[John Walker]

Well - I've done a good one.  Torn two tendons and the main muscle in my right shoulder.  Was helping my wife lift a plant container and she let go of her side without warning.  As my arm was already fully stretched it gave it a real good yank.  Seemed ok at first but the next day I felt something go while working.  Shrugged it off until I went to drive off and found I had lost contact with my right shoulder movement - quite frightening at first.  Found i could still get an arm bend movement so managed to work the rest of the day in a fair amount of pain.  Doctor diagnosed the above and put me on anti-inflamitaries.  They've helped but still very painfull while working though - looks like a long job.

The annoying thing is that I'm 65 now and been WFPing 10 years without an injury and then a plant container gets me!!

And of course I haven't insurance to cover so need to carry on.  Doctor says rest but I explained I was self emloyed.  He said to carry on but very carefully 'listen' to my shoulder and take care not to strain it further.

So...  the lesson is - if you totally rely on your window cleaning income - get yourself insured.

[russ_clark]

Wish you well John
I had a spill last week and injured myself but mended now.
Why don't you use the xmas break to have a couple of weeks off
and give it a chance to heal properly.
Re the insurance side its just too bloody expensive last time a
considered it .
Russ

[dd]

To get injury/illness insurance worth having is too expensive IMO.

John at 65 I thought you might be contemplating retirement sometime soon.

[g.brookes]

its not too expensive at all.  i pay 22 pound a month and that pays me 60 per cent of my income and kicks in the day i get injured.  Even a minor fall or injury can put you out a couple of weeks and suddenly 22 quid a month seems very cheap

[YWCS]

its not too expensive at all.  i pay 22 pound a month and that pays me 60 per cent of my income and kicks in the day i get injured.  Even a minor fall or injury can put you out a couple of weeks and suddenly 22 quid a month seems very cheap

who with?

I'm thinking I should get this as I'm 40 now and keep getting older

[YWCS]

Well - I've done a good one.  Torn two tendons and the main muscle in my right shoulder.  Was helping my wife lift a plant container and she let go of her side without warning.  As my arm was already fully stretched it gave it a real good yank.  Seemed ok at first but the next day I felt something go while working.  Shrugged it off until I went to drive off and found I had lost contact with my right shoulder movement - quite frightening at first.  Found i could still get an arm bend movement so managed to work the rest of the day in a fair amount of pain.  Doctor diagnosed the above and put me on anti-inflamitaries.  They've helped but still very painfull while working though - looks like a long job.

The annoying thing is that I'm 65 now and been WFPing 10 years without an injury and then a plant container gets me!!

And of course I haven't insurance to cover so need to carry on.  Doctor says rest but I explained I was self emloyed.  He said to carry on but very carefully 'listen' to my shoulder and take care not to strain it further.

So...  the lesson is - if you totally rely on your window cleaning income - get yourself insured.

a few weeks ago our lass asked me to help move a planter, but i refused till it was emptied....... I'm glad I did after reading this.

Hope you are feelin better soon.

[g.brookes]

theyre through the fwc website.  the companys called cirencester.  you can find em on google i think.  mind you, im 25,  and i imagine the premiums go up with age

[YWCS]

theyre through the fwc website.  the companys called cirencester.  you can find em on google i think.  mind you, im 25,  and i imagine the premiums go up with age

cheers, I'll have a look. not sure it will be more cos if you have to make a claim they may have longer to pay out. only 25yrs for me and 40 for you.

[SunShineCleaning]

its not too expensive at all.  i pay 22 pound a month and that pays me 60 per cent of my income and kicks in the day i get injured.  Even a minor fall or injury can put you out a couple of weeks and suddenly 22 quid a month seems very cheap

I would be interested to know what the small print says about paying out, is it trade specific, as many of them wont pay out after a cirtain time like 3 months if they are trade specific.
How much are you covered for? ie 60% of what.

[dd]

Does it cover you for use of ladders?

[weetot]

Point 1. Doctors never understand self employment.

Point 2. Anyone thinking of getting insured, please check the small print on deferred periods i.e you dont want a policy that kicks in after 3 months, as theres a good chance you wont have a business left if your a sole trader.

You will pay more for a policy that starts immediately!!

[g.brookes]

i get payment straight away if i am injured, in or outside of work, and i get payment after 1 week if its illness.  As i said its through the FWC so they know im a window cleaner and the price is based on me telling them what percentage of my work is ladder and what percentage is wfp.  So in other words its entirely specific to you.  I think i said i do ladder work about 10% of the time, so i imagine pure trad pay have to pay higher.  60% if of my gross weekly income.  I asked for higher percentage, but they said higher and it encourages people to be off sick etc.  60% basically pays the bills to keep you in food and home and not much else

[seamus campbell]

Hi John,Sorry to hear about your injury,anti inflams are great but need a bit of help,if you are going to keep working can I suggest the following.get a polystyrene or cut fill with water and freeze,the evening before work tear away the top inch of the polystyrene and massage the shoulder using the ice cup for about ten mins keep the cup moving and you will feel relief,then rub in somthing like bruphen gel.try to rest shoulder as much as poss before work and the. Take a couple of anti inflam tablets be fore you start work,the ice cup treatment can be used as often as required but remember keep it moving and don't let skin become to red

[seamus campbell]

Sorry should say polysterene cup

[Londoner]

IMO you are better off paying the money into a sickness fund of your own, ISa or savings scheme, IF you are diciplined enough to actually do it and keep it going. Thats the real problem.

[Jeff Brimble]

Hi John,Sorry to hear about your injury,anti inflams are great but need a bit of help,if you are going to keep working can I suggest the following.get a polystyrene or cut fill with water and freeze,the evening before work tear away the top inch of the polystyrene and massage the shoulder using the ice cup for about ten mins keep the cup moving and you will feel relief,then rub in somthing like bruphen gel.try to rest shoulder as much as poss before work and the. Take a couple of anti inflam tablets be fore you start work,the ice cup treatment can be used as often as required but remember keep it moving and don't let skin become to red

Good emergency advice, John maybe also get back into the doctors as it can take 6 weeks to demmand to  get onto  the Physio list. Hope you get some sleep 

[John Walker]

Thanks for all your kind replies.  I had a couple of quotes for insurance when I was 60 and my age made the premiums far too high.  Just had to take my chances and work extra carefully.

Thanks also for the various items of advice too - will try some out tomorrow.

As I've said, I'm still managing to work but using my left arm to do most of the work.  Quite difficult to control the pole at first and I've not broken any windows but I have scared the poo out of a few pigeons.  It's surprising how your body adapts.  I just use my right arm by bending it at the elbow only.  Works for me and I'm now keeping up with my work.  By co-incidence, I have a quieter couple of weeks ahead of me so that will help.

As for retiring - not too much chance of that.  I've paid into private pensions since I was 18 but with all the stock market crashes a massive percentage of it has been lost.  The prediction at worst case was a pension of around £25,000 per annum - the reallity = £6,000 per annum.  Hence still working.  The plan is to downsize again if the market ever picks up and then I should be in a better position.

As for the job - after years of being in middle management and associated stress, window cleaning is a dream.  Most days I love being out in the air - even in rain, ice and snow.  The downside is that I can't work like I used to so I can't earn like you younger guys.

So... your main task for tomorrow is follow up on insurance.

John

[Alistair@AWC]

Hi John,

Sorry to hear about your injury. I know you have actually torn your muscle but this stuff may help you from doing further damage - Try Googling : Muscle Tape

Hope its of some use to you!

Regards

Al

[windowswashed]

Pulled muscles........time to get the lightest fishing poles out for work........ will be slower working with modular DIY poles but far less weight on torn ligaments so more rest for shoulder as less weight or strain on it

[PureClean Window Cleaning Ltd]

get well soon mate.