My name is Rhonda Sheets and I am an RSD Survivor and Sufferer for over 9 years now. I have went through Hell and back to regain quality of life and even self esteem and have come to realize that if we all come together, there is a way to find a possible cure or to learn how to live and cope with the chronic pain of RSD. I will spend my life fighting to help others know and understand. I will use my life to also help others who don't know where to turn for help to gain knowledge and peace to live and cope with all RSD does to our lives and the ones who love us. Nobody except the ones who experience could ever truly comprehend what we go through and I hope this helps us and our loved ones come to a point of compassion.
A Life in Pain:
RSD and the Only Key
When we hurt it is more than physically deep
It causes a pain inside that makes us weep
For all the things our lives used to be
Hardships we would even take back if only a key
We cannot change what has caused our pain
It keeps getting worse inside and out as it's all the same
We ask what we can do just to get through today
All of us ask God, please help us and show us a way
When that way never seems like it will ever come
We tend to lose faith, be it all of it or some
God, why is that pain and burning never going to leave?
The answer is to have faith and believe
Maybe we have this pain all in God's Ultimate Plan
For to believe is to finally start to understand
To understand with faith will allow us peace of mind
We are here all together to help mankind
To help all know our pain; RSD and this disease
We have to grab back our lives to seize
There is much work to be done if we want a cure for RSD
Maybe in our lives, that is our Only Key
By: Rhonda Sheets
Indiana
hey everyone
my name is lindsey im 17yearsold and ive had rsd for 5 years now
ive tried lots of treatments but nothing seems to work
just wondering how you guys deal with this because im having a hard time right now
i have no one that understands what im going through
also wondering if anyone has any treatments that have worked for them that maybe i could try???? thank you and God Bless
lindsey
Hi Lindsey,
I understand why you feel nobody understands what you are going through. I remember losing a few people I thought were very close friends because I couldn't do the things I used to. I realized they were not my true friends to begin with. Even family can only sympathize with you and can not understand the amount of pain you live with every moment. What I do to help myself is to use Mind Over Matter techniques and when sitting I rub on my right foot/leg area to desensitize it and it works if you keep doing it. Move it or lose it is the key along with a lot of tears, fears, and prayer.
Join an online support group for RSD. I did and stayed in one for many years until I had met the most understanding friends of all and only then did I find more strength within myself and others to push on. I kept staying depressed for a very long time and if you are depressed also, please seek counseling for that as I did. Just by doing those things and really starting to think of RSD as something that God did not give you but that if you were going to have it anyway, you might as well use it to your advantadge and try to help others when you are doing better yourself. Helping others has made more things right in my life than not. I have even met 3 of my online RSD friends from across the country.
Lindsey, if you ever want to talk to me, please get in touch. My email is rmsheets@insightbb.com and my name is Rhonda Sheets.
I will be turning 41 in November and I know that sounds old to you now but most people think I'm in my early to mid 20's still even with all this pain. One thing I have done for myself that has been both good and bad is that I have been able to tolerate pain more as time has passed. I haven't had an increase on my pain meds in over 7 1/2 yrs out of over 9yrs. I have played this mental game with myself that I am okay when I'm not. I can make others believe I am not in pain when I really am to the point I think I started believing it myself. This is good because it does make you feel better and allows you to become more capable of dealing with pain and living your life. It is bad because then others don't believe you are still in the pain I know you will be in. I would rather in my head believe I AM better even if I'm not than to still be showing so much pain on my face all the time.
Try not to take higher doses of pain meds because they only mask the pain to begin with and then you are on so much you can't think straight. I've been able to have a clear mind staying on the same dosages of pain meds. I also refuse to take any anti-seizure meds as they have NEVER been approved for the use of treating RSD. I have heard from one friend that Lyrica has helped her with her burning sensations and has allowed her to get off of crutches and even not use a cane after 6 plus years with RSD and crutches. She is doing a lot of physical therapy as I also was in PT for over 2 1/2yrs. Do as many exercises at home that you can.
I would like to know how did you get RSD? Where is it in your body? How are you coping now? If I can help in any way or give you advice, I would be more than happy to. You can't do this alone when nobody understands you.
Also, what medicaitons are you on for RSD? Are you also being treated for depression or need to be?
My prayers are with you and you are not bound to be nothing more than a person in pain the rest of your life. There is so much you can still do in this world and life. Please believe me when I say that. Never give up...
Sincerely,
Rhonda
hey lindsey!so sorry to hear you have rsd at such a young age!were you diagnosed quickly? i hear ya-it's frustrating! prob is,what works for one,doesn't always work for another so i can't give any advice.
just try & hang in there(i know-i get sick of hearing it too-lol!)and keep trying different treatments.
take care!
debbie