Im glad to hear that you are up in good spirits,,God has really blessed you,,praise him,,its so nice to hear that people are still able to function with a normal life after that lenght of time,,,,God will heal us ,,i believe this,,,,and i just started aqua jogging,,it help me alot ,,after im out of the water at home the next day,,i feel stronger,,,water is a good thing,,,enjoy yourself,,,,,,,,,,,,,,bobber

such an inspiration! ur thoughts of lking @ life thru diff. eyes r my thoughts. i've had this "challenge" 4 a yr now..... still learning

Thank you! 20 years and I am still learning. It seemed the first 5 years were very rough. Too much medication and too much pain. There were weeks I totally missed. As the years progressed, I think my body got use (for lack of a better word) to the pain. I could feel life slipping away and knew I had lost much valuable time. So I began to try and live my life a bit differently everyday and the evolution has been amazing. I am still experiencing brutually painful days, but also days, I can say I have lived. Keep hope alive...as they say. Life is amazing.

Hugs di

I am so glad you had this great weekend. I could tell the difference in your voice when we talked tonight then from the last times we have talked.

It's amazing what kids can do for you too. My two boys perk me up all of the time. I went down Friday night to their house and watched about 10 of them playing pool and working on their bikes. What laughs I got out of them goofing around. Kids can pull us up out of the dark when no one else can except God that is.

I think we need to get outside of the box more and see the fun things out there.

Ada

I was going to crack a joke, like............Did your RSD buy you a gift or take you to dinner ? But........a rejuvenating dive weekend sure sounds like a good present !

I'm sorry you've been dealing with this for so long, but I love your spirit and positive outlook on living with RSD

Hey Di,
I too, think that a Dive weekend would make you feel a little better about your 20 year anniversary! Throw a party!

It's been so long since I've doved, and wifey took mine and my children's dive gear, well you see the picture.
I'm starting to work on my own HBOT station!
Yep!
I'm a retired plumber as you may or may not know, and I got a big ole' tank, like say for fuel oil right, (so this can be a two person HBOT),
and, I'm gonna solder that up, and get some nice new shiny galvanized garbage can lids for the tops. (Whar' ya sticks yer head out.)
I'm gonna add wheels, and a tippsy whippsy, so ya's can be standing or lyin' down....

And, I got an old acetylene tank(s), that I'll fill with some Oxygen, and pump that in.

Of course, I'll run out to K Smart and buy some donna Reed softies and pilloes.
all the frills, right!
Maybe a little cooler for in there too!
(I'm thinkin maybe one of those shoe shine devices, to shine yer toenails, too. Bring Quarters!)...

But, before use, I'm sending the whole KittenKaboodle out,,,,,, ta get Chromed! Yea!
Oh, I'm tearin' at my eyes now! This is goona be so Beeutiful!

Chrome this n that, and tubes and pumps and dials and guages!
Yea!

Oh, and Pillow SHAMS! (for the ladies)!

Yes.

I'm a tellin's ya'll here, cuz I trusts ya.
But, don't say nutin' bout it, cuz I have not filed the principal patents on it yet!

PS
I got my eye on an old (but good!O) Mr Frosty Truck, to drive it around in, and ta let folks try it!
I suppose the license plate on that there, will cover me!? In All necessary conventions?
Hah!
I figure by the end of ohhh.... 2013 she'll be purrin' like a kitten and ready to go...

Oh, the truck might burn a little oil, but, I'll run a pipe up to the top!, So's it don't upset with the breathin' ya know?

Wish me well now!

pete
(You call, I build).

ASB

I have RSD for almost 14 years now. It's so nice to hear that there's more of us in the same boat, by "us" I mean people who have had RSD for a long time, people who are hanging on no matter what, despite their RSD.

It somehow feels wrong to congratulate you on having RSD for 20 years, so I'll just say, good for you for making it through 20 years of *this* - and boy do we all know what THIS means.

What I mostly hope for is that we can all hang on to hope, hang onto each other... be united as a group until there's a cure or at least some type of major progress or breakthrough in the meds. Up until now, even the Ketamine that was once so hopeful, is proving not to work for everybody... just like the rest of the "treatments".

Please hang on for many more years to come!

Thank you so much for saying that! "Hang on to Hope". "Unite".
There were many times in the beginning that I thought I wouldn't survive. Also, a few times through the years as well. I use to lay in bed at night and pray that this demon would go away. Then there were nights so bad I just prayed "please let me survive through the night". Something I'm sure that many have felt as well.
14 years...20 years...It doesn't matter. What matters is that we are still here! We are all survivors. Together we ARE stronger. Chronic pain can rob you of life at times,...but then we have our days don't we? Making the most of these days is what counts! When we do have control. I'm so thankful to be in your company and the company of the others here. I think we are a pretty amazing group of people, that have a strong will to live and survive under some incredible challenges. I am so glad I am not alone on this one! It goes without saying , I wouldn't wish this on any one", but without the support and information I have gotten from posts, pm's and phone calls I don't know that I'd still be here.
My bests to you and blessings to all!
Di

Our days, our good days - yes I know exactly what you mean. I seem to want to cram a lifetime into those moments, hours, when I feel on top of things.

I am glad to be here too, and this place is special. Not everyone is outspoken about RSD. Where I live, it seems to still be a taboo subject. It's hard to find others with RSD and the few you do find often aren't knowledgeable about their own condition. To make a long story short, it's as if it's a disease no one should talk about or know a thing about.

Hi Diana,
I'm so happy for you going on your dive weekend. It's so wonderful you were with the two boys and they and mom were with you. I'm sure you brought them comfort and peace.
My Dr. finished his two clinics and they both have double HBOT in them. I have to share something with you, that is so exciting. I'm not cured, but I'm able to leave the house and 'feel life again'
I've been going thru weeks and weeks of not getting to sleep till 5-6 in the a.m. then sleep till afternoon. Life just passing me by. I told my Dr. and he said that is not acceptable. We had talked before about changing sleeping med. so we changed. I stopped Ambien Cr, which was not working at all to Seroquel. Seroquel is given in high doses for bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia. My Dr. was doing a study for the pharmaceutical company-200 patients. The study was low dose for fibromyalgia. He will write the report soon. But it's amazing. I now sleep 9-10 hours straight-every night. I take 300 mg. As a result of restorative sleep, he cut my lorazepam in half and left it up to me on the vicodin. I was taking 6 pills a day for years and now take 2-3 a day. I go outside the house now to grocery store and Wednesday started back after 5 years soliciting for new coffee jobs. Our business has been hit badly, due to the econoomy. But Wednesday I got 4 new jobs. I'm so excited about getting out. I still have bad times. Being out 4-5 hours Wed. was a little too much-feet hurt. But, I know I can gradually get more endurance.
My goal is to build our business back up, and go thru a series of HBOT . His office is only 5 minutes from our home. My Dr. was thrilled at my response to Seroquel.
I so agree with you Diana, about being grateful. Journeling helps me a lot. When in pain, it's easy to get negative.
I have been on the phone for an hour. The husband of one of my friends called-his wife killed herself about 2 months ago. He's now talking to my husband. My husband had called him and left a message. They were close. We moved away and they moved also.
He has a SCS and a pain pump for serious accident-not RSd, but high pain level. Several vertebrae brokin from a fall. I still can't believe his wife killed herself. She had some very painful issues-they rented a house from us for years. I invited him to visit. He said he would sometime.
Your posts were so encouraging about the weekend. I always enjoy your posts. I'll call you soon. I'm going to have to wait on the HBOT-not insurance covered. My Dr. doesn't take insurance even for my visits. spendy, but worth it.
Take care and will be in touch, your friend, loretta