I have had RSD since 2003.I was at the Pentagon Sept 11 2001 and I was a Marine. I had over 5 ankle surgeries, nerve blocks, stimulator, several rounds of different types of medications, PT, and nothing worked. Unfortunately mine has began to spread up my leg. I have always been an active person, even now I do push ups, pull ups, and I row but doing these events causes tremendous pain at the end of the day but I just cant sit on a couch and feel sorry for myself. I have a friend who had an amputation due to the pain from RSD and he says his quality of life is so much better now. I have decided that I too want an amputation before it spreads up my entire leg. I am at a lose lose situation already either I attempt to get an amputation now and hopefully get rid of the pain or continue to wait until it spreads up the rest of my leg and I am in a wheel chair. I am still relatively young and I am done being poked and prodded and I refuse to live off medications the rest of my life that change my mood. I have a five year old who deserves the best of me and being on pain pills my whole life I feel as though I am cheating him.