| The problem with my arm - why I can't use yuwie much. |
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Alot of my yuwie friends know about this already but I thought it might help give you an insight to what's going on.
Let's start in April 2007. At my old job we had recently had a system change and the counters weren't risk assessed to insure it was within health & safety regulations and comfortable for all staff. I worked in a busy library and there were around 20 staff that used to computers to issue, return, request, deal with fines on the counters. We originally had a fairly old fashioned system which was a reading head on another raised counter on top of the normal counter. It was also a simple action, pushing a book from left to right and stamping. We had also originally had more staff and also a enquiry desk round with the computers and non fiction.
slowly they started taking staff on the enquiry desk so everything, including 20 to 30 minute enquiries had to be dealt with by one of the two staff on the issue counter. We averaged about 50 customers an hour, they could take up to 16 books but if we just presume they had 5 books your looking at quite a few actions in an hour. Especially as we also rented out games, dvds, cds. These were all filed in drawers so you'd be having to get them out whilst trying not to bump into other staff. At certain times it would be busier with around 100 people in, they do not like to queue so things would be dumped on the side or you'd be called over, or they'd push books over the counter. So rude, i'd come home from work so angry but because the head honchos decided to cut staff, and employ new managers who wouldn't actually help on the counter. I would sometimes have to work through my lunch hour because she wouldn't help out, my unpaid lunch hour, I never got those back.
So back to the new counter. The system was now just a scanner hooked into a normal computer. The monitors were just plonked on the side. the counter was about 4 foot in height so with an unadjustable monitors took it to 4 and a half foot. I'm 5'10" but even for people that are 5 foot thats a half foot difference.
The counters had been cobbled together when they had to leave the old library, they were made out of old kitchen work tops. They had wood across the bottom and shelves so it wasn't actually possible to sit at the computers comfortably.
But you know you just get on with things, you only really complain with it starts to hurt which didn't take long.
First my neck went, i was in agony every night and complained, I ended up working slightly less on the counter but not much. Other people were having problems so they also complained. Nothing was done about the counter.
This problem went on and the pain was unbelievable.
Then in September my arm went, It had been starting to ache, mainly because of the extra work the computer created but then I started to have shooting pains up my arm then one day all I could feel in the right side of my right arm was pins and needles.
It's still like this. Nothing has changed since it went, it's constant and causes weekness in my grip. I have to try and keep my arm down, not raise it above my shoulders. I haven't been able to do as much excercise mainly because it would be easy to do something I shouldn't with it.
I have been going to the doctors for months. I had physio throughout Jan and Feb. I've had a few tests. My next appointment is with a surgeon.
I've never had surgery before and i'm nervous even though I don't know what will happen.
I've spent alot of time trying to keep up with yuwie. it can take a couple of hours just to catch up with messages and comments. This is too long for me really. I work with a computer but at least there I can take a ten minutes break every half an hour which helps. At my new job they are great about my arm problem. I also have special equipment to make using the computer much comfier which I don't have here at home.
I'm afraid I haven't been able to keep up with my comments this week (sorry and thanks to everyone that has left a comment) I've had quite a heavy workload this week and have been straight on the sofa in the evening.
I have a few days off next week and i'm gonna try my best to visit everyone. I just hope you understand that the reason I can't get on all the time or leave myself on but only do a few things is because I physically can't.
Thanks for reading this.
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| Posted: 26 April 2008 at 04:06 | Read 203 times | 20 comments | Leave Comment |
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