i went to get bloodwork yesterday to check my vit d level again and asked the dr to take blood out of my left arm. he asked why and i told him because i have rsd which started in my right arm and i can't have anything touching that arm because it hurts too much and could cause further damage. i asked him if he knew what rsd was and he said no. so after my blood was taken i handed him an rsd brochure and he thanked me and said he would make copies of it and post it on the walls at the drs offices. that made me so happy and i thanked him too. i pass out rsd brochures alot to try to help raise awareness and hopefully find a cure for this horribly rare and misunderstood disease.

i have had rsd for over five years now and have learned that i have to sometimes remind others that even though they can't always see the pain it doesn't mean it's not there. sometimes people who have the best intentions sometimes forget what we with rsd are going through. and sometimes we have to deal with difficult people who are not willing to listen. for those people i try to keep my distance the best way i can and continue dealing with my rsd, my depression and my life the best way i can one day at a time. having my friends here at NT as a support system also helps me deal with the pain and frustrations that we who have rsd have to deal with every second of every hour of every day. i am so grateful for all of you for being my friends and hope you always remember that you are not alone because you've got a friend in me too. i am so very proud of all of you for facing each day with such hope and courage. you are all very brave for not giving up. we must never give up trying to make the most of each day we live. someone once told me that each day is a "present". how true it is. love and hugs to all.

WOW! That brought a tear to my eye.

Thank you all for your encouragement and understanding. It means so much to me right now. He has done a few things today without me asking. I feel exhausted today, it is all catching up with me. If I had a positive attitude, I would see that the walker is allowing me to do more, than if I was not using it. How is that for a start? I do need to ask for more help, what do I have to loose?
:-)
zinnia

That is exactly how i feel about my walker...it gives me much more freedom to live my life. NOT being able to use it now because of the shoulder feels like I have been thrown back into a prison cell and I am trapped in my living room. It's just a tool...use it if it makes things easier for you.

Glad today is better. Hugs.

[QUOTE=catra121;1205261]That is exactly how i feel about my walker...it gives me much more freedom to live my life. NOT being able to use it now because of the shoulder feels like I have been thrown back into a prison cell and I am trapped in my living room. It's just a tool...use it if it makes things easier for you.

Glad today is better. Hugs.[/QUOTE


Walkers are a very good thing. Takes a bit of getting used to the idea of "having to use one," but they are so so helpful.

#GoKarts

Zinnia,

You have a right to feel miserable, you have CRPS, which is akin to being in one of Dante's Circles of Hell. If I had never experienced CRPS I would never have understood this, so I know other people really cannot comprehend. What helped me is a h who suffered with chronic and agonizing pain for 5 years prior to extensive neck and spine surgery. I was his do-it-all wonder wife and mom, while he lived and slept on a lazy boy recliner. I have been on the other side, so I know the thoughts and feelings-there is hurt and bitterness-a feeling of being cheated-ironically it is not so different from the hurt and bitterness I feel from having CRPS.

Yes, I wallow in "Why me?" quite often-I just make sure I am alone when I scream out loud. Venting is a good thing. I hope you schedule time to vent. Crying is a good thing, so is laughing. Allow yourself to cry and to laugh often.

Just do your best. Praise yourself out loud for all your victories no matter how small.

You might want to get a walker tray and a divided bag, if you don't have these items already-they are helpful.

Thank you all for your encouraging words. This morning when I got up and came in the living room with the walker he gave me a look and I said "What?" he replied "Can you walk without that contraption?" I was not offended I told him I know he hates seeing me walk with the walker.

I did try using the cane when I went out to the porch to sit in the sunshine and hold and pet the cats. It was a good experiment------------I guess. It did not take much walking with the cane to feel so much worse, and to see that it is my back.

progress........hahaha. Now I know just how much the walker was helping, and so does he.

He did some errands this morning, is getting some necessary things done. We are facing some of those big problems of last week, one at a time, doing what we can. Thank you all for listening.
gratefully
zinnia