HI Lee, hope this finds you having an easy night.
And thanks for the reply and sharing your plight. It helps to hear others...
My workers Comp mentor was a man with 32 years of back problems and comp issues. I lived it with him before I was hit with RSD. I thank God for him as my road was made a little smoother by way of his mistakes.
God bless you and keep you strong.

I am just so used to this life style I guess, I really try and make the good days count and plan for fun times ahead, It is a gift to be able to live in your imagination and have faith enough to make your dreams happen.

If the truth be known I just came out of one of the worst depression I have had in a longggg time. My hands and shoulders have been changing so much this past year, it was a tough one I'll tell ya. Ended up almost homeless too this year. It has been exciting.
Almost a year of looking for the highest bridge. The dawgone deprssion of RSD is as bad as the pain. And living alone makes life a bit weird at times.

I try to be a fun person, but I get so board with myself during the down RSD times..I ain't no fun for no one!
spending days on end at doctors and on the sofa just to get a little peace in between...you know the deal.

Your life sounds very simaliar, past & present. Different names and places but the bottom line is the same. How gimpped up are you if I may ask?

I use 2 canes if I go out without a chair or electric scooter. Have no dosaflextion in the right leg and the thing just hangs around tripping me up too often. My poor old clutch leg is worn out from taking all the wieght and activity all these years. Knees, hips, all catty-wampis....My left arm n hand are doing the claw thing too much lately and my upper body has the most pain now adays. I have had many many folks ask me if I had a stroke...you know the look, I am sure.
Then the stupidity starts. "Oh you poor thing-what happened to you?"
I sparianed my ankle in 1991 and this is me now...call it RSD.

Keep telling myself that I am practising being old---when I get there I will be all practised up!

The pain clinics and the drugs are all a mess, just more often than not a waste of time and money. I have my little mix of RSD cookies (as I call them)
see my regular Pcp every 3 months and treat each day with alternative herbs and remodies and swim. That is my salvation.
I can't walk worth a darn but I can swim like a fish and do everyday. Or try anyway. We need the exersize even as a healthy body does.
The PT days which were many years and tears--were friutless. The pool is my saving grace these days. I am blessed to have one in the complex where I live.

I swim at night as the sun and I are enimies. Ya know for years---I thought that the notice on the bottles meant to keep the bottles out of the sun...Dahhh, means me-- I learned the hard way.

Big old full blue moon and a mid-night swim. Don't get no better. I think I shall say goodnite and head up the pool.
I have a souped -up 4 wheeled 4 wheel drive haunkin electric scooter, and I can still play in the woods if I want to. It goes almost anywhere.
So off for a ride in Tarzan land and a swim. I live in a big woods in Fl.
Very nice and inspirational.

Part of my healing is my love for the outdoors. You have to keep your passions going and make new ones if ya can.
In 21 years I have only missed 2 season of Pa deer hunting. I have been a hunter since I was 12. My Dad opened the doors for me. Love the woods.
Live to hunt and fish. Just being out there is the gift. I have been poor for so long I need to hunt or fish to eat protein.
Beans for protein source only goes for so long...I am just so grateful to God for all he has aloud me to do--gimpped up or abled bodied.

And you know keeping an UP attitude is a healing gift in itself. You have been down the street too many times too. I hear in your note.

And by the way-"cynical" is a very calm, nice, lady-like-way to discribe my attitude toward most medical folks and treatments. !!!!!
I won't even go there tonight. LOL LOL

So much of my ugliness with developing RSD was the fact that it was under a workers comp. umbrella. I sure learned a Whole bunch of stuff I didn't need to know about our System. It will all be in the book someday.! That is if I could ever make myself focus long enogh really get my head on straight.
Fighting for SSD was a walk in the park by compairision.
The games you have to endure are like nothing you could dream as a God fearing person, even on a bad day. We will talk soon again .

Hang in there and looking forward to getting to know ya better.
Good nite now n God bless us all.
Peace & LUV, Andrea
RSD from MARS with LUV. Lending Unity for Victory.