Medical Update 24 July 2015 - Awful News Edition · 9:32pm Jul 24th, 2015
So, I talked to the doctor. He says the effusions are too small to aspirate. They aren't likely the cause of the pain. It's most likely a repetitive strain, one so severe it isn't going to go away anytime soon. In fact, at this point it may be permanent.
No more typing. No more video games. Constant pain. I can't work as a programmer. I can't even work in retail - I can't use the cash registers. I can't do physical labour, I can't work in an office. All those dreams and possibilities are dashed, forever.
There is literally only one option left for me to have any kind of productive life where I have any kind of fulfilment or income, and that is my voice.
The next couple of weeks I'm going to be traveling, visiting family. After that, I'm going to take voice lessons religiously. I have no choice but to keep moving forward, practicing, and building up my voice strength until I can do at least 4k per day reliably with nothing but voice, then keep pushing beyond that to 6k. I can split it up, at least. Say, do 2k in the morning and another 2k in the evening. It may well help to do that. But I have to get that number up no matter what or I won't be able to compete as an independent author.
If I don't improve my voice, then I'm never going to have any kind of career, period.
Also, more than ever I need you guys cheering me on. This is going to be incredibly difficult emotionally. Gaming and typing have long been a huge part of my life, and I sunk a huge part of my heart into writing these past few years. To have so much ripped away like this... I'm going to be spending some time tonight grieving, at the very least. The only way I'm getting through this is with the emotional support of my beloved wife, my friends, my family, and my readers.
So please, stick with me while I work on this. Please. I honestly don't know what, if anything, I'd be able to do without you guys.
-Cv
I'm really sorry to hear all of that, Cv. You're in my thoughts and have my best wishes. Do what you need to do.
Ouch, that must really suck. I can't imagine not having free use of my hands. They're my babies.
I'm so sorry to hear that, CV. Take all the time you need, and I hope the voice lessons are productive. I really wish I could do more, but all I can say is that you have my support.
Have you looked into voice to text programs for typing?
I can't even imagine what you are going through right now, But I just hope that you will get better and continue to do what you love!!!
I don't know what I can do to help other than to offer moral support, but if there is anything we can do do not hesitate to ask.
Wow. That is bad news. The only even partially bright part of this is that they still haven't been able to identify a specific cause. I know it's just pulling at straws, but have you done any allergen antibody testing? (Not the one where they prick you on the arm, the one where they take a blood sample and check for antibodies to all sorts of things, including food sensitivities. ) There is an increasing problem with inflammatory reactions to all sorts of everyday things. I was made aware of this when a recurring lower back pain problem turned out to have nothing to do with my back, and everything to do with an sensitivity to - get this - cabbage and celery! I discovered this by accident when I went to get treated for an ankle injury, and I mentioned my back problems to the doctor (a sports injury specialist). He told me a lot of his 'untraceable' pain problems were actually due to inflation due to exposure to specific foods and environmental factors. He recommended I take this blood test for food antigens. Turns out he was tight. Ever since I been avoiding the foods that the test indicated I should avoid, and I've hardly had any lower back problems since (I once had a Gaspatcho and remembered afterwards that it contains ground celery!)
BTW these types of pains are often accompanied by IBS. The only thing is this blood test isn't cheap - it's around $300 bucks, but check with your doctor if this is something that would be covered by your provincial health plan.
Life really seems to be extremely unfair to certain people. I certainly don't envy you. It honestly amazes me how you manage to keep going with this amazing story despite all the stones life throws in your way. You have my uttermost respect for that.
As adequate as it sounds, I'm very sorry to hear that. Best of luck with the voice work. Don't worry about the horsewords. Life always takes precedence.
Crap.
There is a simple cure - but then you need to learn to type as a unicorn. :)
Inflammatory/nerve diseases are weird and horribly poorly understood.
I have a friend who's gotten complex regional pain disorder - and has gone from a fit and healthy 25yo to getting their first assistance dog in about a year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SkdfdXWYaI - I found interesting when I watched it. Using rather artificial syntax to program python quite acceptably fast.
Good luck.
That's awful, but seeing how you have every intention to soldier through regardless is inspiring. Be the best you can be.
Oh, I'm sorry. At least you've found the voice option; good luck with that.
Damn, that really sucks. It is something to be said that you want to keep carrying on. I hope there's an answer to all of this and that the voice lessons go well. Take all the time you need, your health is more important.
Is that "may" indeed a "may", or more something like a "probably"?
Either way, I'm not going to go away. No matter how long update times may become.
I'm sorry things are so hard. I'm definitely cheering for you, and if it makes things easier, the fic can always wait. Life comes first, especially when it comes to medical problems. I wish you all the best and I hope things get better for you soon.
You have my deepest sympathies. I won't repeat what others have said. but keep strong and keep on running. The race is worth it :) I wish you the best of luck in life.
With regards, Req~
Very much a bummer, and I hope it turns out to be curable. But if not - remember that computers can accept voice input these days, so it may be possible to continue to 'write' by dictation. Don't give up!
Oh man, I don't track my news nearly as much as I should! I'm so very sorry to hear, but you've got a solid plan dude. You can do it! I believe in you.
You want to watch that video. This instant.
PS: Oh, I just noticed SolangeEggbert already posted it as well. Doesn't matter tho, the video is good enough to post it twice!
Turn based games may be possible via voice controls.
Or at least no more traditional hand-based controls for video gaming. There are still the various head- and foot-based controls on the market like the Oculus Rift (and cheaper variants) and Stinkyboard (D-pad style foot control).
http://stinkyboard.com/stinkyboard/
I'm so sorry CV. Perhaps your next answer is testing out pain management doctors/people. Another thing (and I hate to say this) but perhaps you should see a thearapist. This sounds like a huge blow and one can help you through your feelings about this. It is possible (though I doubt it) that your pain could be caused by something mental, and if it is they might be able to pin point it. I say this because it seems every treatment you've tried has failed and sometimes the mind can do strange things.
I'd also seek out alternative pain management, so that you can hopefully get to the point where you can work again. Stuff like acupuncture or hand exercises/massages may be the key to working out the pain. I don't know what all you've tried yet and I applaud you for sticking to writing through this.
Dang, dude. That totally sucks. NEVER doubt that you have the support of every single one of us. If you showed up at my doorstep tomorrow and asked for a place to crash, I'd say yes, and I think many others would say the same thing, because when push really comes to shove, that's the kind of fandom we are.
Also, my advice is that every time you do your voice lessons, listen to Eye of the Tiger beforehand. Just to remind yourself how much of a badass you truly are.
Man thats harsh, my thoughts are with you and looking forward to the next continuations of you amazing work. I really hope there is a way to help you coming out within the next few years.
I am so sorry to hear about this, and I hope that life throws something nice your way soon, you certainly deserve better than it has been giving you. Your works are high quality, and I very much hope you find success in your future endeavors.
Could you strap a giant stick to your forearms and type by two 'finger' hunt-and-peck? Or would that still exacerbate your stress issues?
'Cause I know someone who held down a job as a programmer with something like that after being disabled. Doesn't help with the games tho.
Damn dude, that's harsh. I really can't offer much in the way of support other than what i've been saying so far: i really hope you get better, because you don't deserve this pain.
Any actual advice i would give you is to try staying positive - "a healthy mind resides within a healthy body is widely known", but the opposite is also true, your mind affects your body. It's hard for you to get better, if you don't believe you can get better.
Also, trying alternate stuff might be worth it at this point, if it's a repetitive strain injury, then i believe that visiting a very good massage therapist, and chiropractor, might be a good choice (as in one that actually deals with this kind of problem specifically).
Oh wow. Wow. You have all my sympathy. My life revolves around the use of my hands, you litterally just described my worst nightmare. I'm rooting for you with everything I've got.
Ouch, that's really really bad. I have no idea what I would do if this happened to me.
Wish you on whatever you choose.
Rest assured that I'll follow you as long as you don't give up :)
I'm sorry to hear this, Cv. But I also want to say that you are an inspiration. I feel like some people would be crushed by this news. And while it has certainly distressed you, you are not letting it stop you or prevent you from reaching your dreams. Kudos to you, my friend, and I wish you all the best.
Keep on trucking and don't let anything hold you back from your dreams.
You've been sticking at it for this long, so there's no doubt that you will be able to do it in the future. You've come this far with sheer willpower and stubbornness.
So... yeah. Keep at it. You've proven to us that you can, so there's no reason to give up hope
Ugh. That is awful news, Cv. :( I wish there was more I could do.
I'm glad you're focusing on another direction and not just letting it stymie you, but don't try to deal with it just on your own. The other comments are right, you've got unbelievable support in your wife but a therapist to help you cope and possibly give you new ideas may be a very good idea.
Not very good at saying encouraging things, but at least I can pray for you.
Good luck we all have the utmost faith in you. We know you can get though this.
wish you the best of luck. will pray for you.
I wish you the very best of fortune, CV. You're an incredible guy, and you and your wife both deserve every good thing that comes your way
You need to remember what species you're apart of. That sheer fact should give you hope for a future without the pain and I'll tell you why. Every year we have a technological leap more massive then the last. Every two days we generate as much information as we did between the dawn of history and 2003. The law of extreme numbers tells us that a solution is simply likely to appear within the next few years. With so many advances and years of time, the answer simply can't not be found.
Voice Recognition Typing!
https://www.google.com/search?q=voice+recognition+typing&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
There are many, many programs, free, low cost, and top-of-the-line that will allow you to write stories, write programs, and perform every task you would do with fingers on a keyboard, and they really work, pretty damn well. Some nearly flawlessly.
We live in a nearly Blade Runner future right now. Being disabled doesn't mean you are forever locked out of being able to type. In short - there is real, valid and true hope. Not just hope - that's a bad word. Solutions. There are real and valid solutions that you can take right now. As in this very evening. Use that Google link. Follow the search. Pick your solution according to your tastes.
How good is voice recognition these days? Nearly perfect. I find that the only problems I have are with very obscure words... or if my voice is crap, which it has been off and on since I got sick and had damage to my vocal folds. If you have normal folds, even if you are not a professional speaker, voice recognition typing will work for you with nearly zero mistakes.
Please look into this. You shouldn't have to feel terrible thinking you have no options or possibilities. You do.
And here is one more.
Try playing videogames with your feet. Seriously. It won't be easy at first. It will take time, and it will take dedication. You may have to find a specific position, or lock the controller in place to make it work. But it can, and does work. You can train yourself to be able to use your feet almost entirely like hands. They once were, for our distant ancestors. I have taught myself how to do this on a lark, not because I needed to, but because I am weird. It isn't easy or natural for me, but then I have no reason to develop that level of skill.
I just wanted to do it, because I saw severely handicapped people who entirely lacked arms altogether doing it - and doing it better than I can play with hands and arms intact - and I needed to experience what that meant, what that was like. It works. It really can and does.
What I am saying here is not some 'cheer up' statement - though I would , of course, wish to cheer you. What I truly want to do by posting here is to offer you options you may not even have imagined.
You can still program and write, if you want. You know who mostly buys the fancy version of the voice typing software? Executives. Perfectly healthy executives who want to dictate rather than type, because they can. Why not? It's possible now.
And the first rule of disability is to use what you have to maximum potential. You have voice, you have feet, you have the stubby fingers called toes. There are things you can do, and you have more power, and more options, than anyone before you in the history of the world. Computers and technology make so much possible. Use it. Think beyond your shoulders, your arms, and your hands.
You may be damaged, but you are not powerless, and you are not banned from the things you love. You may have to approach them in unconventional ways.
Brave heart, cv.
Hey give this another decade or so and you won't even need to worry about your pipes lasting. You have a willpower that makes me envious. Keep in there.
That's just awful.
I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now, so I won't pretend to offer any meaningful "I understand"s--but what I can say is that I'll be praying for you, and that I know that it's going to get better. "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.". 2 Corinthians 12:9.
By the way, have you yet tried a chiropractor? Has your doctor referred you at all? Something like this could very well be the result of nerves, and for this I would say that a chiropractor is a good place to try out.
Please stand strong Cv, you're a hero and an inspiration for fighting this as thuroughly as you have. We all belive in you, don't start to doubt yourself now!
That's horrifying. I really hope the voice training works out for you.
... but
... eh... 
... wow-
Sorry to learn that. My only question to wonder right now is how good is voice recognition software nowadays: first for real life, then maybe for ponies.
CV, I'm so sorry to hear this. I have been desperately hoping that you would get good news "next time" since you first shared your difficulties with us. This has been sounding less and less likely, but to hear it laid out like this hurts. I'm glad you're taking voice lessons, but please accept your body's limits when it comes to your voice. The good news is, if you are aiming to be an author, you probably don't need to be able to write 6000 words per day. There's an interesting article with comparisons of several big names here, and the vast majority are well under that. Stephen King is on the prolific side and writes 2000 words per day. So please don't hurt yourself trying to push for 6k.
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He knows about voice recognition typing. That's how he's been writing for months. The problem is that talking all day is much harder than typing all day. Back in April he mentioned that he was stuck at around 500 words per day, hence the voice lessons.
I'll pray for you.
*hugs gently*
*hug*
Sad to hear all of that. Just wanted to let you know that we're here for you, and hoping for the best. It's good to hear that you are looking into voice lessons, as the child of two music teachers I can tell you that just changing a few simple things about the way that you talk and use your voice can make huge differences.
And keep the faith, we might not be there yet, but from my experiences in the world of computing we're probably only a decade or two away from fairly reliable thought-based typing at useful speeds; right now there are already commercial companies that sell (expensive) easy to use equipment that can get speeds of up to 20 words per minute with practice. Mix that with a good verbal shorthand and you could probably reach a fairly decent typing speed just from your thoughts alone, all you need to do is wait for time to bring the cost down and raise the accuracy a bit.
You might want to check out a mixture you can get at your drug store called MSM, Glucosamine and Chondroitin, which is very good for joints and may alleviate some of the pain.
Really sorry to hear that CV. You've come through so much already, but stay strong, you can get through this and we'll all be here with you.