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BEWARE of Window Bottoms….ouch…..who needs em!!
two weeks ago i had to put some vinyls into a cafe window bottom. I worked away for about twenty minutes removing the old vinyls working on my knees.
When l went to get up and straighten my left leg i felt the most horrendous pain in my knee. It felt as though one bone was trying to push the kneecap out of it’s socket. 🙁
I honestly wanted to curl up in a ball and roar like a baby.
I sat down whilst the owner of the place made me a cup of tea and got out the magic sponge. My leg had locked at an angle and l could hardly put any weight on the leg which meant completing the job was going to be hard. After my cup of tea i decided to try and complete the job as l had only ten minutes of work to do and it was past 5:30pm by now.
I hobbled back to the window and returned to work, on my knees. Ten minutes later i faced the same predicament of getting on my feet. I stood up and “CRACK”, the problem had fixed itself!!! 😀 I felt as though l could run a marathon, all the pain had gone. 🙂
Two weeks later i get a job of putting some etching in another shop window bottom. After working away on my knees for ten minutes or so i get up, or at least i try. CRACK. 🙁
The same pain strikes again…….i can’t straighten my leg and can’t even stand up. I haven’t finished putting the window signs in and haven’t started on the guys fascia sign.
I decide a trip to the hospital is in order so leave the job and let the bloke put his own fascia sign up!!
Ten days later and key hole surgery to my knee l am no better off. The docs say my cartlidge is severley torn and l have a ruptured ligament. I need an MRI scan and more surgery. Bummer. 🙁
If i was employed this is not such a big deal, i could sit at home,get the leg up and enjoy a bit of rest. However l am self employed, have debts to pay, mortgage to pay etc………..
I went back to work on thursday and the phone never stopped…….one of the first jobs to quote for is some signs in a window bottom. My quote will reflect the fact that l do not want the job..believe me!!!! -
12 Replies
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hi, well I am glad you sought the hospital. The knee is something that you do really need now and in the future, so that really takes priority.
However you have to consider your debts, perhaps you could check up on your policies to see if you can have a “break in mortgage payments” for a month so you can ‘heal’?. However this is the summer and we all want to make the most of the business so perhaps someone could assist you on installs or consider your pricing to be a bit more then normal. Have a think about knee-pads and other ways you could do a job without bending too much.
The important and overiding thing is how you go about looking after that knee.
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I’m sorry to hear about this Billy.
As a self-employed person, illness or injury is my biggest fear.
But try to heal yourself up the right way.
You’ll need your knees the rest of your life.
My mom is now 79 and up for her 2nd knee replacement.
Luckily she has health insurance.
I can’t afford it!
But no one can afford to mess around with something that serious.
I would get one of those short rolling seats like car mechanics use.
Or even a creeper!
You might look weird using one but your knees will be OK.
Take care.
Love….Jill -
real sorry to hear about this mate, total bummer mate. 😕
hope you get on the mend soon, my mate has not long had same surgery due to playing football allot… it has mended pretty well now but he was in pain after the surgery for couple of weeks.i know this may sound daft, but i have said a few times here on the boards. if you are doing work low down, even wraps on lower section of vans. use knee pads. i dont mean a bit of carpet or those little rubber knee things you get. spend about £30-£40 and get the skate boarders type. they are heavyily padded, made well and then round the front they have a thick plastic cap for knee and same for shin.
the thing about kneeling on floor is the hard floor centres the pain on joints etc. the big pads etc eliminate. we have about 4 or 5 sets in our store at work. not skateboard ones but same sort, they are about £15-20 from b&q and work just as well, though i still say get the proper ones.
i tell our staff use them no matter what. thats what they are there for. if they dont use them and knee goes out, im covered. 😉 -
Awww Bless Billy … poor you, hope you get all sorted sooner rather than later. Along with most, one of our biggest worries is being self employed and one of us being ill or injured … especially Steve as he does most of the fitting.
😀
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ooooohhh..i can feel the pain now billy 🙁
i have two dodgey knees…..and i ruined one of them slipping on a banana skin 😮 hope it gets better soon 😉 the pain in the knee is horrendous 😕nik
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I feel for you.
Just a bit of advice for others,
Look after your body cos you only get one.
I am on the other side of 1/2 a century, my mind is only 18, but the body feels like the full century. I ignored all the advice I was given as a lad, and believe me, I am paying for it now.
Knees are very prone to damage. Look after them :dance4:
Peter -
Peter, are you sure it wasn’t the weight of your wallet in your back pocket that caused all the trouble.. But on a serious note mate I hope you are sorted out soon. A few years ago I had a heart attack & cardiac arrest, the company I was employed with for 20 years decided to finish me, so here I am trying to get work for myself, as no employer would think of employing someone who has had a heart attack, and believe me I’ve tried. So mate look after your body its the only one you get, and if it says I need rest take note. All the best Tony.
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Cheers lads and lasses.
I’ll get the knee pads for sure Rob. -
You could train your ‘little’ helper in the photo to help you.. start ’em young!
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quote DaveRowland:You could train your ‘little’ helper in the photo to help you.. start ’em young!
thats not the helper dave, thats the boss, well is in my house anyway :lol1:
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Hi Billywifta,
Sorry to hear about your knees mate. Sore parts of the body eh! My wife used to have to walk up 99 stone stairs to our front door when we lived in Edinburgh. Just bout killed her every time as her knees would just lock out and felt like they were grating together.
A year or two after moving to Australia she was introduced to some stuff that appears to rebuild cartilage. She’s now playing Netball 😮
Now I’m not going to mention anything about it because I don’t want to be removed from the boards again 😀 However if you PM me I would be happy to give you what details I have in case it would be of as much benefit to you as it was to my wife.
Good Luck.
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i’m glad i’m not alone !! i’ve bought some builder knee pads now, i might look odd when i’m ‘only’ sticking race car stickers on but it sure helps, now if only i could get some spring loaded ‘leg helper uppers’ for when i’ve been crouching / squatting for more than a few minutes !!
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