My Story

In 2012, my arms started to hurt whenever I typed on my laptop. It began as a dull ache in my wrists, forearms, and the sides of my elbows. But the ache spread. And a sharper pain followed. It felt like my muscles and tendons were splintering apart. My fingers stiffened and turned cold and bluish purple. I started having trouble using my arms and hands at all – even for basic tasks like opening the front door or lifting a spoonful of cereal.

For the next 5 years, I alternated between avoiding the computer, pushing through the pain by pretending it wasn’t happening, and experimenting with assistive technology. My arms ached every day. I never accepted the pain. But by 2017 I had resigned myself to it.

That’s when I decided to make a podcast. The initial reporting went smoothly, but then I moved on to editing the show. And I got stumped. How could I edit the audio without worsening my pain? Was it possible to edit without using my arms on the computer at all?

I spent the next year and a half creating a system that allows me to do just that. The saga became a story in itself, with characters like Edgar, the mysterious programmer who was rumored to be already editing audio by voice…but didn’t want to be tracked down. I went from having no programming experience to programming 2 voice recognition programs and 4 foot pedals. Combined with a mouse that I move by turning my head, the setup allows me to complete most audio production totally hands-free.

To my delight, the technology makes it easier to use the computer in general – not just to edit audio. I can send emails, use the internet, write articles, edit spreadsheets, and more – all without touching the computer. For the first time in years, I feel almost no pain in my arms. Now I’m eager to share all I’ve learned so that others can experience this freedom too.