Taking a break…

This is really, really hard for me to do.

Yesterday I banged out 15 pages or so of a special project (you’ll hear more about it in a month), and forgot to ice my arm.

I. Am. An. Idiot.

My wrist and hand hurt so bad last night that they kept me awake. I finally fell asleep when I told my arm “fine, I’m listening to you. Tomorrow I shall draw NOTHING.”

My arm feels better today, and I want to finish that project, but instead I’m going to take it easy and work on non-hand tasks like “pricing t-shirts” and “pondering accountancy.” The good news is that typing seems to have no effect at all. I could blog for hours if I felt so inclined.

Tonight is RPG night for me down at Dragons Keep. I’ll go in early, and maybe I’ll bring the hot glue gun, some pick-foam, and see about building trays for miniatures. But only because I know I can drive the hot glue gun left-handed…

It’s possible that I’ll be taking a hand-break until the middle of next week, or even later. Fortunately I have a big old buffer for just this kind of occasion. Unfortunately the Bonus Story for the next book isn’t going to draw itself.

12 thoughts on “Taking a break…”

  1. Advil is your friend

    I survive Carpel Tunnel, and some other inflamation problems. Some things will hurt, some things won’t. Believe it or not, getting a full night’s rest consistantly helps everything, as does getting some regular exercise. I don’t have any other advice than that, but good luck. Try not to have your arm fall off. 🙂

  2. Howard, trust me on this…

    You need to talk to a doctor. Both to make sure that you haven’t done any permanent damage, but also to get a referral to someone who can show you ways to do this so this doesn’t happen again.

    Yeah, it’s expensive and inconvenient. Especially learning new “work habits. But it beats the hell out of surgery and having to relearn how to do stuff afterwards.

    1. What she said. Please – I’d hate to see you reach a point where you’re unable to continue your fabulous work.

      But yeah, taking a break is a good idea. Rest and icing…

      *hugs*

  3. From the cheap seats: is a week’s work worth the risk of never being able to draw again?

    How sure are you that you’re not pushing the damage into permanent terrain?

  4. I agree with everything people have said. Get thee to a doctor!

    As far as accountancy, I’m sure a fellow student would be willing to part with their ACCT 120/121 book for cheap (compared to what the book cost us originally).

    Should I lay my hand on one, would you like it?

    First as yourself “How much self-loathing do I have?”.

    If the answer is “alot”, I’d ask at the final on monday if anyone’s looking to unload a book…

    1. He doesn’t need the accountancy book. I do all the book keeping. What he is pondering are some questions about planning that I need answered so I can make sure the accounts are right.

      Thanks for the offer though.

      1. Ahhhhhhhh

        See, I THOUGHT you did the books, and was wondering why he would be pondering such things…

        Mind if I ask what questions you need answered? If you think I could even remotely be of any help…

        I am at your disposal. As are the people I know (which is far more useful than just me. I would go so far as to say that all utility comes from those other people).

        1. The questions are along the lines of “Would you like me to run send you this report monthly or quarterly?” or “How much money shall we set aside for X this year?”

          1. so i’d be no help… gotcha.

            At least it’s a feeling I’m well used to. 😉

            btw, I look forward to that story of yours getting published… I have young relative I wish to gift with things by the Taylers, and they aren’t QUITE old enough to get SM…

  5. I don’t recall – did you really take that arm to a doctor? I mean, it does sound like you really know what you’re doing to cause the pain, but I’m echoing the concern of “drifting into permanent damage”.

    Regardless, the rest and ice seems like a good move. I’ve done carpal-tunnel-ish damage to myself, and found that different mousing / keyboarding / knife-sharpening setups or physical hardware that forced different uses of the hands were the way for me to clear away from that problem. For example, if I get the slightest twinge now, while using a mouse, I’ll switch to a trackball until I am bothered by that.

    Obviously, that will do you no good whatsoever, since you’re using a pen, and are pretty much stuck in the same drawing pose with your hand as long as you’re drawing. Or at least that’s how it seems to me. From the completely uninformed point of view, I was wondering – can you force a larger grip size onto your pen or something like that to reshape the curve of your hand and wrist?

    Feel the love from thousands of fans pouring into your hand.

  6. Me too

    Like everyone else says. Rest, rest rest, rest. Then rest some more. Also, consider seeing a doctor officially. I’d rather buy a book to support the “Howard saw a Dr, but everything was ok” fund, than the “Howard waited too long, and now needs a robotic arm” fund.

    Not that a robotic arm wouldn’t be cool.

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