Aches and pains

Apart from searching articles related to medical research, there are daily blog posts, entrecard drops, link referral, social networks,... innumerable sites, and innumerable tasks to perform....it's overwhelming and difficult to handle all in a day.

At the end of the day its not surprising to have back ache, shoulder pain, wrist pain, blurred vision,  and  in days to come suffer from problems related to circulation, respiration, digestion, bone (osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome) etc. etc., the list goes on...

Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) due to prolonged periods in poor position alters posture gradually until one begins to suffer all the time. 

Ergonomic furniture and accessories do play a role in maintaining correct posture, relieving stress on muscles and joints, thereby avoiding more energy expenditure. American Chiropractic Association promoted May as 'Correct Posture Month'.

Certain precautions are needed while working on computer:

• For proper circulation in lower limbs, there should be two inches gap between seat edge and back of knees.
• Knees should be at 90 degrees angle with angled foot rest.
• Avoid bending of neck either forwards or backwards, by keeping top of screen at eye level.
• Keep mouse near to avoid shoulder and neck strain. Wrist rest helps in keeping it in neutral position.
• Frequent, short breaks to stretch your arms, hands, shoulders and neck .
• Headset or speakerphone to talk on phone and type on computer simultaneously, avoid cradling telephone between ear and shoulder.
• Elbows should be bent at 75 to 90 degrees while typing on the keyboard.

Fruits like pear, strawberries, green vegetables like spinach, carrots provide enough anti-oxidants and fish has poly unsaturated fatty acids to strengthen nerves of eyes. 

There is a free simple reminder tool for prompting regular breaks and helps symptoms of  RSI.

Physical activity goes a long way in avoiding obesity due to sitting jobs. Keep a check on your biochemical (blood lipid, blood sugar) profile. 

Best of Health with Computers!

Entrecard Contest

Five days ago I received an e-mail from Entrecard for writing a review mentioning pros and cons about it. 

Well, its almost a month now when I'm actively dropping (though not 300 per day everytime!), and I feel a remarkable difference in the traffic (graph proves).

Moreover, I have acquainted with very friendly people during this short time span. 

I read Jamie's post (http://www.crimsonsparkle.net/notebook/) who drops 600 cards in an hour. It is really inspiring for me at least who feels tired and often loses the aim. 

Its really fun hopping different sites, sometimes your attention is diverted towards something very catchy. I hope I'll try to get some very quick methods to drop other than those available on certain sites. More  practice will evolve more routes  (I think so!).

At last, we should all support Janie in her struggle with the stalker/harasser (Bravo Janie!). Sick people should be treated accordingly. 

Cheers!

My Hut

It was a sight worth watching. Kukkoo was admiring his elder brother's colorful drawing, trying to grab it saying "da-da-da-da". 
Suddenly my thoughts were roaming around  those days when life seemed so simple; days were bright and beautiful, nights were meant for grandma's stories followed by dreamless ten hour' sleep. 
During my childhood days when someone asked me about my favorite subject, 'drawing' was an instant, unthoughtful reply from my side. 
The passion was sometimes in its most exaggerated form which made me forget everything else around me...I used to turn deaf to innumerable calls for the meals...The more engrossed I was in sketching a beautiful scene, the more reason I gave my parents to worry about my casual attitude towards the rest of  subjects. 

As I grew older, my interest got limited to participating in painting contests without much practice, moreover each higher class imposed more responsibility to finish the syllabus.

I still have a clear memory of the first scenery I drew in the kindergarten. There was a hut with smoke coming out of a chimney, trees, flowers, green grass, flying birds , ducks swimming in a small pond, a girl with two braided tails tied with  red ribbons  holding basket full of different colorful flowers...and I simply adored the finished product..

Saturdays were colorful as we were allowed to wear our casual dresses and no compulsion to wear school uniform. It symbolized our share of small freedom. We had 'crafts' period that day. My first school was Carmel Convent High School, Mahanagar, Lucknow. We were given a yellow colored square cloth to fold the edges with the 'running stitch'. It was my first introduction to the 'sewing world'.

During summer vacations, when siblings and mother used to visit "Nani's" (maternal grand mother's) house, she taught me many more stitches. Those were the best days of my life. There comes a nostalgic element with them. There is still a hidden passion for creativity but now times are different...I start a project with full zeal but it takes years to complete.
I'll share some of my unfinished projects with you all in the days to come, may be I'll get enough motivation to complete them some day!
Good Night and Sweet Dreams from this part of the Globe!

'Hindi', our mother tongue

Today was Parent Teachers' Meeting of my son at 2 p.m., who studies in the third standard. When myself and hubby reached the school building, there were already many vehicles at the parking, leaving less options for  those who were left. 

After signing the arrival report we went to the basement where all his subject teachers were supposed to be. 

It was a huge hall where teachers were seated at certain distances along with few seats for parents to sit. Many of the parents had to stand waiting for their turn. 

The first term's reports were being given to the parents after showing their ward's performance in different tests. There was a change though, as this time the students were awarded grades instead of marks. 

Most of the parents were mothers, some of them very much bothered about their children's marks. 

This time, as expected Arvind had achieved A+ in all subjects except Hindi, in which he had B+. 

Our own mother tongue is becoming very difficult for our children to learn. 

They can learn English, EVS (Environmental Sciences), GK (General Knowledge), can have fun with IT (Information Technology i.e.Computers) and Maths, but when it comes to Hindi, it becomes a nightmare. To put proper 'matras' (मात्राएँ), use proper alphabet (स्वर एवं व्यंजन) and moreover, writing properly the language (व्याकरण) requires a lot of practice. I just could not stand what he wrote in paper...for example he wrote संगया  for the word संज्ञा .

Where comes the role of the teacher, when I was cursing myself for not paying more attention to Hindi.

Next time hoping for the better...

Happy Parenting!

        

  

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome (Ulnar Nerve Entrapment Syndrome)

Almost an hour had passed and it seemed an endless process to lie below a huge MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine with thirty-six weeks’ baby fetus to share my suffering. While I waited for the report in the lounge, my thoughts took me in a flash back mode.

I still have a vivid memory of what happened that day. I was nine years old then and was preparing for my forthcoming exams when suddenly, lights went off making everything dark. I rushed to follow my mother, but stumbled upon a blunt object and fell down. The other moment, my whole world had changed. The years followed multiple plasters, numerous physiotherapy sessions as part of management of my right elbow dislocation.

At present, the MRI report revealed nearly three decades’ history of an old fracture of medial epicondyle with displacement which had led to compression of ulnar nerve against it with altered signal and increased bulk of the nerve. In medical terminology, I had an 'ulnar nerve entrapment syndrome'.

It began with numbness in my little finger with pain which progressed with time. Initially, the numbness was transient and usually occurred in the middle of the night or in the morning. With time, there was persistent numbness along with weakness of the hand. In fact, I was at the verge of development of 'ulnar claw hand'.

My family got worried as the condition was affecting my routine activities; like, I was unable to write with a pen or hold a spoon properly.

According to doctors I needed surgery, but the decision was tricky as the procedure required general anesthesia which could be harmful for the growing baby. I prayed to the Almighty in such vacillating state of affairs.

At last another surgeon was consulted who advised surgery under regional anesthesia. The nerve was decompressed and transferred anteriorly under 'supra-clavicular block'. I was conscious throughout the procedure but felt no pain. The surgical procedure took around three hours. The prognosis in such (nerve surgery) cases is very slow, as nerve regenerates with a velocity of 1 mm per day (i.e. 1 inch per month approximately).

Nine months have elapsed since then and my little finger has resumed back sensations, it is no more numb. I can type with my original speed, write without any flicker, and power of the hand is 80% of normal and I’m driving the vehicle since last two months.

A six inch scar mark on the medial side of elbow is a rememberance of past.

'Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.' Ambrose Redmoon