At least you're passing awareness bills! That is something!!!

Where I live, this odd tiny itty bitty part of Europe (Belgium), they are so behind in everything they're still using the wording of some 50 odd years ago when "it" was called "algoneurodystrophy", and when even less was known about the condition. It certainly wasn't an accepted physical condition then - but nothing has changed! The laws about refunding things to disabled people didn't move along with the times. That means that people are pretty much on their own when they get this or any other kind of disease. Only 6 pathologies are okayed in the healthcare law, if you get anything else, or are in an accident and are injured pretty badly, you fall out of the net and are left to get your aids yourself in any which way possible. It's far worse than having just RSD added to the picture here, far far far worse!

Hey Marleen,

I'm sorry disability care in Belgium is so far behind. The stress that a chronic health condition puts on a persons finance's is hard.

Several months ago my insurance company tried to cancel my benefits. They said my condtion is mental not physical. They only cover mental conditions for two years. All my doctors wrotes letters documenting it is a physical condtion my benefits have been extended. I'm still being covered "Thank God". I have been denied coverage by the governments social security. Like most everyone else I had to get a lawyer he is working on getting me approved.
Take care,
Sherrie

It really seems to be a sad state of affairs. Some of us get treated like "Lepers", by the medical community itself! Those who are responsible and in the business of taking care of us. Then, when friends and colleagues are disbelieving, that just rips me.

So, just that we can wear a T-Shirt, gives more credence to the fact, that a thing is true, and real.
Maybe, we should advise any new-comers to wear an RSDSA.ORG T-shirt to their Doctor visits? hah!

Yep, time to order a new t shirt!

pete

I agree 100% with you pete! That is such a great idea!
I have had RSD for 7 years now and it took doctors to dianose it 3 years. If that wasn't a living hell for 3 years of not knowing. Now I know and i still don't feel any better. I have denied disability in my neck of the woods 5 times and working on a 6th time of trying. I have had umpteen docs tell me that rsd cannot spread. I know that it can do to all the research on the internet and reading books.I want to know everything out there that is to know about this monster of a disease that is not suppose to spread! I am so tired of docs and there high degrees saying that it can't spread! I don't care if they think they are all high and mighty this is OUR lives they are messing with NOT theres. I am willing to buy t-shirts,bumper stickers, magnets and whatever else there is out there to try and make people aware of the disease. You might think that I am crazy but i did buy the little spoon pin for the "Spoon Theory" which I think is really neat. If any of you haven't seen the "Spoon Theory" you really should take the time to read it, it makes you stop and think and it made me cry. I feel the whole thing is true. I carry the spoon pin on my purse and a lot of people wonder why I have it so I explain it to them in short term and if they want to know more about it then they can go home and look it up on the computer and they will then see why I think so highly of the spoon and how it is associated with our disease. Thanks again for the inspiration Pete! Keep the GREAT work up!

My contribution to the "gettin' it out there" and education of the masses is through what I do best, writing! :-D

I started my freelance writing career 2 months ago, but have loved writing and have been writing my entire life pretty much. I publish articles on an internet site. So far I have written 7 articles on rsd with many more to come. I have 2 more I did today which it looks like I'll be submitting tomorrow. :-)

I've had a couple of people leave comments that they had never heard of crps before(no surprise there)and they stopped in to read my articles and learned something new. (I do not use the letters rsd, I use crps. Reason being is because that is the "new" name and has been for 14 years now.)

I'm a long way away from running out of articles on rsd, so I will continue on educating the masses one person at a time.

Hugs,

Karen

Writing is not my forte so I am very grateful that you have chosen to dedicate your talents to our cause. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I would love to read your articles and do what I can to help support you. Please share your links with us when you feel ready.

MsL

pete

well said it does get old having to explain this and never being able to get out what you are tryin to say. thanks for takin the time to write this out.. you get a gold star!!!!

carrie

Thank you so much for your words. I will admit it made me feel very good. :-D

This is Karen's Article page where all the articles I have written so far are at. If anyone should choose to do so, you can subscribe to me. You will get an email every time I publish a new article. If you're unsure how to do it, pm me and I'll tell you how. Sometimes the system is glitchy so if you like what I've written, bookmark the page.

I really hope the above doesn't sound like I'm being pushy or promoting myself. LOL I intend it to be informational not promotional. :-)

Hugs,

Karen