Can't sleep, even with lots of oxycodone, so a couple of quick points. First to Vic, I've come up with what should be a stable link to the 2004 Apkarian article, and revised my initial post accordingly. Hopefully (1) it will work and (2) I'll be able to get a copy of the new article in short order.

Now to Betsy. I cannot begin to imagine the strength of character that's required to go through this at your age. I have two sons, the oldest is 14 and he's adapted to a lot of health problems over the years, but nothing as significant as RSD! I join Rogue in commending you on your openness and presence of mind.

I guess the good news is that while having good coping/equanimity skills can't hurt at any age, it is my understanding that young people have a much better prognosis with this disease, translating into a much higher chance for successful recoveries, either spontaneously or through medical therapies.

And while this is admittedly "off topic," I have it on good authority that - to be specific - the younger you are, the greater the probability that a trip to Germany would produce a successful outcome. If you haven't seen it, I would urge you and your parents to take a look at a short article written for people without any medical background called "Overview of Ketamine Infusion Therapy," by Philip Getson, DO which is posted on the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Assn. webpage at http://www.rsds.org/3/treatment/ketamine.html You're in my heart kid.

Mike