Just when I thought it was safe to go back into the garden. . .

I have tried to take it easy doing manual labor type stuff around the yard, but sometimes there are things you just have to do. So, I have tried to do some pruning and other light work that minimizes shoulders and arms. I have done pretty well at my few attempts at yard work. If it is too heavy, I know right away to stay away from lifting it. Then, there is the simple task of edging the perimeter of the lawn with a weed whacker. It is simple if you have normal upper body strength and no neurologic difficulties.

The weed whacker is only a few pounds, so it s well under my weight limits, and I am not lifting it over my head, so that is all within my restrictions. And for the first little while I am fine. I do not feel that I am hurting anything. It involves a period of time- maybe a bit over an hour- of holding the main handle with the left hand while holding down the power button with the right. I try a few fingers on the right and end up using my middle finger. All feels fine. Sure I can tell I am getting more tired as I go. My upper back starts to feel like it normally does after doing a posture like this for a while. I still do not feel anything out of the ordinary as far as my shoulders or arms go.

Then I stop.

I about dropped the thing to the grass, my hands had such bad tremors. I went over to pull the plug from the main power outlet, and I only had to grasp it. My shaking hand did the rest. I lifted my left hand to brush my hair out of my eyes (my left seems to be the worse off as far as this type of tremor goes) and I had trouble even getting it up to my face. My entire arm was shaking, and my hand seemed to be going on its own. Even trying to rest, it took a bit of concentration to let them rest enough to stop the shaking.

Even an hour later as I type this, it is not as easy as it usually is to type correctly. It is funny that the last few days I had started to believe I may not really have anything wrong with me after all. At least nothing as bad as I had worried anyway. It all seemed to be getting better. Then I had to go and push it a bit harder than I should have.