On Sat, 27 Jan 2001, dendriite wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 10:34 PM
> Subject: Big reaches/Smart lifting
>
>
> >
> >
> > >
> > > > If the object you want is not too heavy, you could get one of those
> > > > long-arm-claw-things (anyone know the real name?) that arthritis
> > > > patients who can't bend over use. Be sure to get a good one: some
> of
> > > > the cheaper ones will bend on you.
> > >
> > > That might work. I wonder if they sell them at the HEB I've had the
> most
> > > trouble at? :)
> > > Julia
> >
> > "Reachers", lots of times you can find them in the garden stores locally
> > or look at an "adaptive equipment site". Lots of people like the ones
> that
> > have opposing suction cup looking things (that pick up the pinecones etc)
> >
> > Regarding lifting- 10 pounds against your "old" belly was 10 additional
> pounds
> > of back force. 10 pounds with your arms out two feet is 20 pounds of
> > back force. Non pregnant people can make a bit more of a choice of
> > how close they keep things to their center of gravity, as babies grow out
> > everything is a bit more "total" work when you look at energy expenditure.
> >
> >
> You overlook men with humongously protruding beer guts.
> You sexist! <G>
Uh, beer guts (or at least, programmer guts, which may or may not have
anything to do with beer, but have a lot to do with sitting in one place
for too long, coding) have a lot more give to them than pregnant bellies.
A guy's big belly is a lot squishier than a pregnant belly -- something my
husband was surprised about when I gave him leave to gently poke at me.
If a guy with a gut picks up a laundry basket and the edge digs into said
gut, the gut gives at the spot where the top of the basket meets it. A
pregnant belly *doesn't* give like that -- and if something starts to dig
in like that, it *hurts* a bit. (So, we thank Rubbermaid for coming up
with the Hip-Hugger Laundry Hamper, which is a little concave on one side
and has a center of gravity low enough and close enough to the body
carrying it that it's possible to get laundry up and down the stairs, even
if the belly of the carrier has a baby growing in it. Although I mostly
carry it on one side, CAREFULLY, and use the side of my leg to help steady
it.)
Julia
married to someone with a programmer's gut who doesn't TOUCH beer if he's
not in Germany
