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Old 05-02-2014, 12:34 PM
Brambledog Brambledog is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: England
Posts: 1,122
10 yr Member
Brambledog Brambledog is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: England
Posts: 1,122
10 yr Member
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Hi everyone here, I've not really been on this thread before, but I meandered over today...

Luthier, your story really struck a chord, I have a lot of admiration for you dealing with this and trying to remain who you are rather than let this thing overwhelm you and change you too much. Everyone here is amazing though lol. We need to be. I'm a musician myself, although a totally different type - I play the piano and cello. Our musical abilities might be in very different directions, but that fear the CRPS affecting your ability to do it is the same. I have my CRPS in my left leg and feet mainly (following knee surgery 3 years ago), but it has spread to my left side, including my hand. I'm not as deft wi those fingers as I was, and I play every day to try to keep things moving and as supple as possible. Its scary stuff, there's no denying it.

Love the language and attitude I think we need a bit of that to get through all this!! There are plenty of friendly folk here, and we do understand the fun cripsy things that friends and family just can't understand...

I wish you and everyone else here loads of luck as you fight this. We might not win in terms of getting cured (ha, we wish), but we can win in other ways.

Gosh this is rambly and strange. I swear this thing has got to my brains and scrambled them lately! This didn't come out quite as I wanted....but it'll have to do!

Bram.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luthier View Post
Hello all.

I think that I actually joined this forum about a year ago but I've neglected to actually keep up on it.

I was involved in a hit and run 4 years ago and I was the one that got hit. I was on a motorcycle. Tore the **** outta my right calf. Blood, muscle tissue, and fatty tissues were all over my bike. Somehow managed to get the bike off me and made it to the closest house to call for help.

I've had RSD in my right calf for about 4 years now. I'm somewhere in between stage 2 and 3 (I lose motor control sometimes but not all the time, mostly at the end of the day). I use a cane when I need to but I'll muster through it because every time I use that damn stick I feel like I've let it win. I don't let it control me. Not saying that I run a mile every morning but I work a lot and I try to keep my mind busy. I have a couple of really good friends that actually look out for me.

Just recently I just gave into getting the handicap tag. I didn't want it one bit, but my friends finally talked me into it. I hate the staring. It's like "Yeah I *******have one, I actually need it, so **** ***

As far as the "Treatments" I've only really done a few blocks and different medications, Which I have signed off on both of those because of the kind of work that I do. (I'm a master luthier, so in other words I build guitars from scratch. I work at two custom shops and I teach others how to build.) there's a lot of woodworking involved with a lot of sharp tools, which is why i signed off on the meds. I don't need to be operating a band saw that could take my hand or even a few fingers because I took cymbalta or lyrica. so yeah **** that ****. But I do smoke weed, not all the time. Kind of a end of day thing as well.

What am I doing here? Well....I've decided that I need to talk to others that have this curse. Hopefully make a few friends. I have some pretty awesome friends but they don't have this. And I can't expect them to understand. And to be completely honest. I'm tired of having to explain it over and over again....

I like that to think that I'm a pretty cool dude. Like I said before I work in two guitar custom shops and I play in a band (bass). For the most part I'm pretty easy going. I've been told I'm big teddy bear (I'm 6'6" and kinda fat, so yeah I'm a teddy bear lol!)

Well that's my story, I'm going actually make an effort to be involved in this forum. I wish you all a good day.
__________________
CRPS started in left knee after op in Aug. 2011
Spread to entire left leg and foot, left arm, right foot.

Coeliac since 2007.
Patella femoral arthritis both knees.

Keep smiling!
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