Hi Everyone,

Today was horrible. I started my new physio program today. I have never had an experience like it. When I arrived they made me watch an orientation movie. Then they were to go over my "specialized plan" with me and answer any questions I had. When it came time to go over my plan they physiotherapist did not have my paper work. I waited about 15 minutes and then she came back and told me she still do not have it. Yet they have known I was coming for over a week now! Then she said we would start on my program with out it. So much for me being able to ask any questions regarding it. She took me out to the floor showed me where everything was and then we started. I knew going in that the exercises would be painful and of course they were. I did as much as I could. My range of motion is so limited. But I honestly gave it my all. The thing that bothers me and maybe I am wrong about this....but any other time I have been to physio there is a warm up period usually with a heat pack, tense machine and maybe ultra sound....and then there is the exercise/stretching period followed again by either ice or heat. What I didn't understand about today's physio was I was never given any heat during the whole time I was there, nor was I offered any other kind of pain relief in any form (tense machine etc). Am I wrong here? Is this normal? It just doesn't seem right to me. Then finally at the end of the program I was handed my "specialize plan" which was one sheet long with about 5 exercises/stretches done on the computer and the last few were hand written that day by my physio therapist. To me that doesn't seem like a specialize plan what so ever. Instead I feel like they threw a few things together and added a few on the spot.
After we did the last exercise I was told to get my jacket and I could leave and they would see me Friday for my next appointment. I think I was in shock...I just walked out in a daze and now in extreme pain, called my cab and waited for it. During the cab ride home it took everything I had not to break down in the cab due to the horrible experience I just had and the pain. When I got home the pain was so bad it hurt to breath. I called my mom and took an oxycotin. I was unable to go get my daughter from daycare...thank goodness I have an understanding daycare and they drove her home for me. My shoulder is now so swollen I can hardly move it. The pain level is still at a 9....the oxy is taking the edge off a little though. It also looks like my shoulder area is bruised???? Is this possible??? Does RSD cause unexplained bruising?

I am very emotional right now and very drugged up on pain medications and I am sorry if this didn't make a lot of sense. Please be honest with me if I am wrong about the physio and maybe that is how things are suppose to go? All I know is I didn't feel like a human being receiving treatment for a chronic pain (RSD) but an insurance case that they were just making things up on a fly and really don't care about my recovery or not.

Take care
Karen