LeaP
03-22-2018, 07:54 AM
I’ve been on HRT for 5-1/2 years and have lost a lot of muscle mass and strength. No surprise there and, aside from learning new logistics when hauling or moving things, no problem. I’ve even moved twice in that period, doing most of the work myself.
Until yesterday, when I had my first serious challenge. We decided to reuse a granite tabletop - a 500 lb granite top - as a desktop on top of 2 drawer units. 3 problems: Getting it to the door. Getting it through the door and uncreated. And setting it up.
My wife and I managed to get it to the door without killing ourselves. She can’t lift at all and is limited in the her ability to push because of knee issues, but she could help scoot it by slightly prying one end with a handcart. After I propped one end up on the jamb, first lift, I leaned it against the door frame and broke the crate open.
After a reasonably moderate lift off the bottom crate rail and onto a moving blanket, we slid it to the first interior door. Where I had to rotate it vertically. Holy crap! I haven’t tried a lift like that in years. As hard as that was, though, the worst was to come.
After walking it through the door, we lowered one end onto the first drawer unit. And took a break. Now I had to lift the other end from the floor with the far end 30 inches higher. From a squat. Without being able to get my hands under the end, and having to prevent it sliding backwards at the same time. OMFG!!!! I thought I was going to break my back. And hands, and legs, and gut ... I was on the floor for 15 minutes afterward.
5 or 6 years ago this would have been a reasonable thing to do. A couple of heavy heaves to be sure, but no problem. Truthfully, I should have gotten help. Pride, I suppose. There are a lot of lessons here, not he least of which is that no matter how much you adjust, there’s always something new you’re not prepared for. Second, aspects of self image (ability, in this case) don’t disappear on their own. Third, despite anything else, you’re still seen as the husband. Last, of course, stop lifting heavy s***.
Until yesterday, when I had my first serious challenge. We decided to reuse a granite tabletop - a 500 lb granite top - as a desktop on top of 2 drawer units. 3 problems: Getting it to the door. Getting it through the door and uncreated. And setting it up.
My wife and I managed to get it to the door without killing ourselves. She can’t lift at all and is limited in the her ability to push because of knee issues, but she could help scoot it by slightly prying one end with a handcart. After I propped one end up on the jamb, first lift, I leaned it against the door frame and broke the crate open.
After a reasonably moderate lift off the bottom crate rail and onto a moving blanket, we slid it to the first interior door. Where I had to rotate it vertically. Holy crap! I haven’t tried a lift like that in years. As hard as that was, though, the worst was to come.
After walking it through the door, we lowered one end onto the first drawer unit. And took a break. Now I had to lift the other end from the floor with the far end 30 inches higher. From a squat. Without being able to get my hands under the end, and having to prevent it sliding backwards at the same time. OMFG!!!! I thought I was going to break my back. And hands, and legs, and gut ... I was on the floor for 15 minutes afterward.
5 or 6 years ago this would have been a reasonable thing to do. A couple of heavy heaves to be sure, but no problem. Truthfully, I should have gotten help. Pride, I suppose. There are a lot of lessons here, not he least of which is that no matter how much you adjust, there’s always something new you’re not prepared for. Second, aspects of self image (ability, in this case) don’t disappear on their own. Third, despite anything else, you’re still seen as the husband. Last, of course, stop lifting heavy s***.