How Clark beat neuropathy and returned to work full time
Thanks to ErgoQuest, I’m able to work again, and for almost two years now. December 2021, I acquired neuropathic vasculitus, where my white blood cells relentlessly attack the arteries that feed my nerves, especially those in my legs, feet and hands. Both the vasculitus and the resulting neuropathy are painful, especially when my feet are not elevated. Without this workstation, which includes video-conferencing setup, I would not be able to perform a full-time (fully remote) job as co-director of Informatics. I wish I would have known about ErgoQuest over a decade earlier. In 2016, I had a right vertebral artery dissection and subsequent stroke, triggered by craning my neck while programming for long hours. Even before then, I would have appreciated this workstation as it supports my neck and back comfortably. Perhaps with proper ergonomic support, I could have avoided that earlier medical incident.
I have a modified ZGW-0b-XL workstation. At less than 10k, it is a bargain. The ErgoQuest team is a pleasure to work with and extremely helpful. They also support their product, for me two years out. So that my monitor and keyboard could be at varying distances (sitting vs inclined vs fully-reclined), they provided an upgrade with second mast. They also helped me construct a working environment. The custom arms have a 1/4″-20 screw welded, letting me add various attachments for iPad/iPhone or camera setup. The monitor itself has an attached flash bracket, letting me install a microphone and camera for recording training videos. While I prefer to be horizontal most of the time for internal meetings, every once in a while, it’s best to present as fully upright. It takes only a few moments to adjust the chair and keyboard, letting me put my legs where they need to be depending upon pain levels. The keyboard tray is lovely, especially with a split keyboard. Overall, it works for me, beyond my initial expectations. Thank you so much.
