Hi everyone,

I have been stuck at the hospital all day and only just got home. I had an appointment this morning with the Orthotics Doctor to check if the splint that I had moulded last Wednesday fit. It took about 25 minutes for the Doctor to try and get my leg into a straight position and into a splint and he was shocked by how strong the muscles in my foot are. Once my leg was in the splint, my foot started to rotate back out to the side and the Doctor soon realised that the splint probably wouldn't work. It was eventually decided that the splint needed more straps to hold my leg in place and also something to try and keep my big toe from lifting upwards. The Splint isn't ready at the moment as it needs to be taken and re-cut and more straps adding to it. We have to go and pick the splint up again next Tuesday and then I have to go and see my Neurologist.

The Doctor said that it might be an idea to put a nerve block into my leg to try and get the muscles to relax but because of the complications I had from the other 2 blocks, it isn't worth taking the risk. The Doctor admitted that he wasn't sure if the splint would help and that if it does it could take a LOT of time and persuverance (sp?). They haven't seen that many people with RSD and Dystonia that needed splints so they don't really have anything to compare it to and my leg is really strong so they think that it would probably fight the splint.

After we got out of Orthotics, we had to go onto the Day Care ward to see my PM Doctor about my hand and to talk about the Ketamine. Some of the swelling in my arm has gone down but now the swelling's gone down, my arm is more painful. My PM examined my arm and decided to do an ultrasound and blood work just to be on the safe side. He explained that it looked like a classic case of RSD but that it was better to be safe rather than sorry. We asked him about the Ketamine and he was very reluctant to try it but my mum said to him that she thought it was a bit cruel that the Ketamine helps and that now he isn't willing to try it. My PM explained that if he put a catheter into my spine it was very dangerous and that it could cause some pretty nasty infections. After some time, he did agree to give me 30mg oral Ketamine but he has only given me 8 doses for when I really need it has he doesn't want me to become dependent on it. He explained that he wasn't sure if the oral ketamine would work has well as the epidural because he isn't sure what part of the Central Nervous System the drug works on but that it was worth a try.

It took about 2 hours to get the Ultrasound done so we were really bored just sat around doing nothing. The radiographer had a good look at my arm with the ultrasound and nothing too concerning showed up. I had mixed emotions, I was glad that nothing showed up but on the other hand, the reality that it was RSD that I was dealing with yet again hit me. I suspected that it was RSD but I guess I was in denial has I just hoped and hoped that it was something that could be easily fixed, like we all do.

After I had the ultrasound, we had to go and see my PM again has he wanted to take a load of blood to make sure there are no underlying infections. We haven't got the results back yet but were told that he would be in touch shortly and that we have to keep him updated with how the Ketamine goes.

I have been falling all over today and going really dizzy, I go like that when the pain is too much. We are due to have a PT appointment tomorrow but are cancelling it because I am exhausted.

Have to go and rest. Will keep ypu all updated.