I have felt significantly burdened the last eight weeks with constant pain in my right shoulder. Of course I am right handed, and that includes using a mouse with my right hand and using two hands to drive. I have had to take two days away from classes in order to go to medical appointments to try and get a diagnosis (which would be nice to have) a way to relieve the pain (absolutely necessary) and a solution (also absolutely necessary but I can wait for it if the pain is bearable). Today the medical consensus is there has been no nerve damage so there is probably no need for surgery. Yeah! I have a new medication to reduce soft tissue swelling and I have been told to get physiotherapy which may also reduce the swelling and help the joint to heal. I have had good experiences with both physiotherapy and Shiatsu so I think I will try both. What does this have to do with teaching?
As well as missing two classroom days, not being able to use my right hand and arm efficiently and predictably is a problem. It means I feel less than 100% when in front of a class. For one or two days that's not so bad, but it is going to be at least one more week and I am not happy about that. It means I am slower getting things done in and out of class. Being slower in class might be a good thing for students. However I have a backlog of marking to do for my online students because of shoulder pain. I will get at the marking tomorrow and the marking will only be a few days late. So I should let up on myself I guess.
If I keep up this computer work I will not be able to sleep tonight. So I will sign off now and come back to this blog in a few days time.
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