The physiotherapist wants me to keep my arm warm as I have pulled something in it that is being markedly ornery about healing fully and quickly. She recommended a heating pad. She mentioned that the receptionist makes heating pads, using cozy fuzzy cloth, like a velvety polar fleece, with barley inside. You throw the thing in the microwave for two minutes, and the barley warms up and you can fling the pad onto your afflicted area and it will stay toasty warm for 20 minutes or more.
And they cost $140, or about $14 in US terms. But my living allowance is paid in Namibian terms. So.
The ShopRite charges $10 for a bag of barley. I bought one. I though about using a re-usable menstrual pad as the container, but then realized a sweat sock would be much better. Pour in a bit of barley, knot the sock, drop it in the microwave, heat for one minute (I started with two minutes - ouch!) and then drape it over my arm, coax it into my sleeve, tuck the knot under a convenient strap. And then do my stretching exercises. It does indeed stay warm for twenty minutes or so. The smell of warm barley makes me yearn for Welsh rarebit, but that's a minor inconvenience.
Now my microwave, plus the indoor toilet, qualifies me for Posh Corps status, I believe. However, for my friends serving in less plush circumstances, I'm confident the sock can be warmed in the oven, as I recently confirmed that one can dry sheets in the oven at a very low temp, resting on a heavy paper shopping bag. (Laundry day got a bit away from me: "Hmm. Continue to laze in the sun reading Dave Eggers, or get up and wring out the sheets and set them to rinse?" I blame Mr. Eggers.) I expect that even volunteers who only have stovetops could heat the barley sock in a covered pot over a very low flame.
Hope this helped you to get better much faster!
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