Living with RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) Guest: Jason Martin

My name is Jason Marin, I'm 29 years old and have had RSD/CRPS since Sept.03. I followed in my dad's footsteps as a construction worker at a young age. While helping my family during a sisters SUCESSFUL fight with childhood cancer I learned how to build and fix computers.We we're networking his house...one computer upstairs and one downstairs. As we were running from computer to computer, I managed to trip over a simple childs gate. When I tripped, I fell on my foot and bent it the wrong way...bent it so far the dr's were amazed I didn't break it. Instead I was finally diagnosed with a 'severe plantars sprain that though, took months to diagnose. It took 18 months to get diagnosed with RSD. 18 months of dr's not 'knowing'. 18 months of dr's questioning the veracity of my pain [and symptoms which they could easily see]. 18 months of no relief and no comprehension of why I was always hurting and why my foot was purple, swollen and ice cold, yet on fire at the same time. One day at church, a semi-retired sports Dr. asked me some questions. After answering he asked if I would come in to his office the next afternoon.I figured I had nothing to loose so I agreed to go. That was a good decision on my part! That apt. changed everything, for it was there that the dr diagnosed me with RSD. He explained as best he could what it was, and what it could mean..and then the real battle begun. My dr. agreed with his dx and prescribed me some better pain meds based on what I had. We then arranged for specialized tests to help back up the dx and thus started the mad dash of harsh tests. I was so ambiguious over the dx...i finally had a name, somewhat of an understanding...i had a disease called RSD [CRPS] yet it meant everything had changed. After a 4+ year battle with SS I won official disability status WI've been able to share on our forum [located at: www.forum.usarsd.org ]