Hello! i'm susan and i live on the shore in New Jersey, USA. i lived in New York City for 11 years and was a fine artist, sculpting and painting, and art director of magazines. back in 1992 i had the beginings of what i consider the nightmare of my life... Repetetive Strain Injury. Tendonitis, tenosynovitis, DeQuervains' Disease, microtears in the muscles in my hands and on and on. this was all from the mouse and keyboard! my life has changed. i've been to lots of doctors, with no sure fire cures. i am going through a law suit now, and have NO money to my name. i used to be able to make a lot of money. i have attended lots of militant support groups at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City, for RSI. we are not alone!!! there is a web site i want you to go to: http://www.demon.co.uk/rsi/rml.html i have a cousin who plays the cello in florence, italy. her orchestra leader and her attended an rsi support group in london.(she could translate english to italian.) she has had cortisone shots and she says it helps. that's what they want to do with me! i'm terrified! this chemical outlives your body, and there are no guarantees! here is another website i want you to go to: http://www.amara.com/aboutme/rsi.html i am so sorry that you are in pain, my friend!!! also, in New York City, there is the "Miller Institute" it is for people with all sorts of hand problems. originally, it was started for musicians. this is such a political problem. the raw facts are just not made public! like the fact that 6 years ago, half of the staff of "The New York Times" was out on disability!!! here is my e-mail address. clearocean@hotmail.com i'll tell you, moving to the ocean, because i was broke and moved in with a girlfriend, has been such an emotionally healing place for me. instead of what can't i do, it turns into what can i do. everyday that i go to turn the shower knob on, i am reminded of my pain. i hope i haven't made you sadder than you may already be! actually, the reason i'm checking out mudcat, is because my friend anna p is having the mudcats at her home in New Jersey the weekend of july 17 and again the weekend of august 14. i have lots of musician friends that may attend as well. please let me know how your hands are! i cannot stress enough how i can relate! so long! ...susan.