I drop things!

When my hands were at their worst, I had to wear a bib; just a towel with a safety pin on it. When I was on steroids for 21 months (1000 mg a week), my hands shook uncontrollably. It was actually funny to watch me try to type anything, as my whole hands just bounced around. After 4 1/2 years I still type with 2 fingers, so consider yourself lucky! I, too, just laugh at myself, what else can one do. I tripped & fell over the hose in the yard while watering my flowers yesterday; I was actually thrilled, because I could get up by myself. First time I have been able to do that. Luckily I didn’t get hurt!
Pam

Hi Hutch,

Color can make all the difference. Thanks for the laugh. It also reminded me of a movie Rodney Dangerfield made, where he and Joe Piche were in a high end clothing botique, and the uppity sales lady asked what they were looking for, so Rodney replied ” My friends looking for a shirt. You know. Something in black that he can wear four or five days in a row.” Take care.:)

Hi Hutch,

Enjoyed the fact that you can laugh at yourself too! I drop things constantly and don’t have the strength to pick many things up like pots and pans. Makes dinner time here interesting.

I am notorious with my friends for spilling things on my clothes. They actually say that “It isn’t a nite out unless Barb spills something”. It can be quite funny.

Thanks for sharing and take care.

Blessings,
Barb

hutch, just eat or drink different colored foods or beverages and you can tye dye your t-shirts the homemade style! keep up the great attitude!!!!:)
make sure you turn your shirts around and get both sides-no one would ever guess they were spills!;)

hutchman

Unfortunately, dropsie affects many of us. try some of these suggestions, and I am sure others have some favorite suggestions of their own.

In no particular order,

1. Don’t fill cups to the top.
2. Take an extra second to make sure your grip is secure before lifting. After a bit of time, this becomes second nature.
3. Remember that later in the day, your strength may wane as you fatigue. Take extra care later in the day.
4. With the shakiness, I try to set things down, rather than pass them from person to person. I don’t trust myself to complete the pass, setting it down first lets the other person pick it up instead of getting it from my hands.

These have helped me with spills.

By the way, I love the dark shirts idea !!

Dick S

Hi,
As the expression goes, “laughter is the best medicine”. And I know what you mean about stains. It seems like when you wear white, a spill WILL happen. I’ve found that when I need to try to avoid spilling, it helps if I bring my mouth DOWN to a cup or glass rather then lifting to bring it UP to mouth. After I’ve brought my mouth DOWN, then I’ll lift glass or cup. Stains became a part of me, it’s more important shirt is clean. I’ve thought about making a drawing out of stain:D

If you’re still in your first year or two of CIDP, chances are good that hands will improve.

Even if I slowly but surely get more control over my unruly hands now after my Rituxan treatment more than a year ago, I certainly know what you all are talking about. For many years I suffered from heavy intentional tremor. At first I was often in tears, but not wanting to be dependent on my husband feeding me, I started to use straws or “drinking-cap” bottles for all liquids I wanted, and a wrist-brace combined with a removable plastic edge – abt. half an inch high on my dinner plate. Still there has been a lot of hilarious incidents:D , but I’ve also been happy that I know a few “four-letter-words” 😡 under certain circumstances.

I’ve been lucky enough to get better, but before I knew that, I tried the best I could to cope with the problem as something permanent, both physically and mentally – the latter takes tears and anger, but most of all the ability to squeeze some laughs out of the “accidents”!

Good luck, folks!:)

Hi, Hutch, and thanks for the laugh. It’s certainly better than crying–you don’t get quite so wet.

I’ll add one to Dick’s list: make people set their cups or glasses down before pouring liquids into them (especially hot ones). People have a tendency to hold out their coffee cups for a refill; my friends have learned that I’m as liable as not to miss the cup, so it’s safer to set it down for a refill. I also have people offering to do the refills for me, which is nice. Now I’m looking for other things that I can coerce people into doing for me! 😀

Such a fun disorder!

Deb

I think that was one of my early signs of getting the cidp. I was always dropping things and getting upset with myself. Now that I am getting better, I can walk etc but I still drop things frequently. I am most grateful for my 3 sons that pick up many things I drop that roll under the bed or the wardrobe.
Jan

I too have had more problems dropping things then previously. It is frustrating but luckily my girls are around to pick them up. Although yesterday, I attempted to clean up the table at my best friend’s bridal shower and ended up spilling her beer all over her chair. And I was the sober one:rolleyes:

As for white or light colored shirts, I gave those up after having kids 🙂 Whether I’m spilling on myself or I get a PB & J hug- black, dark green, and navy blue hide it all!! I attempted to wear a light blue t-shirt…within an hour, it had OJ on it, a smidge of my daughter’s lipstick, and some unidentified stain on it. I’m sticking with the darker colors! 😀