Hanging up in my closet is a homemade scarf. I made it all by myself in a manner of days. It's made of Texel sheep wool that I spun on my own spinning wheel; turning it into a chunky thick-and-thin single ply (meaning only one strand). I took that freshly spun yarn and washed it, then wound it into a ball and then knitted it up with size 15 needles (yep, huge). All. By. Myself.
To many people, this is a perfectly normal thing to do; barely worth mentioning. But to me it is an extraordinary accomplishment at this stage of life. Not because I made the yarn. Not because the wool is from my favorite breed of sheep. Not even because I knit it by myself.
It is extraordinary to me because creating this scarf means that I have usage of my left hand once again. I have my life back. It's a special scarf because it shows that the problems of my past are just that: Things of the past. They're gone.
About a year ago I started having problems with my left hand. After milking the goats or doing anything strenuous, it would either flare up with a fiery pain, or go completely numb. The situation slowly got worse and worse... So slowly that I didn't even realize what was happening until June 2013. The simple act of bending my arm hurt like the dickens and my hand would go uselessly numb at the drop of a hat. I couldn't hold pens or pencils. Couldn't write. Couldn't hold tiny objects because I no longer had the dexterity to do so. Couldn't spin yarn anymore. Couldn't hold knitting needles. Definitely couldn't hand milk animals anymore. Shucks, I couldn't even hold my baby brother for longer than five minutes. It was bad.
So we did what any logical person would do: We went and saw doctors and specialists about the problem. The diagnosis was never 100% positive, but everyone agreed that all the symptoms were fitting for a combination of carpal and cubital tunnel. Double whammy. The carpal tunnel was in my hand, and the cubital tunnel was in my elbow; both problems were stemming from nerves being trapped in the wrong spots. Cause that triggered all this? Hand milking goats for too many years. Whoop de doo. *note sarcasm*
The specialists recommended surgery and then warned that I may be on steroids afterwards; and neither one of those were guaranteed to work. To be honest, I was ready and willing to try surgery. I was taking pain killer every day to make things bearable, and I sorely missed doing normal human things that involve two hands. I just wanted the pain to stop...
Before seriously considering surgery, my parents decided we should try the gentler method of seeing a chiropractor for a few weeks. I had never been to one before and quite frankly, I was suspicious and skeptical. All I had ever heard were stories from folks who said they felt worse instead of better after going. And I had no desire to make matters worse. But I agreed to try it out anyway. Better than surgery, which would have involved needles and an IV (I can do many things in life. Handling needles in a sane and calm manner is not one of them. Seriously, I wake up from nightmares about blood draws more times than I care to admit.). So to the chiropractor I went.
Weeks and countless appointments later, I find myself at today. I'm typing this post with two hands. And you want to know something? I have no more pain. :) Bless that chiropractor's heart, he knew what he was doing. He was confident that he could resolve my carpal/cubital tunnel problems permanently, and he did just that. It wasn't easy or pain free, but we did it. That kind man even fixed the residual problem in my wrist/hand that happened from a horse accident four years ago. I used to never be able to bend my hand backwards very far, so things like push-ups, or playing volleyball, or even giving someone a high-five was out of the question. But now not only do I no longer have pain or numbness, I can even play volleyball!! Whoohoo! No more sidelines for this girl!!! I'm back to knitting, spinning, hand writing, and I can finally hold my baby brother happily.
Further more, my chiropractor has given me a project: He wants me to go back to hand milking! He feels that he's fixed what needs to be fixed, and has told me to resume hand milking again. I am so excited about this news that you just can't know. ^_^ You see, the farm that I'm going to in Missouri hand milks their cows. I had told them at the beginning that I would be unable to help them with that chore, which was fine with them. I was secretly dissapointed with myself that I would be missing out on the day-to-day milking though... But now it turns out that I get to milk those cows after all!!! Yahoo!!!
As a small, personal celebration that I could finally do all the things I thought I was doomed to never do again, I sat down and knit myself a scarf. Something fast and easy, but still showed that this girl is back 100%.
I can't wait to wear it this winter.
To many people, this is a perfectly normal thing to do; barely worth mentioning. But to me it is an extraordinary accomplishment at this stage of life. Not because I made the yarn. Not because the wool is from my favorite breed of sheep. Not even because I knit it by myself.
It is extraordinary to me because creating this scarf means that I have usage of my left hand once again. I have my life back. It's a special scarf because it shows that the problems of my past are just that: Things of the past. They're gone.
About a year ago I started having problems with my left hand. After milking the goats or doing anything strenuous, it would either flare up with a fiery pain, or go completely numb. The situation slowly got worse and worse... So slowly that I didn't even realize what was happening until June 2013. The simple act of bending my arm hurt like the dickens and my hand would go uselessly numb at the drop of a hat. I couldn't hold pens or pencils. Couldn't write. Couldn't hold tiny objects because I no longer had the dexterity to do so. Couldn't spin yarn anymore. Couldn't hold knitting needles. Definitely couldn't hand milk animals anymore. Shucks, I couldn't even hold my baby brother for longer than five minutes. It was bad.
So we did what any logical person would do: We went and saw doctors and specialists about the problem. The diagnosis was never 100% positive, but everyone agreed that all the symptoms were fitting for a combination of carpal and cubital tunnel. Double whammy. The carpal tunnel was in my hand, and the cubital tunnel was in my elbow; both problems were stemming from nerves being trapped in the wrong spots. Cause that triggered all this? Hand milking goats for too many years. Whoop de doo. *note sarcasm*
The specialists recommended surgery and then warned that I may be on steroids afterwards; and neither one of those were guaranteed to work. To be honest, I was ready and willing to try surgery. I was taking pain killer every day to make things bearable, and I sorely missed doing normal human things that involve two hands. I just wanted the pain to stop...
Before seriously considering surgery, my parents decided we should try the gentler method of seeing a chiropractor for a few weeks. I had never been to one before and quite frankly, I was suspicious and skeptical. All I had ever heard were stories from folks who said they felt worse instead of better after going. And I had no desire to make matters worse. But I agreed to try it out anyway. Better than surgery, which would have involved needles and an IV (I can do many things in life. Handling needles in a sane and calm manner is not one of them. Seriously, I wake up from nightmares about blood draws more times than I care to admit.). So to the chiropractor I went.
Weeks and countless appointments later, I find myself at today. I'm typing this post with two hands. And you want to know something? I have no more pain. :) Bless that chiropractor's heart, he knew what he was doing. He was confident that he could resolve my carpal/cubital tunnel problems permanently, and he did just that. It wasn't easy or pain free, but we did it. That kind man even fixed the residual problem in my wrist/hand that happened from a horse accident four years ago. I used to never be able to bend my hand backwards very far, so things like push-ups, or playing volleyball, or even giving someone a high-five was out of the question. But now not only do I no longer have pain or numbness, I can even play volleyball!! Whoohoo! No more sidelines for this girl!!! I'm back to knitting, spinning, hand writing, and I can finally hold my baby brother happily.
Further more, my chiropractor has given me a project: He wants me to go back to hand milking! He feels that he's fixed what needs to be fixed, and has told me to resume hand milking again. I am so excited about this news that you just can't know. ^_^ You see, the farm that I'm going to in Missouri hand milks their cows. I had told them at the beginning that I would be unable to help them with that chore, which was fine with them. I was secretly dissapointed with myself that I would be missing out on the day-to-day milking though... But now it turns out that I get to milk those cows after all!!! Yahoo!!!
As a small, personal celebration that I could finally do all the things I thought I was doomed to never do again, I sat down and knit myself a scarf. Something fast and easy, but still showed that this girl is back 100%.
I can't wait to wear it this winter.
This is wonderful and exciting and awesome all at the same time!! Praise God!! I'm so so SO glad to hear this.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I have used chiro extensively with excellent results. I had severe carpal in both hands, with suggestions of surgery. I did accupuncture for 3 weeks, PT and it all stopped on it's own after a couple of months. That was 5 years ago :)
ReplyDeleteConga Rats! ('Cause they dance-dance-dance!!) I'm so happy to hear that you have found the healing you needed - how wonderful it is. *smiles*
ReplyDeleteAlso, I just wanted to say 'thank you' for sharing some parts of your life with us. I have been really enjoying following your farming adventures - I look forward to reading about your internship as well....