I know that creating awareness is probably the best thing I can do for RSD, and to honor all those that assisted in my diagnosis, my treatment, and even those that just drove me to figure out a way to deal with it myself.  So, in addition to creating this website/blog, I created a Facebook page as well.  Since Social Media is the biggest and most popular way to pass news around, I knew that was something I also had to do.  So....please check out the page, and pass both these sites around to all your friends.  The more people that see these and become aware of this illness, the better.  Thanks for all your help!!! 

Click Here to Check out the Brand New Facebook Page!!!

Well, the next step was figuring out how to treat this condition.  I still didn't have health insurance, and I was still going through some personal issues that were effecting the healing of my arm.   These "issues" caused me to have 2 additional casts cut off.  The doctors never tried to force me to tell them what was going on, but I knew they had their doubts.  Instead of lecturing me about the things I wouldn't change, the lectured me about Smoking Cigarettes.  Each and Every doctor that I came in contact with, Told me Over and Over again how bad Smoking was.  At one point, the doctors even tried telling me that smoking was causing my specific condition to deteriorate.  I found that to be quite funny, because this specific specialist didn't believe in RSD or CRPS.  He said that was just like Fibromyalgia.  He said conditions like that don't exist.  I asked him what 'condition' I had the smoking made worse....and he just walked out mumbling something about "Practicing Medicine not being a joking matter, and I wasn't taking him seriously".  Needless to say..he didn't stay my doctor for long!  He was the first "Anesthesiologist" I had been referred to for "Ganglion Stellate Nerve Blocks". 

The purpose of these Nerve Blocks, as it was originally described to me, was to "Reset" the nerve settings.  The Doctors compared it to resetting an electronic device such as a computer.   They said, by 'resetting' these connections, the RSD or the pain signals may stop.  I was Extremely excited, because up until now, I had been told there was no cure.  At the time, I took a friend of mine with me, as it was considered an Out Patient Procedure, so they wouldn't let me leave without seeing that I had a driver.  So, my friend and I are taken back into the Surgery Department at Sacred Heart in Spokane, and the nurse takes my vitals, and starts explaining the paperwork that I was given.  She then tells me the Anesthesiologist will be right in.  I'm now starting to become more & more nervous.  Well, finally the Anesthesiologist comes in and introduces himself.  He was definitely not well known for his bedside manor!  Anyway, he is the first Doctor I've even been to, that actually wheeled the Skeleton over, and used that in his explanation.  He explained to me exactly where the injection would be given, he explained that he would be going through my voice box, and since I would be awake through the entire procedure, no matter what it was IMPERATIVE that I didn't move, otherwise, I could be paralyzed from the neck down.  I had to sign a piece of paper stating I would no sue him or the hospital if I became paralyzed or for any other negative reaction to this procedure.  I was stupid enough to do it!!!

    So, after all the paperwork was signed, checked by the nurse, then checked again by the Doctor, they had me lay down on a stainless steel table.  My friend was sitting in a chair in the room just watching.  Well, the size of the needle and syringe for this procedure is huge.  As they started the first injection, my friend started to pass out.  The Nurse & the Doctor stepped away from the table where I was laying with the needle partially inserted into my neck...Mind you...they had told me not to talk because the needle was going through my voice box.  All I could do to get their attention, was slam my hand against the metal table!  The nurse nonchalantly came walking back over!!  "WHAT THE H**L?!?!?!?!?!"  Was all I could think!   I swear on my mom's ashes that the above really happened!  (If I still talked to Billy - my friend that was there - I would have her confirm it!) Well, out of 12 Nerve Blocks, that was the only time something scary happened during the procedure, however I always went alone after that though... Anyways, I got those Nerve Blocks every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 3 weeks.  Immediately after the Nerve Block, I would walk 4 blocks to my Physical Therapist office, and we would do some intense Physical Therapy.  It was amazing the difference during the 4-6 hours immediately after the block.  I could make a fist, and do every challenge they put in front of me at Physical Therapy.  Then, once it would wear off, I was back to being miserable again.  Those Nerve Blocks helped me get a lot of my movement back in not only my hand and my fingers, but my elbow and my shoulder as well! The P.T. I was seeing was specifically a hand P.T.  The office I went to specialized in hands.  I would refer anybody in the Spokane area (even if you have to drive 30-50 miles)!!!  They are amazing...they care about their patients, and the owner is there on a daily basis depending on which location you go to.  He has a very high standard for his employee's, and I think part of his requirements are that they must care for their patients!  If your P.T. is out, one of the others will pick up, and take just as good care of you as your own would.  They all work together to ensure you (the patient) is getting the most out of their treatment.   The Name of this place is called "Spokane Occupational & Hand Therapy".  You can click here to meet the Physical Therapists in the Spokane area.  John Hatcher is the Owner and Kari Bowton was my Physical Therapist....if you are in the Spokane Area, I would HIGHLY recommend this Business again!  When I thought I was going to be sent to Physical Therapy again, even though I live 150 miles away (one direction) I would have asked to be referred to them.  That's how much everything they did for me all those years ago, meant, and still means to this day!  Kari is the only Physical Therapist I have ever been to, and I recommend her & this business anytime I speak to somebody with a Hand Injury and they are being referred to P.T.  The only reason I started receiving help, is because of Kari!!!!  I still to this day, want to go in, and touch base with her.  I would like her to see where I am now, and how far I've come.  She hasn't seen me in years. She hasn't seen me since 2007 or around that time. 

    Well....That's all for now!!  I'm gonna go take a shower, and meet my baby for lunch!!!  Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!  Hope you have an amazing day and never forget....There's always Hope...Never Give Up!!!!  Keep fighti

    March 7th, 2003 changed my life forever.  I was in a very unhealthy relationship at the time.  I was not in control of my life, or anything that happened to me during that time.  The person that I was dating, was very much in control, and was emotionally and physically abusive.  We brought out the worst in each other.  I will not say I was innocent, but I never touched her.  Ever. I've considered the repercussions that I could face just by writing this blog, but, as I said on the home page, If I'm able to bring hope to 1 person, than this is worth it. 
    The day started off completely normal. However, I had a court appointment that day at 9 am.  When we got there, we found out it was actually at 1:30.  When we got home, she flipped out.  She was throwing me around, and then threatened to turn my mom in for smoking weed. That instantly enraged me, so I punched the wall.  Well, there was a chimney behind the wall.  It immediately broke my hand.  I showed my roommate, and she took me to the ER.   That day....the battle begun.
    The ER doctor immediately questioned the amount of pain I was in.  I had always heard that a sprain was so much more painful than a break...and, being a sports fanatic in high school, I knew sprains first hand, and this was WAY more painful than anything I had ever felt.  Including getting my head stepped on by a horse!  Anyway, he put me in a partial cast, and told me to follow up with my primary doc in 2-3 days for a cast. Well, I still had to go back to court that day!  Imagine me trying to explain to the judge why I was perfectly fine earlier, and then when I return, I'm in a sling with a half cast.  He even questioned me about it!  He asked if I wanted to talk about it. I quickly answered no. 
    Within hours of the cast being put on, I was calling the doctor back because the cast itself was poking my 3rd knuckle and causing even more pain.  The cut it off, which was also extremely painful.  At first, they all just thought I was a wimp, who had No pain tolerance.  I had 4 casts put on and they were all cut off.  Eventually they referred me to a specialist because they didn't understand why I was in so much pain.  The specialist cut my cast off and took X-Ray's.  He saw that their were 3 additional fractures in my hand besides just the 'Boxer's Fracture'.  He put me in another cast thinking that would help, but, I was back within 24 hours, and they were cutting it off again. 
    They did another X-Ray, and couldn't find any reason for my intense pain.  So, he referred me to a physical therapist.  I thought he was crazy, but it turned out that she was able to help the diagnosis.  I went to physical therapy for quite awhile, and she was able to determine the Overly sensitive skin, the lack of mobility, the pain, the intolerance to cold, the change in color and the darkening of my arm hair.  All these signs pointed her towards Reflux Sympathetic Dystrophy.  During this time frame, I was desperately trying anything that would ease the pain.  It gets you to a point of mentally breaking down.  Its the most alone I've ever felt and it seemed like the more people I would surround myself with, the more alone I actually felt because none of them knew or understood what I was going through.  It was hard to talk about, because it seemed like it was consuming my life, and I was going to mentally explode because nobody believed me!  If it wasn't for Kari Bodwin, The physical Therapist, Who knows how long it would have taken for them to figure it out!!  And because I didn't have health insurance, all the doctors that saw me, Including Kari, did it all for free!!!  She was amazing!!!  The very first day I saw her, she created a "cast" type protector for my hand and my pinky.  There wasn't anything we could do  to protect both my fingers and the portion of my hand without restricting my movement, which is the opposite effect that she wanted.  She never once made me feel like I was faking it or just wanting the medication!  It got to the point that the physical therapist's called my Doctor's office and Chewed them out for not medicating me and helping me manage the pain.  So, they put me on some narcotic medication in addition to the Nerve medications.  Sadly...this didn't really help either!  They also made me seek out a Therapist as well because so many RSD patients commit suicide. It was immediately a requirement of my treatment. I did everything they asked for about the first 3 or 4 years. I was constantly at the doctors office.  At least 3-4 appointments a week...every week!  It got really old, really fast!  Especially when all they were telling me was "I'm sorry, there is no cure".