A Therapy of Occupation

There were no apparent reasons for the pain in my shoulder. It started one day when I lifted up my arm to write on the class-room board during teaching. The pain was so sudden that I put down my arm with a jerk. Some of the pupils might have noticed my action and wondered what it was all about. Even though, the pain subsided temporarily, it recurred each time I raised my right arm.

Back at home I had a hot bath after which some liniment was applied. Even though I slept well, the pain was still there when I got up next morning. I did not do much writing on the chalk board that day.

As the pain still persisted even on the third day, I decided to go to the hospital and consult a doctor. Accordingly I drove the 100 miles to Kasama General Hospital, even though it was a very painful exercise. The doctor had my shoulder x-rayed and then prescribed a few medicines. He told me that I should consult an orthopaedic surgeon if the pain did not subside within a week or so. He gave me the necessary papers. I was also advised to keep my arm in a sling.

I was very depressed. In fact I was supposed to go to Lusaka next week to participate in the metal workshop organized by the JETS (Science) Clubs. It was a week-long workshop to which I had been selected being the Advisor of Luwingu Science club. Now it was almost certain that I would not be taking part in it.

By the end of the week, my arm had become quite stiff and I realized that no time should be wasted in seeing the orthopaedic surgeon. The problem was how to reach Lusaka. I discussed the matter with my headmaster Simposya. By a mere coincidence it happened so that the headmaster was looking for a lift to go to the Copperbelt to buy some spare parts for his car. He agreed to take me up to Ndola in my own car if I would let him drive it. Accordingly we set out to Ndola on a Friday. I gave him directions to take me to a friend's house in Ndola where he left me with my car and departed. My friend Chacko took me to Lusaka the next day in his car and after dropping me at the UTH (University Teaching Hospital) returned to Ndola the same day, as he had to attend some urgent business at home.

By the time I reached the hospital it was about lunch time. On making enquiries at the orthopaedic department, I came to know to my great dismay that the orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Gold had his weekly clinic on the previous day and his next clinic would be on next Friday only.

My immediate problem was to find accommodation in Lusaka until next Friday. It was unlikely that I could manage to get accommodation at the Hubert Young hostel or the Long Acres hostel at such a short notice. Staying one week in a hotel would be very expensive and I did not have sufficient funds. The other alternative would be to gate-crash to some friend's house, but one week was a long period and I felt very reluctant.

It was then that I remembered about the JETS workshop. The Ridgeway Campus where the participants were to be accommodated was right across the road. As I knew I was expected for the workshop, I thought I would go and register there. So I removed my sling and walked over to the place, with my brief case in my "good" hand. The man in charge told me that he did not expect anyone so early, but he did not want to refuse accommodation as I had arrived already. He ticked against my name on a check-list and handed me a key to one of the rooms. The room number was on the tag and he gave me directions. He also gave me a name-plate to wear for identification purpose and a printed card showing the meal-times at the Campus etc.

The room was quite spacious and intended for double occupancy. Another guy whom I used to know before, joined me on Sunday. His name was Anthony and he came from a place called Mpika (pronounced 'empeeka') . He also had come for the workshop. While we were getting ready for the supper, he noticed that there was something wrong with my arm. I told him in one or two sentences about an unexpected pain in my right shoulder that was troubling me a bit and that I might require some help from him during the workshop. He promised all possible help and did not bother me with further questions.

The workshop started on Monday morning. Our instructor's name was Carpenter. I thought it would have been more appropriate if it were Blacksmith. There were about twenty of us. Many were personally known to me. All of us were provided with a large sheet of galvanized iron and a set of metal-working tools. Our assignment was to make a tool box using the sheet metal, paint it and stencil our name and school-address on it. The tools were to be placed inside the tool-box after making it. Mr.Carpenter would examine our work on Thursday afternoon and would allow us to take the tool-box and the tools along with us for the use of our science club. The participants would leave the campus after breakfast on Friday. I thought how convenient it would be for me to keep my appointment on Friday afternoon with Dr. Gold.

The crunch came when the session of instructions was over and Mr. Carpenter asked us to start the work. There was a great flurry of activities as everyone started measuring and marking the metal sheet. I found the sheet so heavy that I could not even lift it with one hand. I decided to wait until Anthony would come to my assistance. However, he was so busy with his own work that he hardly glanced in my direction.

Just before lunch break, Carpenter came round to see what progress we had made. Most people had finished measuring and marking the sheet, ready for cutting. He nodded approvingly to each person and then came to me. He was so surprised to see me standing there with the huge metal sheet lying on the floor and the tools in a heap beside it. He asked me for an explanation and I told him I misplaced the instructions. He asked me why I didn't go to his office and ask for another copy. I didn't say anything. He expressed some doubts about the authenticity of my intentions in being there and asked me to follow him to his office for another copy of instructions. I complied with.

When work was resumed after the lunch-break, Carpenter came round the workbenches, to see how things were going on. I could not stand lazing around any longer. I started measuring and marking the sheet, very awkwardly, as I could not use my right arm properly. When Carpenter came to my workbench, he noticed how I was struggling and asked me if there was something wrong with my arm. I told him about a pain that developed all of a sudden and got his sympathy. He told me to take it easy and do the job without any hurry and left.

When the work for the day came to a close I noticed that all the others had their sheets cut into the required measurements and shape. I somehow managed to finish the marking and left the sheet on my workbench along with the tools and departed. My arm was aching so much that I rushed to my room and swallowed a couple of “panadol”. However I decided that I would not seek anyone's help hereafter. If I could not finish the work on time, well, I would leave it unfinished.

Cutting the sheet was the job for the next day. This was found more difficult than I thought, especially with the pain on my shoulder aggravated by the previous day's efforts. As I could not lift my arm above waste-level, I decided to place the sheet on the floor and kneel over it while cutting. It was a very tough job but I managed to cut the required pieces and made them ready for soldering.

To cut a long story short, I finished my work by Thursday afternoon and submitted it for inspection on Friday morning. Mr.Carpenter expressed his satisfaction, gave me a course- certificate and a cheque for my travel-claim and I left the Campus after lunch.

I kept my appointment with Dr.Gold on Friday afternoon. He looked at the x-ray and the other papers that I had brought along with me from Kasama and asked me to raise my hand above my head, to lower it and to extend it. To my surprise, I found that I could perform these actions without much difficulty. Then he told me that he did not find anything wrong with me and I could just go home. I was a bit disappointed and tried to tell him how bad it was before, but he cut me short and asked me what I was doing since my first arrival at the hospital. I told him I had been attending a metal workshop and he replied with a smile that it was the best treatment for me under the circumstances. He handed me back my x-ray and other papers and called for the next patient.

I caught a lift to Ndola and collected my car from where it was stored. On the next day I drove back to Luwingu, taking along with me the tool-box that I had made, with the set of tools in it and my right arm no longer in a sling, but on the steering wheel of my car.