February 23, 2013

Greetings,

This is a beautiful sunny day!  We have been blessed to have had fairly good weather this winter season. 

And, I can say the same for health in various persons that I have been around and with these past several weeks.  And, this we are grateful for.

However, I have talked to several persons that know somebody who have RSDS/CRPS.  And, they are not feeling so well this week.  Again, a fall or injury has either started or flared up their RSDS/CRPS.  This is a condition that gives no regard to the spinal cord and blood flow to one's body. 

As I was listening to their stories this week and praying for them, I felt blessed that my RSDS/CRPS is calm at this time.  A few weeks ago, I could not say this.  Remember, trauma is what will bring the RSDS/CRPS to the surface. It will lay dormant and come in great surprise as a snake would come forth from under something. I had some inflammation in several areas of my body and it has gone on now for approximately five months.  This is trauma to RSDS/CRPS persons.  So, this causes 'PAIN'.

Persons with RSDS/CRPS refer to different terms in describing this condition and referring to the persons that have it.  One lady refers to RSDS/CRPS persons as, 'sufferers', another one refers to us as 'people', another refers us as, 'patients'. 
I like to refer us as, persons.  We are still the person that we were before we were diagnosed with RSDS/CRPS.  We don't refer persons with any others condition as 'sufferers'.  Would we call a person with 'cancer' a 'sufferer'?  I would not.  I would refer to a person with cancer as a person.  I feel that when we label persons even if it comes from the 'person' who has the condition that it somehow reflects a disease that is heavy and that is what we see when we see them or hear anything about them.  Their name is mentioned and we think: 'sufferer', 'patient', 'disease' or something in this regard.

All persons that have a condition and there aren't too many people out there that doesn't have one thing or another that is not from birth.  It is something that they have developed or come their way that is a condition that they learn to cope and live with.  So, why should RSDS/CRPS persons be any different? 

I do feel that  RSDS/CRPS does need to be brought forth more in the media and medical arena to help and support persons with this condition.  However, to label them isn't my view of support in a way that I can see or sense.  We are persons with a 'DIS-EASE'.  Yes, a dis-ease in our bodies that need to be recognized, treated and supported.  We need to learn skills and tools to help us cope and in turn ease our pain and help ourselves and help others.  This is a journey that was chosen for us and not the other way around.  However,  I feel if we do not strive to 'be on purpose', we somehow have fallen short of the mission that was entrusted to us. This is just how I feel personally.

I have chosen to close my posting today with a poem that I penned this a.m. 
So, until next time, remember that we are all in this together and we are family in a way that interlocks us in an unfamiliar path from persons that do not have RSDS/CRPS.  However, I feel we are persons that can/will cope for the good of ourselves and others if we receive the proper support, an awareness and treatment that we all deserve.  Let's lock together as a team and share from our hearts.

As I penned this RSDS/CRPS poem, it was just after I heard from an RSDS person that is hurting and very depressed so I penned views from a 'person' that is in pain and a 'person' that has RSD but isn't hurting as much as the other person at this time.  Our emotions frustrates
from time to time and I feel it is important to keep that in mind as we support one another.
 
The RSDS/CRPS poem will follow soon.

God Bless, Doris