Viking washer

Since I mentioned I have Viking Hand it has gone markedly worse. I think climbing might have added to that. Mine exploration might not be very good either. I am trying not to use the part of my hand with the lump on it, as it hurts, and hurts again the next days, but sometimes one forgets. I had been wondering if I can protect my lump somehow. My first attempt was digging out my biking gloves, and making a hole in the left one where the lump is. That will provide some protection. However, biking gloves aren't very good for mine exploration, and they don't provide enough protection for climbing, as you tend to put your entire weight on each of your hands rather regularly. There's not enough padding in a biking glove for that!

The lump in my hand

Then I tried somethign else; I cut a donut-shaped pad out of a piece of neoprene, and glued it to the inside of my left mine glove. When I tried it out I was happy with the level of padding, but not so much with the glue. It didn't hold and the donut started to move through the glove. Not good!

Then I noticed the washer of a flip-top bottle I had in the kitchen. That's solid rubber, and it's donut-shaped. I tried; it had the right size! I figured maybe I should sew that into a glove. I had no time to do it before I would go underground next. I decided to improvise; I just taped the ring to my hand. That would keep it in place! And it did! We scampered all over the place, and even climbed a few chains and suchlike, which means you use a lot of power with your hands, and my lump didn't seem to notice. Great!

The washer in position. Notice the traces of glue...

My next thought was to perhaps make a contraption with an elastic band around my hand with the washer sewn to it. Maybe that will be better for staying in place. And I could use that in combinaton with any glove, and even without one! And then when the lump grows (it's expected to) I'll take the washer off and replace it with a larger donut.

I found a strip of neoprene and some velcro, and set to work. I added some silicone kit for extra friction. It seems to stay put! It would be nice if I turn out to have managed to make a gadget that reduces the discomfort of the condition to as good as zero. And I think this band does the job fine in everyday activities but wouldn't stay on for hard work like in a mine, but I may well stick to the tape solution for that. I already ordered a few spare washers so I can afford to sometimes lose one. Tape and waskers: simple but effective!