Hi Ali.

I just saw your post and wanted to just type a quick post to say that I am sorry for all that you are going through and I'm glad you reached out. There are many great people on this forum and I hope that they can pop in and say hi as well. I just too some meds to help me sleep...so I'm keeping this short at the moment but will reply with my story in the morning.

You are not alone in what you are feeling and we have all been through things like this. I think one of the hardest things about CRPS is that unless you have it...you can never really understand it. I have a great support system generally...but even with that there are still many of the same frustrations and feelings that you have because as much as others sympathize and try to support...they don't "get it"...not really...and it's hard not to be frustrated and upset much of the time.

But it's a double edged sword...because you see...I want to do things myself. I want to be independent. I DON'T want to be treated like I am broken or "less than"...and yet I also want help and support. And somehow people are supposed to psychically know which of those two things I want at any given moment? Ha...even I don't know what I want most of the time. As hard as it is for me...I can't really imagine what it's like to be THEM either in this situation...I know many times my loved ones feel helpless (and then of course I feel bad that they feel bad...and so on). I get frustrated...they get frustrated...it's just an awful situation all around sometimes.

But you are not alone...just know that. Again...will post more in the morning...but I feel myself getting loopy and I better get upstairs before I can't.