that was quite a day in that story ... i relate. it is a lonely way to live, isn't it? what i saw most in that article was the sense of no one understanding .... how sad. i am not as angry as that person, my therapist tells me i shoud be more angry. but i am more sad ... all the things i miss, all the things others take for granted ... like just taking a shower and not being tired .... i don't remember that ... joan

I really can relate to that story.. There are days when I can pretty much fill at least 3/4 of that letter to a tee...
Thanks again for sharing it with us..
Hugs
Dawn

Dr Tim Samms reports one Hell of a dramatic description of pain by someone who knows it all too well. It isn't him, of course, since the story is told by a woman, but it spoke a truth that reached every single one of us.

I'm not afraid of waking up yet, but I wouldn't mind if a heart attack or fatal stroke caught me while I'm writing this. I'm resigned to the fact that some day I will have to make the choice between dying in a hospital or nursing home, or taking THE shortcut.

I have this "thing" about quitting: I don't give up. You don't give up no matter what the odds, right? Well, that's me anyway. But I don't intend to end up in the same situation some of Gen Custer's men found themselves in one day; wishing they had saved that last bullet for themselves.

People probably say the woman who wrote that essay lost her "will to live", and they're right. She keeps living because she feels she must, and I pretty much feel the same way. I can't quit the game, but I wish the coach would see how tired I am and take me out.

It's unfortunate that her honest words are being misused in a commercial message; one that sure seems to be pushing hard against the line. In this case, "the line" is honesty.

I don't have anything against anyone trying to earn an honest buck, but Dr Tim Samms, who works for (or perhaps owns), the company that sells the products advertised on the same page as that story, tries very hard to mislead people into thinking he's a medical doctor.

If you click on the link titled ABOUT DR SAMS, you'll read words like: Dr. Tim Sams is a diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management; He is a frequent lecturer to pain physicians and primary care doctors across the United States, and; Originally trained and licensed as a behavioral medicine psychologist, he has been a pain doctor for almost twenty years.

But Dr Sams isn't a physician. How can I possibly know that? The AMA is very powerful; so powerful that people get sent to prison for impersonating a medical doctor. You know those actors in commercials aren't doctors, but the AMA made the rules, and the rules say there has to be a tag saying the actor is not a medical doctor.

I guess the rules say that if you do print commercials (ads) that even imply you have a medical degree, you have to say you don't have one; but you can get away with saying it on another page. Otherwise, why would he try so hard to appear to be an M.D. in his bio, then admit he isn't in another part of the ad? If you click on the link CONTACT US, you'll find the words Dr. Timothy Sams, Ph.D.

Sandra, when you posted this you had no idea that he put that essay out there hoping that people would read it and think that he was the physician running "his" pain clinics. He's running them alright, but the licensed physician is the other doc, a real doc named Vernon Williams, MD. He's doc Tim's front man for the state medical board.

It's a shame that shady people like this get away with these tricks, but short of executing medical impersonators, it looks like the AMA has run out of ways to block every dishonest scheme.

I suspect his pain clinics and his PRISM products are no more honest or useful than ol' doc Tim himself. He uses other people's words to talk the talk, but this guy obviously didn't walk the walk. Earning a PhD is an accomplishment, but it doesn't bring in the patients (or the money) that an implied MD does.

He didn't exactly lie, but he sure stretched the truth until it is nearly unrecognizable...Vic

Positive Options for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD): Self-Help and Treatment (Positive Options) (Paperback)
by Elena Juris (Author) "RSD is gritting my teeth as I feel the excruciating crunch of every water droplet between my burning fingers after struggling through a shower..."

I can't quit the game, but I wish the coach would see how tired I am and take me out
I LIKE THIS THOUGHT ..... HA! I AGREE MOST DAYS. JOAN

Hi Sandy,
I found you hanging out over here in neuro talk...you thought you could get away from me huh??? I have been sitting here searching the Net to find others in the same boat as me. I am in such terrible RSD pain and feel like the only one on this planet. I feel tired, depressed, yucky, etc. [ya'll know what I mean] and was looking for some place to see that I am not the only one going through this ordeal. Thanks Sandy for posting the "A Cold Day in Hell" for us. I just read it and printed it to show to other family members who just can't handle "my problem" as I was told last week from my mom in front of several of my family members. Makes me feel great! I cried when I was reading it because it sounds so much like my life living with RSD.

I am glad I found you again and was somewhat happy to see that we are all in this together. I am glad I found new RSD friends.
Thanks,
Kathy d.

Hi Kathy!!.. ohh you are so welcome here buddy I have missed you too and I think often of you and your boy, I am so sory you are still in so much pain and still battling your 'family in denial' man they need a wake up call it's been over 2 years.. I hope showing them the day in hell story realy helps Kathy an you are not alone and you have found us again... we should all write out a typical day in our lives too.


Yr RSD twin Sandra lol

Psst.. Kathy was one of the first people who I talked to on the old braintalk forum but she could not post there, we had similar origional injury (tire ran over foot) same time lines of spread and same internal involvement and she is a great carring suportive friend whom I usto post alot about in BT1.

Hi Sue, Barb and Rashell Welcome.. I saw so much of my days and thoughts in that writing too, fibro.. RSD.. Cancer.. whatever, pain is so misunderstood by those who do not suffer it..
we need to enlighten the masses so that people don't say.. Huh?? or "but you look ok"(the third time), or "can't you just ignore it and get on with life"??

Sory my babble but that last one realy hurt.

Aww.. Dianne I just want to send you the biggest most caring hug to you hon, I realy can't imagine the pain of grief you must feel on top of all the pain.. Big

I knew that that the writing will cause pain for some but it can be a healing pain. The grief and loss we all feel for the loss of the lives we had is felt in writings such as these, and if we cry they are healing tears, tears of self loss, and tears of empathy as we feel for her, and as we do know that life and if we acknowledge it we can perhaps begin the inner healing too.


Sandra

Linmarie thanks for the book information.. I have fibro as well as RSD too and know what you mean about beginnings and ending pain.. I also have generalized spread and organ involvement so it gets complicated trying to explain the diffrent pains.

LostMary, I know what you mean I realy related to all of it. and Joan there are many ways to griev, that is what we are doing we are grieving for what we have lost, anger, sadness, frustration, or just that awfull numness.. we all deal with our situations diffrently and it always shocks me when someone tells me how I am suposto feel, shrink or not.. hugs hon