Smarter than me?...PO Day 120

Today was a beautifully day and I spent the morning working in the garden. Our lawn guys mow and trim but they do not "do" flower beds. All the rain that has been falling this summer, combined with the recuperative sabbatical of the regular garden gnome, has resulted in things getting a bit out of control. Looking around, the undergrowth of weedy vegetation was rather daunting. So I asked Dr. Kai if I could use a weed eater. He said it was okay to use an electric model since they are not as heavy as gas powered models and don't require that "pull the cord" action to start them.

Great because I had recently bought a battery powered trimmer anticipating a return to action. It has a lithium battery that charges quickly so you aren't dragging a 50' extension cord around behind you. It's not too heavy and the weight is mostly supported by one's left hand-arm so, in my case, my operated right shoulder is just guiding the tool. Sounds perfect.

Well, it turns out this is one of those household-garden-life appliances that thinks it has to protect me from myself. There is a safety cut off switch which must be depressed at the same time the power switch is being held down. So you grasp the loop handle with your left hand to support the weight of the machine. You hold the upper part of the wand with your right hand to squeeze the power switch and guide movement and you depress the safety cut off switch with...what? Your third hand? Has anyone on the desIgn team heard of ergonomics?

To be fair I have to admit a guy's right hand could probably press both the power switch and the cut off switch at the same time. But mine cannot. Furthermore, guys want power! This is a wimpy weedeater, perfect for the female gardener, small, lightweight and barely adequate to trim spent flowers. And is there some new OSHA rule that requires an extra switch like this? All our other and previous weed whackers did not have this annoying "safety feature."

Choices? I could return the weedeater but then I would be stuck with dragging that electric cord behind me again. AHA, a small piece of wood wedged into the gap in the safety switch defeats its main purpose, to frustrate the would-be user! What did they think I was going to do?

Anyway, at approximately four months post op rTSA life is really getting back to normal. The garden is looking a lot better, I felt good to be doing something productive, and I am still able to outsmart a poorly designed lawn tool.

BTW, I'm not suggesting anyone else live dangerously and bypass the safety features that corporate or government finds essential to protect us from ourselves. If a person needs to be reminded to not use an electric corded trimmer while standing in a water puddle, they probably need that safety switch.

http://youtu.be/ElqZms_SUjg

Archive timeline: 2014: May and June - preparing for surgery, July - surgery and post op problems, August - recovery and physical therapy, September - thinking medically, October--