I've been participating for a few weeks now and guess it's time for an intro. 7/24/04 I was riding with my motorcycle group when I "met" a speeding truck in a one lane railroad underpass. Survived with a only a badly broken right leg, 3 1/2 weeks in hospital in so much pain. They sent me to a psychologist because I was crying so much. Second visit she finally agreed that I wasn't mental but actually was in pain! It didn't help that my mom had gone into the hospital 4 days before my accident and was close to dying. For the next 1 1/2 years my surgeon kept saying to give it another 6 months and the pain should go away as did 2 other ortho consults. Finally a physical therapist suggested I had RSD. My surgeon didn't believe it but my family doctor did. Another 6 months before any tests for nerve conduction then pain doctor I was referred to did 2 nerve blocks with no ease. Changed to another pain doctor who specializes in RSD (he's considered an outsider and strange by the established physican community) because he believes there is a correlation between the vascular & nervous system, heavy metal poisoning or inflammation may underly the RSD. It's interesting that recent research is beginning to support his therapies. He also found out I had deep vein thrombosis and have mild lupus and some weak ligaments. He founded the local South Carolina RSD support group! He calls me emotionally fragile and we finally have come to an understanding that I'm not bipolar but have post traumatic stress and am entitled to cry when I hurt.

It's been pretty difficult as you all know but those first few years were horrendous. My Mom was in the hospital, nursing homes and assisted living for 2 1/2 years and I had to move her 7 times. Thankfully she is now back a home. I got served with divorce papers 2 days after I got home from the hospital. My son was working and going to school full-time and he'd just threaten (tease) to put me in the psycho ward if I didn't stop crying. He doesn't want to know anything about RSD so doesn't understand or empathize, some times he gives me a hard time about not doing housework or yard work. He's been great about the big things around the house - reroofed it, insulated attic and crawlspace, painted decks & storage shed, etc. but neither he nor his girlfriend do much although they stay rent-free (that's another story).

I work for a large hospital system in employee benefits and am trying to hang in there until I can retire in 2015. I've already had to take a demotion due to the RSD and every week it seems like it becomes more difficult especially when I don't sleep from the pain. They just hired another person to take over 1/2 my responsibilities (it's now taking 3 people to do the work I did along before the accident!) and I've formally asked for flexible work hours and to work from home as my responsibilities now are 99% computer based. I've been working from home after hours and weekends for at least 15 years but they say we don't have a policy so they won't committ to accommodations under ADA even though the Department of Labor recognizes these accommodations as reasonable. So I just continue to track hours I work from home including days my manager okays for me to work at home in case they try to fire me for missing scheduled work hours.

I hate the pain, I hate not being able to do things I could before, I hate being exhausted all the time, I hate no one really understanding how hellish RSD is and how it affects every facet of living. But I appreciate that so far the RSD has not spread to other parts of my body, I appreciate my Mom for caring enough not to complain when I don't see her often enough now that she's homebound, I appreciate my sister who comes to help with Mom every vacation even while she is dealing herself with a life-threatening brain disorder, I appreciate my funny, loving dog (my pet therapy), I appreciate the sights and sounds of nature. I hope more answers/therapys come quickly for all of us. Lynnie