Guest guest Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Donna, Welcome to the group. I too am in Massachusetts, Western side.....how bout you? Hope that they're able to nail a diagnosis down for you soon and that the approval for those blocks comes thru quickly for you. Take care and again welcome TriciaDonna Day wrote: Ok..I've been lurking for the past week since coming across this group whiledoing some research on RSDS. I figured it was about time I introduced myselfas well.My name is Donna, I'm 35, married with one child and I live inMassachusetts. I was "tentatively" diagnosed with RSDS by a pain managementdr after having battled the last 8 months with pain due to a wrist sprainthat was work related. I work in an Alzheimers unit and was doing personalcare when she became combative and twisted my wrist. Since that time insteadof it improving it has steadily become worse so that now the pain hastraveled up my arm to my shoulder and neck. I have been in therapy for thelast 3 months with little improvement. They are planning on doing a painblock but Im waiting for approval on that. Everything has been hurry up andwait, maybe its this and maybe its that. The whole experience has beenfrustrating to say the least, but I guess thats the game of workers compLOL!Anyway, the closest that they have come to a reason for the problems overthe last 8 months is the RSDS so thats what they are trying to confirm atthis point. All the things I have read about seem to point to it but withoutthe proper testing they cant confirm.I am still working fulltime however that is harder and harder every day,especially since I am still working on the same unit with the sameunpredictable patients (I love them but they are hard on the body lol). I amconsidering dropping from 40 hours to 32 after this summer all depending onhow the testing goes and how much time I have to take off for the blocks, drappt's, tests etc.Anyway, thats me in a nutshell You have a great group here, thank you!Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Donna welcome to a wanderful group;;;; happy to have you here.... Pinkie MSN Toolbar provides one-click access to Hotmail from any Web page – FREE download! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Donna, Welcome to our group. How wonderful that you work with Alzheimer's patients.. my Father in law is afflicted and the people that care for him are really special people. We have a few members up in Mass. I'm sure you'll be hearing from them as well. Hopefully, they will get your block approved, and you'll get a final diagnose that does not include RSD!! Hugs, Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Donna - Welcome from your neighbor in Massachusetts. There are a couple of us here in the group from Massachusetts. I too work full-time and fully understand how difficult that can be. I'm a child and family therapist at an in-patient residential facility for kids. I've got the 7 - 12 year old boys so I kinda have a picture of what it feels like to never know if you're going to get whacked. Thankfully, although it has been a close call at times, the kids are pretty good about letting me know when they need extra support to help them stay in control of their impulses. I hope that you're getting good treatment and that you will find this group to be a supportive place. Nice folks here. What part of Mass are you from? BarbaraDonna Day wrote: Ok..I've been lurking for the past week since coming across this group whiledoing some research on RSDS. I figured it was about time I introduced myselfas well.My name is Donna, I'm 35, married with one child and I live inMassachusetts. I was "tentatively" diagnosed with RSDS by a pain management Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 There are a couple of us here in the group from Massachusetts Hi Barbara, My husband was born in Saugus, MA and moved to NJ shortly after. His mother was born and raised in MA, they lived in Lynn for a long time. We were hoping to go to MA this Summer, looks like it may be closer to Fall instead. Take Care,Sandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 I've been lurking for the past week since coming across this group whiledoing some research on RSDS. I figured it was about time I introduced myselfas well.My name is Donna, I'm 35, married with one child and I live inMassachusetts. I was "tentatively" diagnosed with RSDS by a pain management Hi Donna and welcome to the group! How long has it been since doctor gave you the tenative diagnosis? Does he have a treatment plan established for you? Take care and again, Welcome! Sandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Donna, It sure sounds like the monster of RSD. Welcome, to the group, you will find that we are all here for you and if you need anything we will do our best to help you. I am in PT right now and they recomend ice, and then my doc has given me lidoderm patches, these do help me a bit, ask your doc about it. Anyway, welcome to our group. Donna Day wrote: Ok..I've been lurking for the past week since coming across this group whiledoing some research on RSDS. I figured it was about time I introduced myselfas well.My name is Donna, I'm 35, married with one child and I live inMassachusetts. I was "tentatively" diagnosed with RSDS by a pain managementdr after having battled the last 8 months with pain due to a wrist sprainthat was work related. I work in an Alzheimers unit and was doing personalcare when she became combative and twisted my wrist. Since that time insteadof it improving it has steadily become worse so that now the pain hastraveled up my arm to my shoulder and neck. I have been in therapy for thelast 3 months with little improvement. They are planning on doing a painblock but Im waiting for approval on that. Everything has been hurry up andwait, maybe its this and maybe its that. The whole experience has beenfrustrating to say the least, but I guess thats the game of workers compLOL!Anyway, the closest that they have come to a reason for the problems overthe last 8 months is the RSDS so thats what they are trying to confirm atthis point. All the things I have read about seem to point to it but withoutthe proper testing they cant confirm.I am still working fulltime however that is harder and harder every day,especially since I am still working on the same unit with the sameunpredictable patients (I love them but they are hard on the body lol). I amconsidering dropping from 40 hours to 32 after this summer all depending onhow the testing goes and how much time I have to take off for the blocks, drappt's, tests etc.Anyway, thats me in a nutshell You have a great group here, thank you!Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Hi The dr at the pain clinic gave me lidoderm patches. They are great except when I'm putting them on during the day I need to stop and consider exactly WHICH area hurts the most and will do the most good for having the patch there. They only gave me 30 for the month so I try and use them sparingly and on good days try and go without entirely so that on the more painful days I can use more than 1 at a time. Some days its 2 to the arm and days like today I'm ok without any..not to say Im not sore but its tolerable with tylenol and a slow paced afternoon. I got the call this afternoon from the clinic confirming the injections for 6/22 and 6/29. YAY! Who here has had them done? Are they real painful and will I end up losing time from work following the procedure? I do alot of heavy lifting at the facility and wonder how long thats going to put me on mod duty if at all. The woman at the office was unable to tell me anything. I'm nervous about having them done but Im anxious to have some relief. Its been 8 months of unconfirmed answers with little relief lately even from OT. My last approved appt is this coming monday and she doesnt feel that I will acheive anymore from working with her and that I need to go into PT at this point, however I have not been able to get into see the orthopedist in Boston for a new script, and he wont write one without seeing me AND Workers Comp is sitting on paying for me to return to him so there will be a lag in me getting back into PT probably by at least a month in the meantime she gave me some great postural exercises to do but it wont help me much with the deep tissue massages she has been doing with me when the muscles really cramp up! Sorry for the rambling LOL I've gotten a little frustrated over the last few months.. I hope everyone is having a great Friday and a wonderful weekend! Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Call us ! Maybe we could meet at a halfway point (after driving to Boston today and having to do the same thing tomorrow I truly hesitate to project that I will be willing to drive that far again. LOL. I can't understand how folks do that trek on a daily basis!) Barbara PINEY7@... wrote: There are a couple of us here in the group from Massachusetts Hi Barbara, My husband was born in Saugus, MA and moved to NJ shortly after. His mother was born and raised in MA, they lived in Lynn for a long time. We were hoping to go to MA this Summer, looks like it may be closer to Fall instead. Take Care,Sandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Sandi... What year was your husband born? Mine was born in Saugus as well in 1962 at Saugus General. Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 5, 2004 Report Share Posted June 5, 2004 Thankfully they are being supportive but it is becoming more difficult as > my hands are getting really bad. Lori, its great that you have supportive co-workers! I work on a small floor with only a handful of women. They are familiar with the nature of my injury however they are less than patient when it comes to me having my " good days " and my " bad " . I have already gone to my supervisor and spoken with her so that should there be any complaints about my productivity or lack there of she is armed with knowledge of whats going on with me. I havent felt it necessary to tell the entire unit about what may or may not be going on with me. Once a diagnosis is confirmed I will be more willing to discuss it. In the meantime only my closest friends there know. I pray that they confirm that you have RSD > soon and that they treat it soon - the earlier the better! Thank you Lori, I too pray that they come to some sort of conclusion soon and they can start proper treatment. It's a blessing to know though that the pain isnt in my head and that there is a real reason for what I've been suffering now for months! and yes the people on this group are awesome! Thank you to each of you for your words of encouragement and your kindness! Hugs! Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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