thank you for the compliment, it means a lot. sure, i, as well as you, and everyone else, are going to have good and bad days, and hell, some right in the middle. and, all i said is much easier to say when i am having a good day. but, still, i don't mean it any less when i have a bad one. i want to preserve the essence of who i am, have as much normalcy in my life as possible, be a participant in life as much as possible, and let RSD take away as little as possible. my girlfriend, who is the most loyal, consistent, loving, and kind person i know, who has wiped away the tears everytime i have cried, and been to every doctor's visit with me, always calls me a "soldier." she always tells me, even when I am having a "9" day, and crying all day and evening long, and exhausted from pain and crying, that she sees the strength in me and how hard i am "fighting." (which, of course, is very encouraging and rebuilds my faith at the same time). So, if I have to be a soldier I will, but I refuse to go down without a fight!