Friday, August 12, 2011

tremor causes shift to right hand trackball use and other updates

The tremor with my left hand is now at the point I have had to change back to using my right hand for my trackball. And quite frankly, the left hand feels like it is not mine right now even typing this. It seems as if it is taking a bit more concentration than usual to type. I have been using my left hand for trackball use ever since 2001 or so when my right hand was subject to my first documented NA attack. Recently I have had increasing difficulty getting my fingers of the left hand to cooperate and smoothly move the pointer. Also, if I have to select text in this way, it is almost to the point of being an impossible task left handed. Now, after ten years of left handed trackball use, it is very odd to see that thing over on the right again, and even seeing it there it is hard to stop reaching for it on the left side. I guess I had the same trouble initially when I switched from the right side to the left. I will get used to it. I am not sure I will ever be used to the tremor though.

And this tremor is not just on the left. It is also on the right, built the right side tremor is a bit less invasive in everyday tasks. It is interesting that I even now at times think I am getting better as far as the tremor goes. Then I try to do some simple task requiring both hands and it is all I can do to keep them steady enough to come close to doing it. The trackball is one thing. Using a nail clipper is getting a bit hard if I use the right hand to clip the fingers of the left. Oh well. There are worse things out there to deal with.

Pushup strength is still way down.

I tried to do a yard related painting project the other day. And I was able to do it, but slowly. I had to reach out in front of me and upward to stain wood on the underside of a roof. After a couple of seconds of brushwork, I had to drop my arm. Then after a sort rest, I would apply more stain and then a few more seconds of brushing and I would have to drop my arm again. There is no pain associated with this action, even if I push it with all my strength. What causes the arm to drop is simple muscle fatigue. There is just not enough muscle stamina to hold my arm out and do something with it. It has been like this for close to ten years. It never gets any stronger.