Hi there,

My name is Lessa, and I'm from Canada. I haven't been able to find too many active forums about CRPS, and almost none that are from my locale. I've been dealing with a horrible disease for a bit now, and it finally has taken my ability to walk. When I was born, I was able bodied, now...Its all changed, I haven't yet got approved for a chair (so I'm using a rental), and its already frustrating me just what I can do while in it. I can stumble, really that's what it is a limping stumble, short distances but cannot stand or stumble for any real amount of time.

Our house isn't wheelchair friendly, our washroom and bedroom are up the stairs. Plus...being a Canadian Military row house its small, and turning around in places can be a nightmare! Its frustrating to not be able to cook for myself, not reach things I know I can otherwise, and simply crawl up those stairs.

Complex regional pain syndrome has taken my life away from me. I'm finding it hard to stay positive when in constant pain, and having lost the ability to do something I loved doing (going for nice long walks on trails). I end up staying inside, at home most of the time, because I feel like people stare at me, especially since my legs work, yet here I am in a chair. Its as though they're judging me for not being 'disabled' enough to require a chair!

It started in my right foot, early in June, and has since migrated to my left foot where symptoms are starting. Both of my feet are so painful I'm left with no other choice than to use a wheelchair, I've stumbled for months and finally I ended up collapsing in the parking lot from the pain. Thankfully my wife was able to help me and mostly carry me into the house. I get aches and twinges in my wrists, but ignore them and tell myself I'm feeling things, and my knees are terribly sore from crawling where I cannot bring my chair in the house.

CRPS has proved to be a miserable challenge. I'm in excruciating pain daily. It has made my legs hyper sensitive. My GP has been pretty useless, unable to give me much for pain killers. I'm going to a painclinic on Wednesday to be assessed for some sort of pain management. Lets hope it works. We aren't sure what caused my CRPS, though I have a suspicion it was from a sprain that happened in January. It was too painful for a regular sprain, took too long to heal, and just was off from the get go.

I'm here for support, and to connect with people. My wife is ever so darling and is the best carer a person could ask for, and I'm so lucky to have her, but sadly at times she makes me feel unable or silly, without meaning to. We're both swimming in unknown waters =(.

~Lessa