If you couldn't use a computer for a month...how would it affect you?

@rx4life (1930)
United States
April 21, 2007 1:59am CST
Would you be devastated? Would you think, okay, I'll get some other things done in my life...How would you react if you were told by your doctor that you HAD to stay away from using a keyboard and spending more than 15 minutes twice a day on your computer was strictly prohibited?.. If in fact you were to decide to "cheat" it could mean that surgery is in your immediate future and following that you would be immobilized and unable to move your left shoulder, elbow, & wrist. But if you followed the instructions to simply stay off the computer for 30 days you have a 99% chance of avoiding any surgery...This is a little more radical than reality for me right now...but due to an increasingly restricted shoulder that has been treated with physical therapy for over 6 weeks...the recommendation today by both the physical therapist and the orthopedic doc were the same...use the computer for no more than 1 hour daily..broken into 3-4 settings and optimally only 2 sessions for 10 - 15 minutes each per day. I have written about this shoulder before..I had no idea it would take so long to heal...It is not from an injury but rather an inflammation that has left me with chronic tendonopathy and muscle atrophy in my left shoulder and those issues have complicated my shoulder/clavical joint and caused a response which has "frozen" my shoulder. I have followed everything they have told me to do for the last 6 weeks...now I have to sign on to the new restrictions as they showed me proof today of the increase in inflammation from using the computer...How about you? Would this change your life for 30 - 45 days? Would you cheat? Would you just go for the surgery and wait out the 6 weeks and be done with it?...I already have to be off work because I fill presciptions all day long and all the repetitive motion only makes it worse..ACCCCCKKKKK..I'm really bummed about this...but I need to hear from my friends here at myLot how this would impact you in your life if you were given the ultimatum...( It's very painful so I'm willing to do whatever it takes..) but you just don't think about what it would be like to be removed from your link to the world!!!! Tell me what you would be feeling/thinking right now if your diagnosis was serious and you needed to comply with this!! Be honest..( like I need to tell you that!!!) Sigh....I'll just have to up my typing speed so I can respond to more posts in 15 minutes...
3 people like this
18 responses
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
21 Apr 07
Oh boy if I couldn't use a computer for a whole month, I would be completely devestated and lost. Yes well sometimes unfortunately our bodies do take longer to heal I had this problem before but I was not using a computer at that time at all and I got on with my life ok. Well you do not have much choice do you not really you must think about the long ter affect and make sure that you are ok and then you can work on your computer and enjoy it once more.
2 people like this
@rx4life (1930)
• United States
21 Apr 07
I'll be checking in each day and rating and repsonding to my friends posts and anything else I can do in 15 minutes!! :)
1 person likes this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
21 Apr 07
Yes, I would be devastated, and in fact I was in this exact situation almost two years ago. I had an operation on both wrists for carpal tunnel, so I was unable to do ANYTHING with my hands for weeks. Even after the stitches came out, I was told not to use my computer at all, otherwise I would undo everything they had done for me, and it would mean more surgery in the future. Hard as it was, I stayed away from my computer, even when I was able to do little bits around the house. I think it was about 6 weeks before I went back on my computer. You have to think long term here rx, and listen to your doc - it will be better for you in the long run. Anyway, what's 30 days - it will soon pass, and we will still be here, waiting for you to blast away again in full throttle!
@rx4life (1930)
• United States
24 Apr 07
I'm minding very well...and the only thing I really miss is the interaction on this site!!!! I'm not even doing the twice a day allowance as she told me it will heal faster with less time on the keyboard...so only once a day...and sometimes not even that!!! But I can sit and read your posts!!!! That's not cheating...then when i get a chance I can respond!! Take care!!
• United States
24 Apr 07
While I know I would miss it a bit I also think I'm so busy normally that it wouldn't be a huge impact on my life. I would spend more time reading, which for me is good since I do book reviews. I've taken some time off because I can't focus right now due to medical issues but under "normal" (or at least normal for me.. lol) conditions I would use the extra time to read. In the summer I tend to spend a lot of time outdoors anyways and sit out back on my swing and read a lot. And normally in the winter I have 3 kids playing hockey. Without a car this year I couldn't do that and had to depend on others to get around, which was really messing up my life and still is! But once I have a car I tend to never be around anyways! LOL Also, considering it's a medical reason, I think I'd definitely listen. This coming from a woman who never listens to her doctors and just goes into things her own way but hey.. that's how I've beaten cancer so far! LOL But honestly, why risk further injury when it's only for a little bit? Enjoy the spring and warm temps when they come around, take walks, sit in a coffee shop and read a bit or whatever it takes to keep your mind off the net! And good luck!!!!!
• Philippines
22 Apr 07
any housemates of the big brother house can actually answer this question :D
• Philippines
22 Apr 07
yeah that is a good one.
@romel_ece (1290)
• Philippines
24 Apr 07
I think this is impossible on my part.My job really depend on a computer because all of our designs were computer aided design projects so I think I couldn't do a single job in a month if I this would happened.
@Augustta (1850)
• Poland
24 Apr 07
What a ugly perspective!A month is pretty to much,and for exemple i will tell you that last week in a day my internet was of for few hours and i was very angry...very angry... I was cleaning my house in this time (so no lose time)but still i love to know my computer and internet is ok all time... I don't know what if no computer 1 month...but i think will be a hard experience and i don't want to happened ever! augusta
@pendragon (3348)
• United States
22 Apr 07
I couldnt use the computer for a month and a half, whilst I was struck blind.I found out something, the computer doesnt matter whatsoever.Sure it's really neat, but yeah, who cares.It's a toy.
@h_gaurd9 (986)
• United States
21 Apr 07
If I couldn't use the computer for one month, I would probably be bored stiff out of my mind. There are other activities that I can do on the computer, but it may force me to go do other things rather than sit on the computer. Forget the computer, I don't have much to do on it except go on the internet or do something that is internet related. This would probably change my life for 20 days. I hope that it's not surgery that will keep me off the computer for 30 days. Maybe just a power surge would be fine because I won't be the only one who can't use the computer.
• Philippines
22 Apr 07
Yeah, I will definitely gone wild if that happens but I think in your case it would be best to restrict yourself from using computer since its for your own health. Its better not to have the computer now than to lost if for your whole life. Thank god, I don't have to suffer from that but I'm so sad with your case.
• United States
22 Apr 07
I think that if we didn't have a computer for a month, we would go crazy. I mean we'd really probably learn how to deal with it, but I think that it would mostly make us bored out of our minds. We us our computer to do just about everything, so naturally we would be up the creek without a paddle.
@eipril (401)
• Philippines
22 Apr 07
i think it will affect me so much ,.because it's my hobby ,,my life is incomplete without computer ..
@gasmas100 (585)
• India
22 Apr 07
ever nheard of ppl saying...drem come true' ? .that would be like a NIGHTMARE COME TRUE !!
• China
22 Apr 07
ohhhhhhhhhh it really sucks without computer....i cant even remeber of a time without tat real stuff.its te real stuff 4 entertainment n all activities.
@Xhristy (59)
• Ireland
22 Apr 07
I would be fine, In fact a few months ago I couldnt use any computer, tv, games console or phone for 2 weeks. I was fine. I just got a book or two. the only thing I missed was wikipedia when I didnt know something I came across while reading im sure a month wouldnt be much harder
@wmg2006 (5381)
• United States
21 Apr 07
This would be beyond devestation to me. I am on the computer all day at my regualr work and I also work several hours at night for myself on the computer. I play a guitar too and giving all these things up would bum me out to depression. I think I would probably cheat! I am having some problems with a wrist right now, mainly because I was using a hoe in my outside garden. So to not use one or both of my hands would make me a vegetable. I am not good at watching TV or sitting immobile. They would need to keep me heavily sedated so I would not be tempted to get on the computer, play the guita or work in my garden. Good luck to your recovery.
• Canada
21 Apr 07
Thanks for the message!! I'm sorry you're going through this right now. It must be so so painful for you. If I couldn't use a computer for a month, it would devastate me. My life outside of the immediate family revolves around the computer. I use email to stay in touch with my dad and my sister. I keep in touch with my friends via instant messenger, and not to mention the time I spend with my friends here on Mylot. Do what you gotta do though and make sure you listen to your Doctors advice! They know best! We at Mylot will all still be here when you're getting better. Please know that I sympathize with your predicament, but I know you'll be back with us before you know it. Take care and get well soon!
@PunkyMcPunk (1477)
• Canada
21 Apr 07
I had to laugh a bit when I saw this thread. I have lsot the use of my computer! It's been almost a week. I had a bit of computer issues and then one day the power went out (in a storm) and well, it was then time to format my computer. So I began the format as I do every now and then. Everything was going well until a little DOS pop up jumped on my screena nd said that my boot disc was corrupt. I thought "bummer" but no problem as I ahd a secondary Windows XP boot disc. I popped that in and well, it was so old and came up as "corrupt". So it's been a week and I am now realizing how much I used my computer on a daily basis. I'm not completely disconnected because I still work all day on the computer at work. But at home I used it to play games and mylot. I used it to download and listen to music, write my short stories etc.... I really don't know what to do either lol, as I ahve no computer to be able to download another boot disc. I think that I know have a 1200$ paperweight, sigh. I'll figure something out.
@fjordz (66)
• Philippines
21 Apr 07
ohh.. it would really stiop my life hehehe... i just have to read and read books if my computer wont be available.. www.fjordz-hiraya.blogspot.com