Cake Decorating Community - Cakes We Bake

Can you believe I hurt myself doing too many cakes??? I have been experiencing shoulder pain for a few months now - usually when you get your arms in weird positions smoothing buttercream or fondant - and finally went to the doctor today. Turns out that I have actually 'over-caked' myself into a damaged rotator cuff in my right shoulder! Physical therapy 3 times a week and no cakes (NONE!) for a month!! Have started contacting customers to tell them - I feel awful but it is what it is. Just a warning fellow cakers - be careful out there! Your kitchen can be a dangerous place for creative minds like ours!! ;-)

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AAAGHHHH!!!!

So sorry to hear about your pain. However, I do share it. I have carpel tunnel syndrome in my right hand from cake decorating. It really flares up when I over do it. Rolling out fondant and icing the cakes. It really hurts, so I can share your pain. I had to wear the hand brace for a couple of weeks. Take care and take your meds.

A caker!

Ohhhh Noooo, Joann, I'm really sorry to hear that. Now you have to rest and get better soon. I will have to take it easy myself, I'm exhausted, so thank you for the warning.
Sorry to hear that.. get well soon. A similar experience happened to me last December. Couldnt move my right arm and hand without.feeling excruciating pain. Stopped making cakes for a month, too.

Had to laugh reading all the responses because my doctors are always telling me that cakes are killing me!  HAHA!  My internist gets on me when my blood sugar levels are up...  I see a pain management doc for my lower back.  The arthritis is bad in my low back so I have Radio Frequency Ablations to keep me from so much pain.  Have had both knees replaced and my right shoulder rotator cuff totally reconstructed twice (the knees and shoulder were from coaching softball for 25 years on top of cakes!)   Am always in pain but I just a terrible time saying no to cakes!    Let that shoulder heal!  And keep your elbow in tight to your body and no reaching out for awhile!  Hopefully you will be able to avoid surgery!  It is a tough one to recover from!

 

Why do we do this to ourselves? Is it the gratification we feel when we see people's faces light up at the sight of their special cake, or because of the cake scraps and frosting we mooch on the sly? Whatever it is, I don't plan on stopping, for a while at least.

I know for me I have people book their weddings up to 2 years in advance sometimes so I have a hard time telling them no.  I am usually booked as solid as I want to be by January for the entire summer.  I have backed way off from what I used to do... My grandbabies are more important than any wedding cake!  I have turned down 8 cakes for July because I have 2 of my grandbabies for 2 weeks in July then flying to Denver to spend another week with another grandson the end of July so no wedding cakes!  I always plan my family time first and my cakes after.  Makes the pain more bearable that way!!!

I just had another RFA done on my back yesterday... the pain of having it done is so worth the long term outcome.  I do not have to take anything for pain usually after having the RFA.  I won't take pain killers so this has been a blessing to have this done.  They insert these needles into my lower back and then cotterize the medial nerves so I might be in pain but my brain does not know it because the medial nerves can't tell my brain that I am in pain.  They regenerate themselves and I waited 9 months from the last one so my nerves were very active yesterday so it hurt like a son of a gun but made it through it.  Today... having my normal steroid reactions.  They used some steroid in there when they do the RFA to keep the swelling down.  But the steroids make my face turn bright red and I feel like I am burning up from inside out for a couple days.  I take benedryl and it helps.  It's my crazy life! 

Holy cow!!! went back to the doctor today for my follow up and found out I have to go for an MRI...have been officially benched from baking till further notice as my shoulder just isn't healing very well.....yikes

I'm telling you ladies.... it's a tough business!!!  :-)

Joann, I have had to cut way back too. My wrists have been tingly and shoulder out of whack, so I have just been doing very little. Yes it is, a very tough business to be sure.

I read the updates from Jeri C and Joann...and I'm getting soooo scared ( I'm a chicken, when it comes to needles and doctors)...since I have been experiencing some pain here and there...I better learn from you ALL to take it easy, before it is too late. I sincerely wish you Jeri and Joann and Linda, a very speedy recovery, health and please stay well...we need you!

Oh no Sandra! Take it easy!!

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