Reefing with chronic pain

[vetteguy53081]

Sorry to hear of health issues.

 

[Bryson.bobby]

How has everything been going?

 

[G Santana]

Welcome to R2R, I can appreciate your situation and pain. In 2017 out of nowhere my auto immune system went crazy and in a matter of weeks I went from totally healthy to wheelchair bound. Within 3 months I not only lost the use of my legs but the use of 85% of my arms. It took a while to get properly diagnosed but I finally did. I had something called CIDP. 2 long years confined to a bed and then once treated, mobility returned (slowly) i self rehabilitated over 1 yr.
I have residual issues and the constant fear of it returning.
All I can say is have faith, every day regardless of pain and discomfort, is a gift.
Good luck with your reefing!!!

 

[GregDaKeg]

Hi all,

I've been a member for a little while now, but I've mainly been an active reader than poster due to my disabilities. I just thought it was about time I should introduce myself and to see if there are any other reefers in similar situations who might have tips to make tasks easier.

Firstly my name is Shane and I'm from Melbourne, Australia. I'm a software developer for a fuel cell company, but have had a large role in designing and developing an RO/DI system that we've produced in relatively high volumes. I developed carpal tunnel syndrome through my work and the release surgery went wrong. It turned into something called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). I lost most use of my right hand and soon developed carpal tunnel in my left hand too. Surgery wasn't an option on the left (CRPS spreads to other areas of the body, so the risk was too high). I tried many medications without success, so last resort was a spinal cord stimulator. The trial surgery for this was initially successful, however while waiting for the final implant I developed and infection in my spinal surgery wounds and had to have everything removed. My CRPS then quickly spread through my back. This ruled out further attempts. I now continue to work, but I'm mostly housebound and am down to 4 x 3hrs per day working for the same company.

So this is where I am left a few years after this. My hands aren't great. I have some use of my right hand after we found a medication which gave some relief. I need to take breaks when using the magnetic glass cleaners. My back is worse than my hands. Bending is not good, so working in the sumps is torture. Water changes I don't look forward to as carrying heavy buckets and bending is torture. I want to setup a mixing station + RO/DI and hard plumb it to the rooms where my tanks are (I have two 40gal cubes).

Does anyone have any tips on making tank maintenance easier?

Shane

I was diagnosed with AS when I was 25ish I am 39 now. I feel your pain. Thank God for water pumps!

 

[jgirardnrg]

Very sorry you're going through all of this, sounds like a nightmare. Welcome aboard though!

For the glass cleaning, maybe this could be of some use to you:

RoboSnail.com | HOME

robosnail.com

 

[WVNed]

They decided I have parkinsonism. They will tell me which one after I die and they can look at my brain under a microscope. I have lots of cool drugs I take day and night. I get a stronger one tomorrow.

Never give up and never surrender

And don't fall into the internet peer pressure trap. Your tank doesn't have to look like everyone else's. It just has to make you happy. Mine is never as clean as it should be but it's going fine. When I feel better I do more and when I don't I do less.

 

[Steph72]

Hi all,

I've been a member for a little while now, but I've mainly been an active reader than poster due to my disabilities. I just thought it was about time I should introduce myself and to see if there are any other reefers in similar situations who might have tips to make tasks easier.

Firstly my name is Shane and I'm from Melbourne, Australia. I'm a software developer for a fuel cell company, but have had a large role in designing and developing an RO/DI system that we've produced in relatively high volumes. I developed carpal tunnel syndrome through my work and the release surgery went wrong. It turned into something called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). I lost most use of my right hand and soon developed carpal tunnel in my left hand too. Surgery wasn't an option on the left (CRPS spreads to other areas of the body, so the risk was too high). I tried many medications without success, so last resort was a spinal cord stimulator. The trial surgery for this was initially successful, however while waiting for the final implant I developed and infection in my spinal surgery wounds and had to have everything removed. My CRPS then quickly spread through my back. This ruled out further attempts. I now continue to work, but I'm mostly housebound and am down to 4 x 3hrs per day working for the same company.

So this is where I am left a few years after this. My hands aren't great. I have some use of my right hand after we found a medication which gave some relief. I need to take breaks when using the magnetic glass cleaners. My back is worse than my hands. Bending is not good, so working in the sumps is torture. Water changes I don't look forward to as carrying heavy buckets and bending is torture. I want to setup a mixing station + RO/DI and hard plumb it to the rooms where my tanks are (I have two 40gal cubes).

Does anyone have any tips on making tank maintenance easier?

Shane

Welcome, Shane! You’re going to love this community!

I’m so sorry about your health issues. I have back problems and can’t lift or bend much either. Having a large mixing container and extra pump with long tubing has been a lifesaver. I use the pump to help mix the water and for draining/refilling the tank. All the buckets have been retired to the garage. Lol

Wishing you all the best and happy reefing!

 

[littlefishy]

Do you have any tank threads? Hows it been going since you joined? About a decade ago i worked as a sedation nurse at a pain clinic. RCPS is the strangest condition Ive seen, and they rename it every so often. While the pain can't be seen, there is no denying the loss of muscle, hair, and skin thickness in the affected limb. First time I've heard of it in the back. Best wishes and let's get an update!

 

[ShaneB]

Welcome, Shane! You’re going to love this community!

I’m so sorry about your health issues. I have back problems and can’t lift or bend much either. Having a large mixing container and extra pump with long tubing has been a lifesaver. I use the pump to help mix the water and for draining/refilling the tank. All the buckets have been retired to the garage. Lol

Wishing you all the best and happy reefing!

Do you have any tank threads? Hows it been going since you joined? About a decade ago i worked as a sedation nurse at a pain clinic. RCPS is the strangest condition Ive seen, and they rename it every so often. While the pain can't be seen, there is no denying the loss of muscle, hair, and skin thickness in the affected limb. First time I've heard of it in the back. Best wishes and let's get an update!

Hi all and thanks for checking in.

Steph - I have built a salt water mixing station and also have RODI plumbed around the house to my two tanks for auto top up. I have salt water kind of plumbed, but just before I was almost finished, the auto water change device I planned on using was retired and unavailable. Now my plan is to make my own (I'm a programmer who writes machine control code), but unfortunately between pain and still having to do a small amount of work each day, it doesn't leave much time.

Like you buckets have become too much for me to handle, so my tanks have been a little long between water changes of late. I had considered installing a retractable hose reel at my mixing station that is long enough to reach my furthest tank as a stop gap solution. I wish you all the best with your back pain issues.

littlefishy - Yeah I had never heard of CRPS before it was diagnosed in me. I know that I am one of the fortunate cases. There are a lot worse than me. My condition is slowly getting worse, but it is slow. I am stuck within about a 45 minute radius of home as a result of the state of my back. I can't tolerate anything touching it all for very long. I can't sit comfortably in a seat or lay on my back at all.

No, I don't have any tank threads. My tank I had been battling an aiptasia outbreak, but I think I have that under control now. The tank I have setup for my wife is full of pulsating xenia and I need to try and get it under control. It would be much easier if there wasn't a highly territorial female clownfish in there. She has quite a bite.

Shane

 

[ShaneB]

How has everything been going?

Welcome to R2R, I can appreciate your situation and pain. In 2017 out of nowhere my auto immune system went crazy and in a matter of weeks I went from totally healthy to wheelchair bound. Within 3 months I not only lost the use of my legs but the use of 85% of my arms. It took a while to get properly diagnosed but I finally did. I had something called CIDP. 2 long years confined to a bed and then once treated, mobility returned (slowly) i self rehabilitated over 1 yr.
I have residual issues and the constant fear of it returning.
All I can say is have faith, every day regardless of pain and discomfort, is a gift.
Good luck with your reefing!!!

I was diagnosed with AS when I was 25ish I am 39 now. I feel your pain. Thank God for water pumps!

Very sorry you're going through all of this, sounds like a nightmare. Welcome aboard though!

For the glass cleaning, maybe this could be of some use to you:

RoboSnail.com | HOME

robosnail.com

They decided I have parkinsonism. They will tell me which one after I die and they can look at my brain under a microscope. I have lots of cool drugs I take day and night. I get a stronger one tomorrow.

Never give up and never surrender

And don't fall into the internet peer pressure trap. Your tank doesn't have to look like everyone else's. It just has to make you happy. Mine is never as clean as it should be but it's going fine. When I feel better I do more and when I don't I do less.

Apologies, I totally overlooked all of these messages that came through in the one day. I originally thought it was just the two.

Bryson.bobby - Thanks very much for taking the time to check in

G. Santana - That sounds really terrifying what happened to you. I'm glad to hear of your recovery and your wishes.

GregDaKeg - I'm sorry to hear of your pain also. I believe my son was diagnosed with AS also, but so far there has been no signs of movement. One thing I've come to dislike with these tanks is sumps. Bending over and squatting down is very painful. It would be much easier if they were at the height of the tank.

jgirardnrg - Thanks for the suggestion. I will investigate.

WVNed - Sorry to hear about everything you are going through. Your philosophy on our tanks is very true. Thanks.