Author Topic: Got the shakes  (Read 2214 times)

Offline ddmckee54

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 638
  • We're having fun now --- or so I've been told.
Got the shakes
« on: January 17, 2018, 09:54:56 PM »
Well - it finally happened.

A number of years ago I was diagnosed with a benign essential tremor, fancy words - means I got the shakes.  Didn't affect me too much, at first.  The medication helps, but my neurologist says I'm about as good as I'm going to get.

Over the years as I've turned from a young buck into an old fart there have been various activities that I have had to curtail, if not give up.  Flying RC planes for one, not gonna happen anymore - I could seriously hurt somebody.  I do fly my micro RC helicopter in the house at times, but the only things I can hurt are me, the dog or the furniture - and that thing is way too light to do any serious damage.

Building scale plastic model aircraft is another thing given up, hands shake too much for the small parts.  I used to build 1:72 scale models, then went to 1:48 scale because the parts are bigger, then 1:32 scale - you get the idea.

Eating in public can be an embarrassment.  No more eating my peas on my butter knife for me, I have enough trouble with a fork and a spoon!  Writing, I haven't been able to hand write instructions for anybody for a couple of years.  At least not instructions that they would be able to actually read.  There are days when even I can't read my writing - bad thing for an engineer.

Last week was the final straw, I was trying to modify my 3D printer and that involved an itty-bitty soldering job.  Soldering a plug/socket into the extruder heater and lengthening the wires.  Couldn't do it, hands shook too much.  The camel's back is officially broken, I have decided that I am not going to take this crap laying down anymore.  Since I have a 3D printer, and more spare time than common sense, I am going to build me a contraption of some sort to hold the solder, part and/or parts, and soldering iron steady.

I'm thinking some sort of small X-Y table to hold the parts in position, probably a rack type mechanism on the soldering iron so I can advance/retract it, and a feeder for the solder guiding it to the iron.  These will all be manually controlled, don't need to CNC this since I won't be doing repetitive work.  Any of the rest of you old farts with the shakes like me, got any brilliant ideas?  Or anybody else for that matter.

When I get something designed and start building it, I'll  put together a build thread. It'll have be done in my copious spare time so don't expect miracles.

Don
« Last Edit: January 17, 2018, 10:07:48 PM by ddmckee54 »

Online Admiral_dk

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3752
  • Søften - Denmark
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2018, 10:12:36 PM »
That sounds very annoying to say the least - glad to hear that you have a project that makes sense in more ways than one in this respect  :ThumbsUp:

I really hope that you succeed in your endeavours  :DrinkPint:

Best wishes

Per

Offline b.lindsey

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13860
  • Dallas, NC, USA
    • Workbench-Miniatures
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2018, 11:50:12 PM »
Great attitude Don. I really admire you for fighting this and will look forward to seeing whatever you come up with.

Bill

Offline ART

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 35
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2018, 12:14:39 AM »
Don, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. My Father had a similar condition for many years, and took various medications. one of the Doctors explained that the condition was partially the result of both sides of his brain trying to work to do the same task, like eating, and each side over compensating with the movements. He suggested isolating one of his hands by sitting on it, especially when eating, thus letting only one side of his brain control his hands movement. My Father tried it and it worked. This might be worth a try. Good luck. Earl

Offline zeeprogrammer

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6811
  • West Chester, PA, USA
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2018, 12:17:05 AM »
A true engineer speaking there. "Got a problem...going to solve it".

Post your solutions...many people will be able to use them.  :ThumbsUp:
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline philjoe5

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1012
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2018, 12:35:59 AM »
Don,
I have the same condition.  First manifested itself almost 50 years ago with a neck tremor.  Got worse with time especially since 2001.  There are meds, but effective only if you want to be doped up.  My shop time hasn't suffered too badly, but I must avoid soldering and operations like changing some inserts (but not all) on lathe tooling.  I've learned to accept it and found many workarounds for hand work that most folks take for granted.  I'm still fortunate compared to some of the ills of my friends.  Keep trying that's all I can say.

I'm lucky in that I don't care for eating in restaurants so I can plan meals that are easy to eat.

Phil
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.  - Mark Twain

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2018, 12:37:54 AM »
Don, I know exactly what you are going through.

Essential Tremor (sometimes called Intention Tremor) is usually something you are born with. It usually isn't noticed at all until much later in life. Then, it can come on quickly or slowly.

Mine became a problem about 25 years ago and I sought treatment. Good docs, all, but at the time the drugs available did the best they could. An improvement for a few months then failure. Many times.

Fast forward to about 14 years ago. We moved to the Puget Sound, Washington, area. Small town. Local doc trained UW. He looked me up and down, asked what had been tried, etc. Then he gave me the name of a neurologist at Swedish Med. Center in Seattle.

In less than 6 months I had no tremor whatsoever. I received what's called a DBS Implant. Wired for stereo.

Two years ago I went in to have the unit replaced (batteries replaced).

I can pretty much do the small stuff again, although watch repair is probably off the list.

Don, send me a PM !!!

Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Offline Brian Rupnow

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7575
  • Barrie, Ontario Canada
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2018, 01:09:47 AM »
My oldest son has Parkinsons disease. Nasty disease with no real cure.--However, as a matter of interest, you can buy self stabilising spoons that let you eat your peas without spreading them around the table.

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2018, 02:04:29 AM »
DBS has worked on Parkinsons very well. The people here do it frequently. If it's a motion disorder, they do it. If the implant had been available 40 years ago my Dad wouldn't have had such a rough time for so long. :'(

Anyway, Google up 'Deep Brain Stimulation', or the Swedish Neurological Institute, Motion Disorders.

I have no connection with Swedish other than they saved my life!!!

Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Offline Flyboy Jim

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2002
  • Independence, Oregon
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2018, 03:00:29 AM »
Don.......I'm sorry to hear of what you're dealing with..........but I'm pleased to hear that you're meeting this challenge head on. Doesn't really surprise me............ considering the caliber of the problem solvers that hang out on this forum.

I'll look forward to your build thread.

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline Ramon Wilson

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1942
  • Suffolk in the UK
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2018, 11:25:00 AM »
Don - I am sorry to hear of your situation and can empathise completely.

My mother developed a form of Parkinson's disease when I was just three years old and was debilitated by it and shook uncontrollably for the rest of her life - the only time she was free of it was when she went to sleep. She lived well into her eighties. Fiercely independent she would make a tray of tea which would start at waist height in the kitchen and by the time it reached the lounge it would be hovering about a foot above the floor as her frame bowed under the weight.

Consequently I have lived most of my 73 years often wondering whether it would manifest itself in me but so far apart from one short period last year I have never had the symptoms. Last year I began to notice a tremble in both hands and upper arms and similar to yourself it appeared most noticeable when plastic modelling. It wasn't enough to curtail activities but it was enough to begin to wonder if this was now my turn. Surprisingly however, it lasted only about two months when I was suddenly aware it had ceased somewhat in intensity if not disappeared completely. Unfortunately though it still has it's odd moments. At the moment it is not bothering me but I can well imagine what it would be like to have to deal with it should it do so permanently

I truly wish you well with your approach to the problem then and hope it proves successful for you.

Regards - Ramon
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline ddmckee54

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 638
  • We're having fun now --- or so I've been told.
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #11 on: January 18, 2018, 04:38:45 PM »
Thanks for the replies.  Wasn't really looking for sympathy, just "venting" I guess.

Where would I put the build log?  Additive Machining feels like it would be the best fit, but there's a lot of skull sweat that needs to go into this thing before I start making any parts.  Do I just put the thread there because I will eventually be 3D printing parts for this contraption?

Suggestions?

Don

Offline Vixen

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3075
  • Hampshire UK
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #12 on: January 18, 2018, 04:46:19 PM »
Don,

It's got to go in the 'Your own Design' category.

Because that's what it is. It's your unique design to produce an answer to your particular situation. It is also a design which may evolve with time.

'More strength to your arm' as we say, for tackling this head on and not letting it defeat you.

Good luck

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline ddmckee54

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 638
  • We're having fun now --- or so I've been told.
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2018, 05:12:59 PM »
Mike:

"Your Own Design" is a child of the "Engines" forum, that's why I was leaning towards putting it in "Additive Machining" which is a child of the "Supporting" forum.

That's one of the things that confuses me about this forum, where is the "proper" place to put a new thread.  No offense intended to anybody, but some people on here seem to be very touchy in that regard.

Don

Offline b.lindsey

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13860
  • Dallas, NC, USA
    • Workbench-Miniatures
Re: Got the shakes
« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2018, 05:30:04 PM »
Don, if it will ultimately be a 3D printing type item then I would use "Additive Machining."  Once the thread begins, even if just the thought process, people will find it based on the thread title moreso than the sub-for a it is in. Just my 2 cents.

Bill

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal