My RSD 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 Hasselman @ 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!!

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Support RSD

[Guest guest]

Casey - Welcome to the group and thanks for telling your story.The folks here are great and have a wealth of information and support to offer. Some of us have had RSD for a long time while others a "newbies." No matter the length of time, it still sucks canal water. I hope to get to know you better. Barbaracasey wrote:

Hey there! I'm new to the group & just decided to tell you my storyif anyone reads it! [hehe]I'm 20 yrs old and my name is Casey. I'm from Pennsylvania & haveRSD!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 worstrains we have seen in a long time the weather people said.I reached a stretch of road that I know find out TONS of crasheshave 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 watercollects. I didn't know this.I wasn't going the speed limit. The signs say 45 and I was goingprobably a little over 35 because my windshield wipers on HIGHdidn't really do the job..but I hit

that patch of water, and my carhydroplaned. 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 HUGEdump truck coming and I KNEW what would happen but I wasn'tscared...I don't know if it was because "someone" was in the carwith me and wasn't letting me get scared, OR I didn't have enoughtime to be scared. [i say the 1st one]Well, after I hit the guard rail, my air bags popped out and knockedme out and I woke up on the other side of the road pinned between acement jearsey barrier & that damn dump tuck.I woke up with my hands on my face and my glasses still in tact andI remember asking myself, "OMG...AM I STILL ALIVE?" Cause it seemedso FAKE!! And I remember thinking I was still moving, but that wasjust 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 rememberthinking..."No, I will not die because my car blew up on me!" So Idesperately tried crawling out my passanger side window where Iwas! My right leg was pinned under me with my toes pointed to theseat and I could not move for the life of me.People that were behind that truck and behind me were at my doorholding my hair back and getting it out of my eyes cause it wasstill POURING and they covered me with blankets and coats and rugsand everything so I wouldn't get too cold. I started to throw upand they say that's a sign that you're going into shock, so they onered head lady that was there grabbed my face and talked to me andwould not let not talk.[The only reason I know all this is because the lady later called methat week to see how I was...I don't remember her at all but I

thankGOD she was there!!]But she said I was in the car for about 45 minutes to an hr with myfoot under me like that before the cops and ambulance crew came andonce they did the only person I remember down to a T was DAVE. Hemade me unroll the drivers side window [That & the sunroof to mybrand new not even 6 mths old 2004 Pontiac Sunfire, were the ONLYwindows not broken] and then he crawled in and covered me and himwith a giant white sheet while they cut the roof off.They then put a neck brace on me and put me on a backboard andstretcher 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 meanything for pain and just answered my questions with meaningless "IDon't Know" responces. Not my idea of a great doctor.So my Godmother works for the Dr in Western PA voted #1 for thelower body like foot, ankle &

leg so after a month later I was inthe care of Dr Hasselman @ 3 Rivers Orthopedic. THE BEST DR IN THEWORLD [i think so]My Godmother would tell him about me [before I went to him] and heknew right away it was RSD. He saw me and said it's a classic RSDcase. Nerve tests showed that I damaged both of the strands ofnerves 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 towhen I closed my eyes, I saw that wreck over and over] & LidodermPatches!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 walkingeventually. I lost 5 centimeters of muscle in my calf and theighand all the other places muscles should be. Which that Dr said itseems

like a little but actually it's drastic. [lol - go figure ah?]I've been mentally drained, but physically strong due to usingcrutches 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 onHOLD.My law suit is going great though [LOL]and I even get paid for missed wages @ work because I'm a traumacase!But every single dr and family friend has soo much pain for me andwonder 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 RSDpatients 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'sgoing to be like again!!I give all you people credit because I KNOW what you're goingthrough!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/CaseyTHANK 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 thatfor my webpage and journal! [LOL]Take Care & God Bless!Love,CaseyIf you use AOL, Yahoo!, or MSN add me!!AOL - - - milks h a k e ahYahoo! - CMisejkaMSN - - CMisejka@...THANK YOU!!-Support RSD

[Guest guest]

Hi Casey! Welcome to the group. I'm from PA also. Where in PA are you? From the sounds of it, you're close to Pittsburg. I'm in Ridgway, which is in Elk County. And yes, we really do have Elk here. lol I usually don't post that much but I'm always reading. I prefer the messenger and private e-mails. But I saw you were from PA, so I had to say hi. There aren't too many of us from our state on here. Again, welcome to the group and I look forward to getting to know you better. Gentle hugs, Faith

Rock, jazz, country, soul more. Find the music you love on MSN Music!

[Guest guest]

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 thatfor my webpage and journal! [LOL]Take Care & God Bless!Love,Casey

Hi Casey,

Welcome to the group. I think you will find that we are good listeners. Don't worry about venting, or complaining or anything we have all done our share of both, at least I know I have. My name is Lin I live in Oregon. I have RSD in both legs, and I am one of the ones that nothing happened to bring it on.

Anyway welcome again,

Lin

[Guest guest]

Casey,

It is nice to meet you, I just read your story...that was amazing! I've never been in a really bad car accident, I couldn't even imagine how that was for you. You are a very strong person to go through all of this at yes...I'm going to say it...such a young age. I'm 33 and feel robbed of my life, but then I meet you and it puts things in a bit of perspective. I know you promised not to vent or anything here, but we all do it and is really helpful to talk to the group as they understand better than anyone how you might be feeling. Anyway, I look forward to getting to know you better...I hope you are having a good weekend.

<hugs> Lori

[Guest guest]

Casey,

It is nice to meet you, I just read your story...that was amazing! I've never been in a really bad car accident, I couldn't even imagine how that was for you. You are a very strong person to go through all of this at yes...I'm going to say it...such a young age. I'm 33 and feel robbed of my life, but then I meet you and it puts things in a bit of perspective. I know you promised not to vent or anything here, but we all do it and is really helpful to talk to the group as they understand better than anyone how you might be feeling. Anyway, I look forward to getting to know you better...I hope you are having a good weekend.

<hugs> Lori

[Guest guest]

Casey,

It is nice to meet you, I just read your story...that was amazing! I've never been in a really bad car accident, I couldn't even imagine how that was for you. You are a very strong person to go through all of this at yes...I'm going to say it...such a young age. I'm 33 and feel robbed of my life, but then I meet you and it puts things in a bit of perspective. I know you promised not to vent or anything here, but we all do it and is really helpful to talk to the group as they understand better than anyone how you might be feeling. Anyway, I look forward to getting to know you better...I hope you are having a good weekend.

<hugs> Lori