h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I appear to have badly pulled a muscle in my upper right arm. Since my arm wasn't like this the night before last, the most likely prognosis seems to be that I pulled it getting out of bed (since bed is 6 feet above the ground, and I tend to vault off it when I get up in a fairly haphazard manner)

This is unfortunate, because (and I've measured this) unless I hold my arm at precisely 95 degrees (which is extremely hard to do) with my upper arm in line with my body (only possible when lying down), my arm is /extremely painful/. Note extremely. I also can't extend my arm (the attempt to do this is even more painful) or move my arm quickly (this is more painful still. I accidentally did this three times whilst getting dressed). Suffice to say that, whilst asleep, it's not easy to keep your arm in a fixed position, and so I woke up a lot.

I also got my orthopaedic appointment card this morning, and the orthopaedic clinic have helpfully arranged for me to see them in July. When I'm in Germany. Thanks, guys. blargh. I feel like a perpetually ill thing.

On the bright side, the weekend should be fun. (even if my arm's practically immobile. )

try sleeping on your stomach, and positioning it with pillows. My broke his elbow in a car accident(in 1985) and can't bend it all the way now. He's always pulling it at work, but seems to sleep o.k.

Ah. I found the best thing to do was either to lie on my front / side (facing slightly to the left, with my arm out behind me (old-style recovery position, or classic chalk-lined corpse) pointing downwards, or to lie on my front with it in the same position, but with the arm pointing upwards and my hand under the pillow (at that angle, it's least painful)

Unfortunately, my bed being 6 feet above the ground, there's not much room to position it like that. ... but I'll certainly try.. thankyou for the advice.

...another problem is that, like my girlfriend, I move around /a lot/ in the night. (Not that our both doing it is a problem, we never having slept in the same bed, and living quite far apart) After about 45 minutes of sleep, I find I wake up with a painful arm, after having wriggled into a position where it's considerably less comfortable....





- Njan.