Living with RSD/CRPS

 Hi 🙋‍♀️ All!!!! I am so sorry and feel absolutely terrible. I started a blog to help others, to record my journey and to spread awareness of this illness. My pain levels became so much more manageable and, well you know, life.... and I kinda abandoned my blog. I didn’t mean to and I think it’s very therapeutic as well as creating the intended benefits to others mentioned above.  I don’t know that I’ll be on here monthly, but I will write more as I truly feel that more awareness needs to be out there. I have had this illness for 12 years now rounding on 13 years.I have learned a ton of tricks and hacks and I have learned to appreciate the good, the bad and the downright ugly. I know that a lot of people need encouragement. This is nicknamed the suicide illness after all...... 2020 has been a whole lot of fun for most of us. Pandemic life. But..... ironically, while my family members and friends are melting down and grieving their losses.... I’m just over here like - Hey! I go...

Just finishing up my audiobook I bought from Hay House Now. Mind Over Medicine by Lissa Rankin MD. One of the most important thing someone who suffers from RSD/CRPS symptoms need to believe RSD is curable. Simply believing that it is INCURABLE..... Will make it so!!!! Please reconsider your thoughts and READ this book or listen to it! I promise you it will change your life!!! Xoxo

Please check out this Article!!! http://rsds.org/4/awareness/pdf/Time%20Article%20on%20Pain.pdf

Hi all; It seems I took a year and a half off!!! I'm sorry!! I have been doing so so well with RSD/CRPS. Pain has been under control and much much lower then it ever was. A lot of changes have occurred in my life. Very big life changing experiences. I know that I am in the right place and on the right path..... I just recently started thinking again and realizing that I do need to continue to write this blog and help people. Even if I just help one person..... I have helped someone.  I remember when I was first diagnosed I felt so alone. It was awful. Friends and family didn't "get it." No one had any idea what was happening to my life. I researched and researched and found some amazing drs and treatment ideas that changed my life for the better. One thing that saved me was an attitude adjustment. Being positive has made the world of a difference. I was forced to have pain so I could be miserable or enjoy my life and deal with the pain. So I chose to live and live a l...

Ugh!!!! 3rd Bout with Vertigo since 2002.... It's back again. Survived the holidays with it, but would have enjoyed them without.... *** sigh*** 10 days in. One time it lasted a week or two I think. Last time about 6 weeks. I'm so hoping this is almost gone. Today is the worst day so far:S although everyday it changes..... Anyone else experienced Vertigo who has RSD/CRPS??? Just curious....

It is ALMOST that time of year again. Time for holidays, family, warmth, fun, hot chocolate, quality time and gifts! I am excited for Christmas this year! So my pain levels are a lot better and a lot more tolerable this year. I had a few sessions with Michelle Vickers who helped me do a soul connection that has changed my pain levels for the positive. I rescued a dog. He is a Husky/German Shepherd and adorable. Today I took him on a run through the woods near our home. He gets really, really hyper if he doesn't get his exercise. A cross between both being a puppy and his breed. He is bringing a lot of joy to our lives. We have a "Real" free this year as said puppy was trying to eat all of the mini lightbulbs on the fake tree. The aroma of the real tree is amazing actually. We had snow for awhile, but none recently.... All has melted away. The cold on my lungs was crazy today though. Sharp and painful. The mental benefits awesome! Wishing you and yours a very happy holid...

I have been doing something different since the beginning of July 2012. I was not looking for a spiritual answer. I was looking for some pain relief and honestly at this point, just about ready to try almost anything. An old acquaintance, Facebook and curiosity all cumulated into an amazing adventure. After one session, I was on about half the meds and living life a little bit fuller and even missed my coveted Lidocaine Infusion. I simply forgot..... I am in no way, shape or form associated with or benefiting from this recommendation. Call or Email Michelle. If its anything like my experience, you can thank me later. www.MichelleVickers.com

So I can't feel most of the pain in my legs and feet anymore. Thank god. After an epidural, in 2008 I lost a lot of feeling. Clearly there is still a problem.....

My favourite musical since I was 17 was put on at the Panasonic Theatre by Theatre Sheridan! My almamater!!! Jonathan Larson's "RENT." It is an amazing musical about life, love, friendships and living in the present moment and forgetting regret. It was amazing! This was the track I was on before getting RSD/CRPS! To be a professional performer. I was even at a prestigious school practically guaranteeing me a career in my chosen field. Then RSD.... I am now inspired yet again to make a run at some kind of performing career. It is and has always been what I should be doing. Today I make the step forward to lose weight, get pain under control and try to get a talent agent within the year. I am on my way up, I don't know how, but I WILL be famous an have a career doing what I love!!!!

Just yesterday I learned that two people with RSD/CRPS decided to end their own life. This illness is something that is very hard to handle and often leaves its victims feeling very, very alone and desperate. Please learn all you can about this illness and please share and make others aware to help people get the understanding and support needed. I myself am sitting in the waiting room of my Pain Management Centre waiting my turn to get my lidocaine infusion. I got absolutely no sleep at all:((

My Cardiologist called me first thing yesterday morning to let me know that my blood values for heart failure have not risen. Nevertheless, this has definitely been a wake up call for me. The meds have caused me to gain weight and I have not been as careful with my diet for heart healthy foods. I also have not been doing enough cardio. Even 5-10 mins each day would help I think..... I am still going for the Muga scan next week to get a true Ejection Fraction Output. Now we are not expecting as low as 44% thank god. I am curious to find out asap now though. I started wondering if I might only have 5 or 10 years to live which kind of freaked me straight out! Wow.....

Jan 2nd marked my 4 yr anniversary of acquiring RSD/CRPS. I truly have come so far physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. This illness has tested me on all kinds of levels! My New Year's resolution is to place more time and effort on my blog. I cannot believe it has already been 6 mths since my last post. Update: I moved in with my boyfriend and bought a new house. We started moving much too quickly and so we have scaled it back quite a bit. I don't know why I didn't mention this last year, but Feb 2010 I was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy and luckily a mild case. It may prevent me from Ketamine. I don't know as of yet. On friday, I am seeing Dr. Bhatia to consult about Ketamine so that is exciting. This is the Dr doing it in Canada and so I guess if they won't treat me then OHIP will have to pay for treatment in the States. I read about a product someone else w RSD/CRPS uses to control the pain and so I purchased it to see if it would help me....

I have met someone! I have met someone very, very special. I cannot stop smiling and it is awesome. I tried internet dating yet again, but this time on a much more reputable site and found such a wonderful man. Eek! I am so happy. His name is John and we have been seeing each other for a couple months and it is wonderful. He has two amazing children, a son and a daughter and they are so sweet and well behaved. He is exactly the kind of guy I was looking for. I have continued to focus on positive thinking to draw positive things into my life and it is working. Work is going extremely well and so is the love life. I also just got back from Florida which was beautiful and oh so warm. I am really missing those beaches already......:( I will be back to visit soon I hope!!! I have had a fever for 2 weeks now and on antibiotics so I hope that it clears this week. I also, unfortunately, rolled my ankle and so I am now back on crutches etc. I started to get down the first day, but decided to ...

I saw my MS Specialist today and he said he sees evidence of old optic neuritis, but not new. He said in terms of MS, I am looking good. Phewf! Thing is I still have, for 2&1/2 yrs now unrelenting dizziness. They say it is due to a bout of Vertigo that I had back in 2008, but the Neuro-Otologist said that he wasn't sure why my body hadn't adjusted to the deficit yet. He said it actually isn't even that much damage. I know! What else is new right??? My body overreacting!!! As in all other Rsd ways, I wonder if this is due to that or my Dr's are missing something. I cannot survive a few hours if I do not take my gravol. I end up feeling super sick.... I called my Neuro-Otologist. I guess it is back to him for a follow up so that we can get to the bottom of this.

This year has been going amazingly well so far. I decided to take a hiatus from dating and it has been the best thing for me. I got back to being me and my hobbies and my friends. It has been great. I also have been working really hard and have already sold 6 condos, 2 houses and 2 leases. I am on track to do 40 deals this year. Or maybe even more....Excellent. Best real estate year so far:) My ankle got better realtively quickly.  My neck is another story....6 months post last car accident. If you can even call it an accident. So minor it is truly unbelievable I am still in so much pain ugh!!! I know this will sound a bit insane, but I learnt to harness the power of attraction. My new automatic thought is "I am a Real Estate magnet. Real estate comes easily to me and in abundance." I tried it from the begining of the year. I kinda thought all this positive talk was not really able to attract things that easily. Seems I was wrong. The mind is strong and the Law of Attractio...

I really don't like any other season then Fall anymore. The cold and the rain and the snow make life more difficult for me. I keep trying to think of the positive, but it becomes increasingly more difficult as my pain levels rise and I become more and more trapped indoors. Not that I hate being inside at all, I just don't like feeling stuck indoors. **Sigh** Such is life I guess. What can you do? I find that the cloudy, cold and grey days are kinda depressing. I'm trying hard to stay positive, but the pain in my feet gets worse and I have to start layering up like crazy. Even right now I am freezing, but I guarantee everyone else around me feels completely comfortable. Another grey, rainy cold day.

I have won against another hurdle. I had a lot of great insight last week and was able to pull together and face the challenge at hand. How did I do it? Great question. I started taking the vitamins I had been forgetting to take, using heat, meditating, self-hypnosis, breathing, improving my diet and getting more sleep. Today is my 2 month anniversary and I couldn't be happier. I am also relieved that we were able to get over this. It brings me more hope for the future. Now don't get me wrong. I am still in a ton of pain and have been going to physio and massage almost everyday. Progress has been made and I no longer feel as panicky or overwhelmed as I have been. I can handle this. I am strong. Some days it is easier to be strong then others..... and that is ok. The bad days are when I can lean if I need to and the good days are just better then the bad ones. I have a lidocaine infusion on Thursday am, thank god. I had one Sept. 1st and was due again Sept. 21st, but I just can...

Today was a bad day. In fact, this whole week has been bad. They are bound to come along and as a good friend once quoted to me, "This too shall pass. It is like a wave, we face it and it washes over us." I have a wonderful new boyfriend with whom I am so in love with. Since our minor collision, that did major damage to my body, I have felt overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted and panicked. I have had such a wonderful summer and whirlwind romance that I am agitated that I am hurt again, I am annoyed that my wonderful streak is over again, I am angry that I am yet again in this situation and I am feeling vulnerable, desperate, needy and clingy. I want this to be a figment of imagination, and yet again it is not. This is reality. My reality for the present moment. This illness provides so many opportunities for ups and downs and it leaves me feeling quite helpless and out of control and I hate that. I have been pushing the man I love away and probably because I am in such a frazzle...

Yesterday I had the unfortunate luck of having someone back into me in a parking lot. My vehicle is an 08 so that sucks obviously, but the worst part is my body of course. If you are reading this, you most likely either have RSD yourself or a loved one. That means you know what I am talking about..... I already have full body RSD, but I have been doing extremely well recently. This is definitely a set back. I am really concerned though that my boyfriend, who I am completely in love with now, still does not understand the seriousness of my pain or what I live with. He says he's here forever, but I also know that if I believe him on that and he can't handle this I will be devastated once again. I am already so attached to Jay and his family that I want to believe him, however, I think until I know for sure for sure that he truly understands my illness; I'm always going to worry about it. ***SIGH*** I feel like I'm going to cry. I hate dealing with this. I have been doing...

Jay and I went to the cottage yesterday with his youngest daughter with my family. My siblings took Jay out in our boat. I know it's not the worst thing in the world, but I really wish that I could swim in the lake, go in the boat and go tubing/wakeboarding. It is hard to watch and sit on the dock as they pull away and wish soooo badly I could go too! They went for an hour, had a blast and came back. My cousin Matt also brought his 13 month old son and the kids played together all day. So adorable! We had a really wonderful day and got back at like 10:30 last night. I have been doing a lot more than I am capable of and with that comes more pain flares of course. Thank god I have my lidocaine infusion in 2 days. I was told not to carry more than 5 lbs as I keep irritating the nerves, but I have to say that I am certainly getting more toned the more I am around this baby. Just chasing a crawler & moving her around. Just a bit of toning ya think........and she is a big baby. Ador...