned about getting down on the floor. why not spread out a blanket and PILLOWATIZE yourself and have the little one goohing as you play and take care of that little lady ! Also I think most of us understand the now you have them now you dont symptoms... from past personally and I know others have kept a diary of what you are feeling and what you are doing at the time they occur. I found it of value taking this in when visiting my doctor and getting feedback on things I can do to aid myself... TOS is a monster that grows and keeps throwing different things at you, it is learning a matter of control, try to head off flares before they start... thes are just suggetions that help me out.

........ Nolina it is not amazing things that are taking place here it is amazing people that stop by.... I like to consider each person with TOS and CRPS/RSD as extended family, we all live with the monster and who but us can relate exatly what we are going thorougjh

........Red hope all is well with you and yours and is always a pleausre when you stop by for a visit, you seem to know just what and how to say to others in times of need and brighten everyones day

.........I wish that Barbs head would stop producing those nasty headaches that put her out of commission, suc bad things happening to a nice person !!!!!

Today, I personally wish that the judge would come to a conclusion in my W/C case And Iprobably am wrong including in my prayers that he reach a verdict/ruling in my favor... though this is so unfair laying all the burdens of keeping up our house upon my wife and also not being able to provide proper for my children... my wife deserves saint hood not only putting up with a whinning lump like me, but going daily to a job she dilikes just to try and make ends meet

TODAY GOOBER SENDS OUT HIS BEST TO ALL WHO HURT AND ALL WHO PUT UP WITH US WHO DO!!!! GOD BLESS ONE AND ALL!!!!!!!!!