Catra,

You are so amazing!!!!!! You will be back in the saddle in no time.

I guess flares are catching. For the second time in less than two months I came out on the wrong end of a dog encounter yesterday that resulted in a severe injury.

Something is wrong with this picture.

My neighbors five month old golden retriever has been fond of racing out into the street jumping on me and my service dog. I have explained repeatedly to my neighbor that I have a severe neurological problem that effects my balance and would she please restrain her dog. I even went into specific detail as to what my dog has been individually trained to do for me, i.e. help with undressing, opening cabinet doors, balancing me, pulling laundry out of the washing machine. (Her response to that was "I'll have to train my dog to do those things too" as she laughed. She can't even train her dog to sit on command)

The puppy is now as big as my service dog and ran out and repeatedly jumped on my dog and me and it knocked me to the ground causing cuts, bruises and by this morning, purple leg, on fire and allodynia. I cry when I put weight on it. I unfortunately have pretty much a full body response, joints, arms legs, you name it.

When the woman finally came to control her dog she became entangled in my dog's leash which was attached to my waist since I cannot hold a leash. When she finally got loose and grabbed her dog I showed her my pepper spray, (which I should have used on the dog before it injured me) and informed her that if it happened again her dog would be pepper sprayed.

The woman did what she always does-apologized. Big deal! I called Animal Control who immediately remembered my being attacked by a dog deemed dangerous by Animal Control within the last two months. They don't look kindly on service dogs and their disabled owners being threatened or injured by unrestrained dogs. Animal Control immediately sent an officer to the home to explain the importance of leashing the dogs at all times, as well as to explain the consequences should it happen again.

During dinner last evening the woman's husband began banging on our door with his fist. To make a long story short he screamed at us, "What kind of people are you to call Animal Control on a puppy, You are Crazy." He also indicated that it was my fault because I walk my dog past his house which encourages his do to run out and jump on me. It gets worse but more of the same. He suggested that he would inform the other neighbors of my actions.

I feel like I am living on a strange planet.

After a trip to my PCP and consultation with my PM doc I have gone into flare control mode. Also taking a heavy duty anti inflam drug to knock down the CRPS inflammatory response.

Of all the stupid things I have done since my diagnosis, not nailing this dog before it hurt me takes the cake.

I am doing tDCS twice a day for 40 minutes, mirror therapy and epsom salts baths and like Catra, physical therapy. Thanks to Catra's prior posts I have snatched up some of her suggestions for beginning leg PT exercises since my knowledge consists of upper limb PT. Thanks Catra!

I had gotten to the point where my pain level was down to a 2 when I woke up in the morning. How stupid that I let myself become injured by an irresponsible dog owner's dog simply because it was a puppy and I did not want to stir up my neighbors. (particularly since the husband had been arrested for domestic violence) Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!!!

I won't make that mistake again.

Ok Catra, time for us to do some serious damage control!!!!!