dsuurlant

Well let me start this blog entry by saying that I'm not even writing this. I'm dictating it using Voice control on the Mac which is mostly useful if I use you know regular English and not any programming words. I can't really type a lot right now.

So I apologize in advance for any weird interpunction or phrasing in this post.

I’ve been dealing with de Quervain’s tenosynovitis since the start of January. What's worse halfway through March my left wrist started to hurt as well. So now both my hands are in braces and I can't do any of my hobbies that involve using my hands intensely such as gaming, drawing, programming, knitting, or photo editing… I can't really do my job as a developer; at least no coding (unless I use AI vibe coding with voice prompts or some nonsense); I can't even properly clean my home.

So as you might imagine I'm having a rough time of it.

Yesterday I finally got a corticosteroid injection in my left wrist, but it still takes some time for it to heal… if it heals at all. Because that's also an option.

I've been spending my time going on extremely boring walks that don't tickle my brain at all (unlike video games), watching YouTube videos, sci-fi series, and playing mobile games (and by the way I can't hold my phone for a long time so I'm using these mounting arms on my nightstand and coffee table, and a stylus instead of my fingers). I've had to learn the pain is actually an indication of having to stop instead of push through. And that you really do have to ask for help when you physically can't do something. Like having my neighbor carry my cat to the vet (in a carrier of course).

I wish I had something inspiring to conclude out of all of this, but nah, it just sucks.

All I can tell you is please take enough breaks, do your stretches before using your hands intensively, listen to your body’s signals, get ergonomic gear, and listen to your physiotherapist.

This is not how I wanted to spend the first four months of this year. I basically feel pretty useless… but at least my cats still like me.

As long as my hands can give them pets (and food) they're happy.