Hi all,

Good idea, introducing ourselves.

I joined BT after I broke my left arm/wrist tripping over my dog, slipping on wet greenery and landing on the sharp edge of a step in a typhoon in June 2004. Later they found I also broke 2 ribs and a couple of hand bones too. This came soon after wrenching my left thumb out of its socket, never quite went back in.

So, distal radius fracture with ulnar styloid avulsion, emplastered for 7 weeks. One week after the cast was on, my wrist, ulnar-side, started being seriously painful in just one spot (near the styloid). Cast was changed twice, docs said well, you know, broken bones are sore...Began physio the day after the cast was removed, exercises, electric stimulation,hydrothingy, all that stuff and the ulnar just became more unbearable.

They started ice therapy and kabooom! instantly what had been agony became unbearable agony....the hyperesthesia started like a glove of horribly alive pain, whole hand blew up, went bright red and so now I'm officially an RSD sufferer.

In the past year, though, the RSD arm has kind of plateau'd but I've got problems now in my right arm. After all the tests, including MRI, I'm diagnosed with cervical spondylosis and spinal stenosis C4 - C6. Still not sure if the right hand pain is RSD spread, repetitive strain thingy or resulting from pinched nerve. Next doc's appt end of October, may learn more.

Yes, I'm an penniless artist, live alone, (my partner, a doctor, died 5 years ago -where are these people when you need them! ) in Hong Kong with my beagle (my best friend). I live now on an outlying island, very pretty and wild, lovely beach, great walking - nothing like anyone would ever imagine HK. Work from home so don't need to brave the highrise hell too often. Lived in HK 25 years and love the place. Great mixture of people; lots of Americans, Europeans, Australians, Japanese - everything, but mostly 98% Chinese. Originally a Brit, I lived in HK as a young child, moved back at about 30, no intentions of living anywhere else.

My saviours after RSD hit were you wonderful people. Throughout the whole ordeal, you have been unfailingly helpful and given such clear commom-sense advice that I trust you more than the doc's. I don't know what I'd ever have done without you.

I'd just like to take this opportunity to say a very big *THANK YOU*, thank you to *ALL* of you.

take care and all the best