RSD/CRPS Doesn't Own Me

Christa Whightsel

 Christa Whightsel is a 24 year old from Ohio. She has had RSD/CRPS for four years and each day is a struggle.
Christa was injured while taking the trash out at work one day and that injury from the trash cart running into her caused her RSD. She is currently living at home with her family and her two dogs, Kathy and Chanupa and a cat named Roxie. She likes to stay busy with her Amazing Friends and her Wonderful Husband Joey.

It helps her keep hope to bring happiness and hope into the lives of her fellow RSD Angels. So in order to spread more awareness and RSD Angel Hope she decided to start a group and non-profit organization called RSD/CRPS Doesn't Own me.

She is grateful to God for allowing her to be able to live life to the fullest and to have met all the amazing people she has.

Life is always worth living and Christa lives by this mantra, "Reach for the Stars, eventually your arm will stretch. If you fall short, reach with another person, even then you are that much closer!"

http://kissafightingfish.blogspot.com/

Krista Lynn Hughes

Krista Lynn Hughes is a 40 year old who has lived most of her life in Georgia. She has been living with CRPS for five (5) years. Krista was injured with an IV needle in November 2006 after she was admitted into the hospital to get some intravenous drugs because she had a migraine for a week. Krista went into the hospital with a migraine and came out with severe foot pain. At the time, she did not know she had CRPS. It took six (6) doctors in 15 months for Krista to be diagnosed with CRPS Type II in 2008.

Krista is a Christian and loves the Lord. Her faith in God gets her through the day. She enjoys spending time with her family, her best friend, her online friends, and her two Jack Russell Terriers, Nicholas and Rustie. She is very passionate about CRPS awareness and animal rights. Krista loves writing poetry, blogging, and running her websites in her spare time.

Three years after her injury, Krista co-founded a support group and non-profit organization called RSD/CRPS Doesn't Own Me with her good friend Christa Whightsel. "We provide support when you need it the most and with each other we can find strength together because this battle is not easily done alone. It is through awareness and great support that we create the best chance we have for a happy and full life."

CRPS has changed Krista's life forever. She cannot change what has happened to her, but she can move forward and live her life the best way she can. Krista has learned to cope by living her life day-to-day. Giving up has never been in her vocabulary and she will never give up without a fight. Krista is at peace with her life. She gets her hope, faith, and courage each and everyday from her wonderful family, her awesome friends, and most of all her faith in God.

http://SweetPeaAngel.com

Mandy Winner

 Car accident 12.2.09, the pain was so awful from the moment the car stopped! I was told things like, oh stop you just have a sprained ankle. No, it was no sprain. I had Edema of the bone marrow found at 6 weeks, only after being diagnosed with RSD. I was so unwell. I went from DR to DR hoping for a different DX. No such luck! I had RSD. I attempted every route possible to stop the pain. I even did Ketamine at 4 months. I did HBOT, I did the pills, I did the blocks, mirror therapy. I got so angry as many people do, I went from being someone who ran to the DR for a cough, to someone who didn't trust a DR. Help, not harm, right? I felt I was being harmed.

I was dying inside, this was not me. I was active, playing hard. Yep, me, hard balling it. It had to stop. There had to be a change. I was not going to be this person who was going to tell me how I was going to live. That is so not me. I ran the show. I was not going to spend 4 out of 7 days going to DRs spend what they told us to. We had even done 16 days of high dose out patient Ketamine. I had great responses to everything I tried, it didn’t cure me though.

I needed to take everything I knew and begin to alter it, alter my life and everything around me. Certain things I had to add. It has been the hardest thing I have ever had to face, I still face it. I made so many changes. My husband quit his job of 9+ yrs, we sold or gave away all we had, bought a RV, traveled and found a place that was less harmful to my health. I had never had to think about the weather being hazardous to my heath before. I found me again; in that journey that takes you to God’s country. I spent lots of time there with just me and mine.

I knew life to be beautiful. I’m now taken a more natural approach to having this syndrome. I fight everyday still. I am full body. I have a support group in my local area. I work hard for you, the patient, mother, father, sister, brother, and me and my family every day. The next 10 yrs I hope we have made the difference, why, because I care.

 Judy Halas

 Hello, My name is Judy Halas. I am a 47 year old woman who has been afflicted with    CRPS/RSD for five years now . I developed this neurological pain disorder from an injury I sustained at my nursing job. Let me tell you what it’s like to switch roles from a nurse to a patient. It is probably one of the most enlightening experiences I have ever had, besides motherhood that is. I lost total control of myself. The pain was so excruciating that I had wanted to end my life at different times throughout this five year battle. I underwent ever known treatment and therapy that I could get my hands on to try and halt or reverse this horrible disorder. I was only able to make small advances and not one thing really worked well for me or lasted very long. My spirit began to fade. I had lost my ability to think clearly and independently due to the medications I had to take. I lost the will to keep a positive attitude and push on. I had to give up my 20 year nursing career and again I lost part of myself.  I’d like to tell you what I have gained ! I have gained a sense that I am not any less of a person now because I am disabled. I have gained so many great RSD angels in my Life. I met Christa, one of  our page founders through a support website for CRPS. It really changed my life. I finally took a long look at all the young people afflicted with this disease and saw how they had learned to overcome and endure the pain. I grew stronger by listening and understanding their intense will to not give in or give up. I learned that this disease does not define me. I am still a strong, loving and giving person despite my handicaps. I walk with a limp, slower and not as far. I sit longer and not as comfortable. I have had to change nearly every aspect of my life because of RSD/CRPS.   

Flora Langel DeKock 

Greetings, my name is Flora Langel DeKock. I am a 32 year old mother of a 9 year old millennium baby and a recent graduate with a BS in Religious Studies at the University of Northern Iowa. I excel with computer software and love learning new things. 
Unfortunately for the last 10 years, I have been learning about something second hand and first hand for the last 2-4 years myself. Sometime prior to when my son was born, my mother twisted her left ankle triggering a normally easily treated disorder called sinus tarsai syndrome which causes the fluid in the ankle to act as if it is infected and create a puss like substance which pushes pressure on the joints in the ankle. Unfortunately as this was not treated properly right away, it is believed the beginning cause of my mother’s initial diagnosis of RSDS. Known then as reflexive sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, this wasn’t diagnosed until she was a solid 3 years into the symptoms. Once diagnosed, I started researching what could help her, what could slow it down, what not to do and what to do. As I researched, I found time and time again on sites saying that those afflicted should NOT immobilize the limb, should not ice the area, and should not do aggressive physical therapy. Three things that are standard treatment for the symptoms she was suffering without recognizing the disorder was in place. These three things my mother was forced to do for three years until the point where she broke and couldn't take anymore.
My mother’s condition and all of the research I suggested women had higher chances of contracting the disorder. At the time, documentation suggested Caucasian women over 40 were also more likely to be diagnosed with it as well as there were documents that suggest a genetic link. Since then, this documentation has been altered as they are recognizing it earlier and finding it in children as young as toddlers. There has even been found a significant difference in Vietnam where males have it more frequently than women. Lastly, since the starting of the increase in study, there has not been found any verified genetic link. 

 Tammy W. Broselow

 Hi all! I'm Tammy and my RSD was diagnosed in 1995. I broke my ankle and injured my Achilles tendon 3 times in one year. I loved playing baseball since I was 7 years old. I so miss playing! I have always loved helping others and still do. I worked for many different doctors, PT and OT's over the years as a Medical Insurance Specialist. Things have changed some since I've became disabled but I try to keep updated on various insurance and options as now I am helping myself with various needs. So why not share that information with others! I've been through so many treatments from medication, nerve blocks, injections, surgeries from nerve relief to spinal cord stimulator implants (SCS). My RSD has started spreading to other limb by 2001 had upgraded dual SCS. Since then the RSD has spread full body over the years. Lately the doctors say nothing else to up my dosage of medication and my next option is a medicated pump. I said no morphine they said oh no worries we would use dilaudid. I said well then I think I will wait for now. I love this site as this is the first group I came to at a time of need and the ladies have helped me so much. Although we do have men in the group too who have also been great! As of 2010 I am now a widow with kids all grown and out of the house. I searched to find myself again. I have to say Christa and Krista have been great motivators to me in helping others with what I know or can research and find out. Please feel free to ask me anything. Not afraid to say I don't know but will look up or even call and try and find out for you. I know one thing; I will never let RSD keep me down!! There is life with RSD! Thus became my motto, "Here's to more tolerable days!" =~ )

Kylee Black 

My name is Kylee Black and I’m a 23 year old girl living in New Zealand.

On the 10 November 2008 I had a kickboxing accident where I partially tore the hamstring and groin muscle in my left leg as well as over stretching the sciatic nerve. RSD appeared pretty much immediately, although it wasn’t officially diagnosed until January... For me the colour changes were immediate and things spiraled out of control pretty quickly... By the time I was diagnosed it has already spread. By March I was bed bound, by May I was diagnosed full body with organ involvement. I had complications in which overnight I lost complete use of my left hand side... I have had to fight hard to regain use and continue to fight for that use... I have had many different treatments, including low and high dose ketamine treatments... The high dose ketamine treatments got me out of being bed bound... Though their availability in my country is no longer...

This is a long as twisted journey... I will not let it beat me... I will continue to fight and push myself... RSD does not define who I am... I am determined to stay positive in this and do what I can... I want to make a difference! Together united we can beat this disease! We will win!!