Elkhart, Indiana

It was May of 1999 and I was on my way home from one of my two full time employments when a sharp pain began in my left knee. The pain became so severe I could not even finish the drive home. I had not had any kind of injury and no surgery or IV’s. I was a newlywed by three weeks and, only one week after getting married, I moved in my ill sister from Las Vegas to take care of her. So here I am, three weeks after getting married in a new home and a new vehicle when I find out I can no longer work at either one of my jobs.

I was working 80 hours a week before I got RSD. We lost everything. Our home, our vehicle and all of our money. Just for your information, at the time I was 50 and had three grown sons. However, I am a positive person and was not going to give up. I was so fortunate that it only took six months to get diagnosed and find a really great RSD doctor here in Indiana. So began the medicines and the treatments. In time, the RSD spread to both legs, both feet, stomach, esophagus, back and face. I looked like a freak.. Swollen and purple everywhere. My face was so disfigured, you could not tell who I was.

However, I was not going to allow myself to feel hopeless or helpless. So I decided to make as many people as I could listen to me and what RSD was all about. I came up with an idea to have an Annual RSD Retreat here in Indiana. So my first Retreat was held in 2000. The Retreat is always for two full days, the last weekend in July.

I called our local TV station and I could not convince them to air information about RSD and the Retreat. I did not let this sway my determination. So I called the three major TV stations. No luck until I contacted Fox TV and they agreed to an interview!! I was so ecstatic. How wonderful, though a great responsibility. I had the opportunity to teach all those viewers about our plight, RSD. It was a great interview and for the next month wherever I was at I would get recognized. In the beauty shop, the grocery store, the bank.
So many people heard my story and wanted to know more. Soon the local paper called and asked if they could do a front-page story. Of course I said yes, yes, yes! I jumped into running my own little awareness campaign only eight months after getting RSD. It is never too early and never too late to take part in an awareness campaign in your city. Was I in severe pain while involved with all of these activities? You betcha! But it was all worth it! In 2005 I will be holding my 4th annual RSD Retreat where people travel from all over the Unites States to attend. The only way we are going to help ourselves is to get involved. Please do not hesitate…start today!

In December of 2004, I had been in a wheelchair for six months. I talk to so many people who give up all hope, especially once they are confined to a wheelchair. I am here to say, NEVER, ever give up hope for a cure or a remission. On December 29th, my RSD went into remission and I remain pain free to this day. I am not quite sure why or how, but I am free! I had a severe reaction to my doctors mixing the highest doses of pain medications and I was hospitalized for 16 days. I was only semi-conscious. When I woke up, I was pain free! I got out of the hospital and went to physical therapy for six weeks to get my strength back and I sit here pain free and active.

And you know what I just finished doing? I painted every single wall and ceiling in my home by myself. And I wore the same shirt with every room. And today I cut the front of that shirt out and put it in an 8 x 11 frame and hung it on my wall. My shirt of many colors has it’s place on my walls so I can say, Hey RSD?? TAKE THAT!! Never give up!

God Bless you all…