Living with RSD

Dear Ms B.,
I had the accident resulting in Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy on my left side September 1, 2003. This event of course changed my life, my abilities both personal and employable. For your information with reflex sympathetic dystrophy sometimes means people commit suicide. I think about this still but it just isn’t an option for me. Every day I choose to fight. I do not belong to support groups because support groups are depressing.

Every day something happens related to the reflex sympathetic dystrophy
For example yesterday I was sitting down and got up to go to the bathroom and fell flat forward as there was no feeling in my left side. So I stayed on my knees and crawled to the bathroom. Another example, three months ago my leg and foot was frozen and ached terribly so I put the heating pad on it. I never felt the burn but my leg at the sight of the operation had a 3rd degree burn from the heating pad. It is more than 3 months later and the burn is still healing. You see reflex sympathetic dystrophy means a slower healing, also the burn was infected because reflex sympathetic dystrophy means the immune system is lower than normal. Sometimes I have an infection for months.

Perhaps you don’t know that sometimes I cannot wear a sock or any foot wear this is pretty hard in the winter so I take very long time to put on socks. It feels like a million bee stings on my skin. Sometimes I get a spasm in my foot so strong that I think the bones in my foot are going to snap. It’s a very good lesson this reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a lesson to love myself and my body, a lesson to focus on the spiritual and to love around me, a lesson to choose to live consciously and to always remember there are people far worse off than I am. And it is a lesson to laugh loudly and take it all with grace and appreciate every thing and every one in my life.

I was upset when I read your February 20th letter looking to blame a third party.
Instead I thought you need to understand just a few of the daily problems that I face with my reflex sympathetic dystrophy and that I consciously choose to accept them all. I make less money, I am only cleared to work 4 hours a day since my relapse last January which the CSST has chosen to refuse. And I chose not to fight the CSST on that because I am already fighting daily. I do not want any more fights. I do not want to suck off of society or the CSST which is how your letter made me feel.

I ask for reimbursement for anti-depressants it is refused, I ask for the special covering for my burn it is refused, I ask for reimbursement for anti-biotic it is refused. I am a strong, capable person and when ever the CSST refuses something I do not think it is right but I do not want to focus on the shortcomings in my life that reflex sympathetic dystrophy forces upon me.

Even moving to Nova Scotia has helped me as people here don’t care about my falling on my face or stopping in mid sentence to let a spasm go by. When the tears roll down my face because I can’t keep all my reactions to what the reflex sympathetic dystrophy is doing inside my body they just hug me. So that is what I need. I do not need any more toxic thoughts for sure.

I truly hope this helps you understand my response to your letter.
I hope you have a terrific day.

Blessings,

Patricia