Ginny/Jai

[Guest guest]

I was a dental hygienist until june 2001...I couldn't do my job anymore...My drs all told me it..And I would not believe that at the age of 32 with 2 children that I was not going to be able to work ever again. So I decided that if I could not be a dental hygienist there were other jobs out there.

Hi Ginnny,

another similarity between the two of us, I too had to stop working at 32 years of age. I had my injury (poisonous spider bite which caused necrotizing faciitis). This was July of 99. Had surgery right away, did not get all of the venom so it kept eating away at my leg. Worked until October 27,1999 and had my "radical" surgery October 28,1999. I was supposed to go back to work Nov. 17th. Never happened. Walked into the hospital and have not walked since. Every complication that could have happened did. I have now had 18 major surgeries, countless blocks, numerous procedures like manipulation under anesthesia, central line placements, port placement, etc.........Been on disability since 2000. I was an RN with a very good job and just enjoyed life. Wow how things can change. I was not dx with RSD until March of 2000 and despite rigorous tx there has been no remission. I have spent 100's of days in the hospital, months at a time. A lot of it in isolation due to some weird infections such as MRSA and cutaneous Tuberculosis. I keep my nursing licensee current on line and I am also studying to be a vet tech. Basically an RN fro animals. Still cant drive but that will come soon. Like you I have Raynaud's which was dx at 18YO. I know you have that too. Basically the first two years I have no memories. That is slowly resolving, been having much better time with that. Thank God for family, friends, and all of you to help me through this mess!!!!! I love you all!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love, Jai

[Guest guest]

Jai,

You have been through so much. I can't imagine what you must have gone through all those days and months in the hospital. The longest hospitalization was a month and a half when I was pregnant with my son and kept going into premature labor...I just about went nuts being in bed with nothing to do. It's horrible to go through so many surgeries with no positive results. I have given up on keeping my certifications in dental hygienist up...I would have to get re-certified for radiology and my extended licence. I could still clean teeth but couldn't do alot more then that..like deep scaling..sealing molars for children...or even take x-rays. I would basically be useless in my field because I didn't keep up my continueing ed. But I also know I couldn't do this anymore anyways...so I decided not to focus on keeping up on new technologies and my licence. The weird thing is that whatever the RSD is doing to my hands it is making my hands

very warm and sometimes even very hot...I have always had very cold hands...I have gone out in 20 degree weather for the first time without gloves without them hurting and turning white with a blue tinge. I picked up snow in my bare hands and it actually felt good which was downright scary...lol. My left foot has been so much better too in the last week..where as my right foot is still freezing and even gets the frost bite feeling with 2 socks and shoe on. Does the RSD affect your raynaud's like this? I will sometimes though have my arm and hand cold but it is still not like it ever was with raynaud's...it doesn't hurt like pins and needles and throbbing pain when it is cold. It sometimes has the burning pain with the coldness but nothing like what i have lived with all my life. I Love animals too and almost became a vet..so good luck with your studies. It would be great for you to be able to even volunteer if you couldn't keep a full

or part-time job in the field. I know how painful plurisy can be..how are you doing? I hope much better ...Hugs..Ginnyjaismonkey@... wrote:

I was a dental hygienist until june 2001...I couldn't do my job anymore...My drs all told me it..And I would not believe that at the age of 32 with 2 children that I was not going to be able to work ever again. So I decided that if I could not be a dental hygienist there were other jobs out there.

Hi Ginnny,

another similarity between the two of us, I too had to stop working at 32 years of age. I had my injury (poisonous spider bite which caused necrotizing faciitis). This was July of 99. Had surgery right away, did not get all of the venom so it kept eating away at my leg. Worked until October 27,1999 and had my "radical" surgery October 28,1999. I was supposed to go back to work Nov. 17th. Never happened. Walked into the hospital and have not walked since. Every complication that could have happened did. I have now had 18 major surgeries, countless blocks, numerous procedures like manipulation under anesthesia, central line placements, port placement, etc.........Been on disability since 2000. I was an RN with a very good job and just enjoyed life. Wow how things can change. I was not dx with RSD until March of 2000 and despite rigorous tx there has been no remission. I have spent 100's of days in the hospital,

months at a time. A lot of it in isolation due to some weird infections such as MRSA and cutaneous Tuberculosis. I keep my nursing licensee current on line and I am also studying to be a vet tech. Basically an RN fro animals. Still cant drive but that will come soon. Like you I have Raynaud's which was dx at 18YO. I know you have that too. Basically the first two years I have no memories. That is slowly resolving, been having much better time with that. Thank God for family, friends, and all of you to help me through this mess!!!!! I love you all!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love, Jai

[Guest guest]

Jai,

You have been through so much. I can't imagine what you must have gone through all those days and months in the hospital. The longest hospitalization was a month and a half when I was pregnant with my son and kept going into premature labor...I just about went nuts being in bed with nothing to do. It's horrible to go through so many surgeries with no positive results. I have given up on keeping my certifications in dental hygienist up...I would have to get re-certified for radiology and my extended licence. I could still clean teeth but couldn't do alot more then that..like deep scaling..sealing molars for children...or even take x-rays. I would basically be useless in my field because I didn't keep up my continueing ed. But I also know I couldn't do this anymore anyways...so I decided not to focus on keeping up on new technologies and my licence. The weird thing is that whatever the RSD is doing to my hands it is making my hands

very warm and sometimes even very hot...I have always had very cold hands...I have gone out in 20 degree weather for the first time without gloves without them hurting and turning white with a blue tinge. I picked up snow in my bare hands and it actually felt good which was downright scary...lol. My left foot has been so much better too in the last week..where as my right foot is still freezing and even gets the frost bite feeling with 2 socks and shoe on. Does the RSD affect your raynaud's like this? I will sometimes though have my arm and hand cold but it is still not like it ever was with raynaud's...it doesn't hurt like pins and needles and throbbing pain when it is cold. It sometimes has the burning pain with the coldness but nothing like what i have lived with all my life. I Love animals too and almost became a vet..so good luck with your studies. It would be great for you to be able to even volunteer if you couldn't keep a full

or part-time job in the field. I know how painful plurisy can be..how are you doing? I hope much better ...Hugs..Ginnyjaismonkey@... wrote:

I was a dental hygienist until june 2001...I couldn't do my job anymore...My drs all told me it..And I would not believe that at the age of 32 with 2 children that I was not going to be able to work ever again. So I decided that if I could not be a dental hygienist there were other jobs out there.

Hi Ginnny,

another similarity between the two of us, I too had to stop working at 32 years of age. I had my injury (poisonous spider bite which caused necrotizing faciitis). This was July of 99. Had surgery right away, did not get all of the venom so it kept eating away at my leg. Worked until October 27,1999 and had my "radical" surgery October 28,1999. I was supposed to go back to work Nov. 17th. Never happened. Walked into the hospital and have not walked since. Every complication that could have happened did. I have now had 18 major surgeries, countless blocks, numerous procedures like manipulation under anesthesia, central line placements, port placement, etc.........Been on disability since 2000. I was an RN with a very good job and just enjoyed life. Wow how things can change. I was not dx with RSD until March of 2000 and despite rigorous tx there has been no remission. I have spent 100's of days in the hospital,

months at a time. A lot of it in isolation due to some weird infections such as MRSA and cutaneous Tuberculosis. I keep my nursing licensee current on line and I am also studying to be a vet tech. Basically an RN fro animals. Still cant drive but that will come soon. Like you I have Raynaud's which was dx at 18YO. I know you have that too. Basically the first two years I have no memories. That is slowly resolving, been having much better time with that. Thank God for family, friends, and all of you to help me through this mess!!!!! I love you all!!!!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love, Jai