at first diagnosis I would have said nothing. But there was a blessing in all that I went through, woodcarving.

Before RSD I couldn't carve a twig out of a twig, and look at me now-- woodcarving horses and elephants and giraffes. Maybe I would have figured out I had a knack for carving wood, but I was 37 at the time and didn't know I could do it. Docs told me to find a way to use my hand all day, or face the atrophying muscles and possibly lose the use of it al together.

Rsd gave me art--woodcarving.

Check out my website if you haven't already and see my horses and other carvings. Url at the bottom of my post.

So, I consider the monster of rsd to have fluffy pastel fur and a mischeivous grin.

we all need to look for something good out of this disease process. you are blessed to have found a craft to which you can express how you feel. keep it up, you make us all proud. Love and bless you honey.

Kathy, you're making such a valid point there.

The only way to try to arrest the progress is to continually use the affected muscles, in spite of the pain. I think it was one of Roz's (Buckwheat's) posted articles where a doc commented that the hand muscles are so small no one really takes much notice , yet they are what *drives* each hand.

Finding a way to integrate usage into your daily life is just the best way, physio can only go so far and then, as you did, you're on your own to fumble or stumble or try something quirky like ..hey, why not, ...woodcarving? Others might (maybe some do) draw, sculpt (*SO* good for the muscles) and who cares what it looks like, though most often people are very pleasantly surprised by the results.

Personally I think it matters not one jot if you're good at any type of manual "creative" endeavour, the body will take whatever you put in..and run with it, the more so if you enjoy it too.

Kathy you are genuinely very good at it. Your story, of all the people in the forum, really struck home to me. It is a remarkable story and I'm so proud of you. Yes, the fact that you found an undiscovered gift from the gods is truly a blessing, but even if you had found you weren't so talented, the enjoyment that comes from the creative process is a true joy that will last you forever and somehow (I defy the docs to explain it) joy can alleviate pain powerfully. Something to do with endorphins, I think, released when we're having fun.

I 'm trying to say that any endeavour in this area is a very beneficial exercise, just as long as you enjoy it. Really, it can be so absorbing that you forget everything, pain fades, brain is engaged in something worthwhile...and if the end result is not exactly Guggenheim, you won't care.

Thanks so much for bringing up this topic (I'm a "hand/arm" affected person too) you just happen to have stumbled across a gift you are really, properly, blessed with.

So.
Anyone here think a "creative" thread, even a sticky or subsection here in the RSD forum, might be an idea?
For example, though my RSD doesn't yet extend to my legs, my arthritis is beginning to affect my hips.

Before you ask no, I do not advocate foot painting for leg RSD sufferers - although, has anyone tried? - but maybe we can come up with some ideas for creative therapy for all...whaddya say? Anyone interested? I'm up for a think tank of ideas, suggestions, whatever...

To get back to where I started, many thanks Kathy for initiating the thinking about this...love ya, you clever woman you,
all the best