Hello! [My Story]

[Guest guest]

Hey there! I'm new to the group & just decided to tell you my story

if anyone reads it! [hehe]

I'm 20 yrs old and my name is Casey. I'm from Pennsylvania & have

RSD!

Well, I was coming home from getting my schedule @ work & stopping @

Mc's for the only food I like from there, CHICKEN NUGGETS . .

& it started to POUR. Not just any pour...this was one of the worst

rains we have seen in a long time the weather people said.

I reached a stretch of road that I know find out TONS of crashes

have been on but they won't do anything about it!

The road has a dip in it about the length of a car and 1/2 and water

collects. I didn't know this.

I wasn't going the speed limit. The signs say 45 and I was going

probably a little over 35 because my windshield wipers on HIGH

didn't really do the job..but I hit that patch of water, and my car

hydroplaned. I knew it was happening and I tried to cut the wheel &

slam on the breaks like anyone headed towards a guard rail would do,

but it did nothing. I looked over into the other lane & saw a HUGE

dump truck coming and I KNEW what would happen but I wasn't

scared...I don't know if it was because " someone " was in the car

with me and wasn't letting me get scared, OR I didn't have enough

time to be scared. [i say the 1st one]

Well, after I hit the guard rail, my air bags popped out and knocked

me out and I woke up on the other side of the road pinned between a

cement jearsey barrier & that damn dump tuck.

I woke up with my hands on my face and my glasses still in tact and

I remember asking myself, " OMG...AM I STILL ALIVE? " Cause it seemed

so FAKE!! And I remember thinking I was still moving, but that was

just the engine from the dump truck in my face.

I flew over to the passanger side.

I WAS BUCKELED.

I NEVER GET INTO A CAR WITHOUT LOCKING THE DOORS & BUCKLING!

But as I woke up, I smelled and saw smoke and I remember

thinking... " No, I will not die because my car blew up on me! " So I

desperately tried crawling out my passanger side window where I

was! My right leg was pinned under me with my toes pointed to the

seat and I could not move for the life of me.

People that were behind that truck and behind me were at my door

holding my hair back and getting it out of my eyes cause it was

still POURING and they covered me with blankets and coats and rugs

and everything so I wouldn't get too cold. I started to throw up

and they say that's a sign that you're going into shock, so they one

red head lady that was there grabbed my face and talked to me and

would not let not talk.

[The only reason I know all this is because the lady later called me

that week to see how I was...I don't remember her at all but I thank

GOD she was there!!]

But she said I was in the car for about 45 minutes to an hr with my

foot under me like that before the cops and ambulance crew came and

once they did the only person I remember down to a T was DAVE. He

made me unroll the drivers side window [That & the sunroof to my

brand new not even 6 mths old 2004 Pontiac Sunfire, were the ONLY

windows not broken] and then he crawled in and covered me and him

with a giant white sheet while they cut the roof off.

They then put a neck brace on me and put me on a backboard and

stretcher and put me in the ambulance and I was rushed to UPMC.

I wasn't diagnosed with RSD right away.

I went thru a worthless Dr here locally and he didn't give me

anything for pain and just answered my questions with meaningless " I

Don't Know " responces. Not my idea of a great doctor.

So my Godmother works for the Dr in Western PA voted #1 for the

lower body like foot, ankle & leg so after a month later I was in

the care of Dr * & %$#@! @ 3 Rivers Orthopedic. THE BEST DR IN THE

WORLD [i think so]

My Godmother would tell him about me [before I went to him] and he

knew right away it was RSD. He saw me and said it's a classic RSD

case. Nerve tests showed that I damaged both of the strands of

nerves in my leg from my knee down & ta-da - - - RSD!!!

The firey pain went away after a month with 3x a day or Neurontin,

Elavil before bed [because I haden't had sleep in a LONG time due to

when I closed my eyes, I saw that wreck over and over] & Lidoderm

Patches!

I'm now in Edema Therapy because the swelling is so bad [My Dr.

thought I had a blood clot because it was so swelled].

That's actually fun.

It's painful but I think it's fun because I'll be walking

eventually. I lost 5 centimeters of muscle in my calf and theigh

and all the other places muscles should be. Which that Dr said it

seems like a little but actually it's drastic. [lol - go figure ah?]

I've been mentally drained, but physically strong due to using

crutches to get around...

It's so amazing how life can change in a matter of seconds.

My education @ UPMC for Nursing is on HOLD right now, my job is on

HOLD.

My law suit is going great though [LOL]

and I even get paid for missed wages @ work because I'm a trauma

case!

But every single dr and family friend has soo much pain for me and

wonder how I do it cause I'm 20, and my life just STOPPED.

I've been told by a lot of Dr's that I'm one of the youngest RSD

patients they've ever seen. [cool!]

I've learned to not take forgranted a lot of things.

I look at people walk and just close my eyes and wonder what it's

going to be like again!!

I give all you people credit because I KNOW what you're going

through!

God Bless ALL of you and thank you for listening to my story!!

There are tons of pictures & news & updates @ my personal website!

Http://wakeup.to/Casey

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH and THANK YOU FOR JUST LISTENING TO ME!!!

It's nice to have people who KNOW what I'm going thru.

I promise I won't post any of my venting or anything, I save that

for my webpage and journal! [LOL]

Take Care & God Bless!

Love,

Casey

If you use AOL, Yahoo!, or MSN add me!!

AOL - - - milks h a k e ah

Yahoo! - CMisejka

MSN - - CMisejka@...

THANK YOU!!

[Guest guest]

Thank you for sharing your story with us. There are probably more people

who have been through a traumatic accident in this group than you would imagine.

Mine was a semi-trailer truck that decided to broadside me on the driver's

side, somehow latch me onto the truck and slam me into the windshield 5 times,

then let go, and I passed out as I realized I was airborne. I woke up with my

hands glued to my face, and heard a voice ask if I was OK. I'd been thrown 20

ft. high, and travelled 30 ft. into a ditch and came down front end first, and

they were asking if I was OK?

All I remember is telling them I couldn't move my hands from my face because

if I did it would all crack apart in teeny little pieces and fall down to my

chin and I would have no face. My seat belt saved my life.

The officer at the scene called my husband two weeks later to offer his

condolences on my death. I found out the paramedics used a code to tell the

hospital that I probably wouldn't make it there alive.

My first coherent thought was " Why am I still alive? What does God want me

on earth for? "

I wasn't meant to die that day. Neither were you. And we both have one or

more purposes to fulfill yet.

I think one of them is to be part of this group and try to help others.

We have something else in common. The only food I'll get at Mc's are

the nuggets! I like the sweet n'sour sauce. How about you? Too funny!

I'm very happy that you're here with us.

Hugs,

Jo

Casey wrote:

I'm 20 yrs old and my name is Casey. I'm from Pennsylvania & have

RSD!

Well, I was coming home from getting my schedule @ work & stopping @

Mc's for the only food I like from there, CHICKEN NUGGETS . .

& it started to POUR.

[Guest guest]

Casey,

Wow, you have been through so much at such a young age! I truly

feel for you! Someone was definitely in that car with you, watching

over you that day! But what amazes me the most is the truly

positive spirit you possess. Your energy just vibrates through your

letter!

I have a feeling that your positive energy is going to take you very

far in life. You're working hard to move forward from where you are

right now, and you're not letting what has happened take away the

inner beauty of your spirit. I truly admire that. I hope that the

work you are doing with this doctor pays off for you, so that you

can continue with your nursing education, and get back to the normal

life of a young person.

How are the Lidoderm patches working for you? My doctor prescribed

them to me for lower back pain (bulging disc/SI joint dysfunction),

but didn't guarantee that they would work. However, they do work,

and fast! I love them, and there are days that I'm so grateful that

I have them!

You take care of yourself, and keep us updated on your progress.

All my best,

Jen

[Guest guest]

Hi Casey,

Welcome to the group. What a horrible accident and then to be left with RSD!

At least you got a diagnosis soon after. Many people suffer in chronic pain

for many years before someone can diagnose the problem. I know that was how

it was for me.

This is a wonderful group of people who share their strength and hope and a

wealth of information. I look forward to getting to know you here. I added

you to my buddy list on aol. You can do the same.

Krag52. Feel free to vent here, as we share just about all aspects of our

lives with chronic pain.

Kathleen in NC