Good Grief!

I could just sign my name to each of your posts. My thoughts exactly! I feel blessed to have wonderful, loving friends like all of you here. The high point of my day is when I log on to this website. Thanks and prayers to each and every one of you!!!

Much love,

Kim

Dear Kim~

RSD has brought us all here..That is the only reason I am grateful for RSD..I have been blessed!! Thak you and all of my family here!!

Your'e a sweetie!

Hugz, Kathy

KS, I was saddened when I read your post, you really have a gift of touching the hearts of all who enter this forum. But as I pondered over your question "why do we do this." The true harshness is that we have to, in the midst of all of the pain, the stress, the loss of loved ones who wither away, the sleepless nights, the loss of letting go of who we once were, I would say creativity, love, acceptance, patience, strength, all fall upon us as we grow with each day. This illness is not for the weak, we have to go deep into our innerbeing, which most people will never experience in their life, and find a way to make it work. To say the least this is a challenge, but the beauty of it is in God's hands. I love deeper than I have ever loved, I listen to the birds singing in the morning as if they were singing to me, every opportunity that I do get to compliment someone else's life I do, I listen to people, I smile at the ignorance of those who do not know, I pray more than I have ever prayed in my life, not for me, but for all. I do not beleive this is a life long sentence and there is no cure, I believe that our children, grandchildren, neighbors, friends, family, will never know this disease and that we will be a part of that.

I ask myself everyday the same question, especially right now, as I crawl around my house in immense pain, what was I thinking... I thought and believe that this may cure me or at least throw me in remission at least on one foot, but then my right arm has grown a large nodular and is very painful so I have decided to laugh, laugh and laugh some more. I am down to one limb, I mean come on tell me God does not have a sense of humor!!!!! We just have to learn to love ourselves right where we are and accept what is, and try to enjoy each day, hour or minute that we can. On the bad days we need to remind ourselves that this will pass and tomorrow will bring a different challenge. Good or bad its what we have, we didn't choose this, so it is bitter sweet. You are a wonderful person with a great big heart, I am grateful that we are friends, I thank God for you, and love you just the way you are!!!! We don't have to wait for a cure or remission to live, love and laugh, we can do that right now. Don't lose your faith, and give yourself permission to have a bad day. Take care,

Your little buddy,

Jeanie

P.S. this was my first post since the surgery, it was very painful but you know what you are worth it!

Wbfree...

That was just beautiful! You made me cry tears of joy. I hope to one day have your faith and wisdom.

Thank you for enlightening me, and for reminding me of all the blessings in my (our) life. Hope you are recuperating (sp?) well. Rest now, our friend. You deserve the best sleep of your life...

Fondly, Kim

OMG my dear buddy, Jeanie~

Reading your post just filled my heart with such joy and true meaning of a good friend..I needed to hear from my buddy and as painful as this had to have been for you..You really took care of my need.. Everything thing you wrote, every point you made and the heartfelt meaning behind it..just filled my eyes with tears..I hope one day I can support you as nicely as you freely did for me just now.... Live in the moment love life until your heart breaks open and then love a little more..say what you need to say now and most of all..know that we are blessed..and I am having such a wonderful friend as you in my life...Thank you!! I wish I was there to help you get better..at least to the place you were prior to this most recent surgery... Iam sad to read about your arm and the nodule....I what can I do for you???? Thank you for having me be worthy of this post as you did my heart a ton of good..I will never lose faith..just dumb questions from time to time....

I love ya, my dear sister...Kathy

Thank you all for this thread. i really needed to see something like this.Now I don't feel as alone for the way I feel. I think everybody covered what I feel and it was such a great thread.I have been living my life wondering why the good Lord doesn't just take me off this earth instead of make me live this way.But I have found a few positives in my life my daughter and my husband.the animals I have.There is quite a bit that I have that can love me back unconditionally that it really makes me feel good and have a better day.Yeah there is a lot that I cannot do anylonger but there are still some things I can do and the one big thing I can do is LOVE. Everybody needs a little love sometime and if I can do that and make people or animals happy then I am happy. LOVE is a big key word for me especially when it comes to my family and animals. My animals love me unconditionally and that alone makes me happy.But thank you all for this thread because it really made me day. I needed this.Please all take care and God bless you...

Sincerely,
Tracy

Tracy... You among many others have made this thread all worth while!!!!! You are loved..and life is precious...

Love, Kathy

How do we live with this? Well maybe first because we don't have a choice - or do we? Maybe it's because even though RSD is rather annoying, you've chosen to find something more important in your life to focus on. Sounds like pretty darn good mental health to me. Now why isn't everyone else that way?

While there's no denying the fact that this disease makes considerable changes in our lives, who ever said life didn't come with changes no matter what? Sounds rather normal to me - it's all about the attitude you choose to embrace as these chapters in our life take place. Even without RSD, life does throw curve balls that most find hard at times be it financial, workplace or family problems. We can all choose for ourselves how we'll let this either change our lives or how we'll change so we can live with it. You've learned that it's easier to live with than against it and for that I'm pleased to have met you today. Bob.

Thank you, Bob..It has been nice to have met you also..Our illnesses have taught us life is full of the simple pleasures..Funny but when I began this thread my intent was not what I wrote..So crazy huh?? But my true questions was... bear with me.. but keeping in mind this is now our life long endeavor...and we focus so much on our new life's challenge .. each day we wake up to RSD...here it comes..how do we know when we have won the gallant fight...?? Guess I am looking for the white flag here..

Otherwise RSD has done my heart a world of good cuz now I have slowed down and appreciated the beautiful things along the way and I now share them with others..now that warms my heart..

Take care and again..nice to meet you...

Kathy

So where's Winston Churchill when you need some rousing oratory on why we have to fight this monster? Ultimately perhaps it's more Hillary who answers the question with the whimsical aside, "because it's there".

We certainly come to appreciate the little things. I spent most of my life living in the future. I thought I was happy enough but my life was slipping away because I didn't see the present and couldn't appreciate it.

It might not be much of a life now but I appreciate it more.