I dont know if this will help you, but it may be of some use.
The one finger I use for pushing pins into place does get very sore
sometimes, due to a variety of things, including a type of arthritis (does
not mis shape my joints but the pain is still there).
On bad days, and I do understand that hers are all bad, I sometimes find
that holding the pin between two fingers of my left hand to hold it into
place and then with my right hand I gently push it down a little using the
indent of my pusher tool. It isn't as quick as normal working but it saves
me having to put it away when I dont want to. I may not have described it
very well, but if unsure do come back and ask.
I too didn't get on with elastoplast or anything similar.
Sue T
Hi Brenda and all
Her fingers are beyond 'sore'. This is long term eczema on the fingers
that
are already misshapen with arthritis. It takes the form of deep cracks in
the
skin. I don't know if it is independent of or caused by the arthritis,
but
it is very miserable. She also has a lot of pain in her neck and
shoulders, so
can only work for ten minutes at a time, but bobbin lace is the only thing
she can do. She used to tat as well but that is just impossible now.
She can't use plasters etc as that would irritate the condition, and needs
to
wear surgical gloves to be able to make lace, so she's not weeping all
over
the thread. With the lack of dexterity and feeling (made worse perhaps by
needing to wear the gloves), and the pain from the deep cracks in her
skin, even
the big headed pins are difficult for her. She often has to use both
hands to
get the pin the right way round in her fingers, and once she has the point
in
the hole, has to try to find an undamaged bit of skin and the strength to
push
it into the pillow. A thimble would just get in the way of the little
feeling and dexterity she has.
I think between us we have thought of and tried most things - a card
pricking
seems best as she then has a proper hole to rest the pin into, pricking
into
the pillow as well eases the path of the pin, we have tried the smaller
glass
headed pins as they are not so thick to push into the pillow, we have
tried
the bigger ones as they are easier for her to handle and have a bigger
area to
push against. Each had disadvantages and benefits but it is still a slow
and
painful process.
I was just hoping that someone out there has found a better combination of
pillow, pricking, pin and handling technique.
After many years she finally found a female dermatologist who realised how
disabling her hands were, and tried all she could to find a solution. For
a few
months her hands were a little better then they broke down again; there
apears to be no reason for the deterioration as she was following the same
careful
routine. To add to her problems her female consultant is 'moving on' and
she
will be back with the same ~#!*?/@! male consultant who has dismissed her
as
neurotic for the last ten or so years, and can't seem to understand why
such
damaged hands would make life difficult.
Jacquie in Lincolnshire
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