CRPS (RSD) Head to Toe is Winning

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Please see my daily updates with photos under Campaign Activity.

My name is Patti and I have CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) head to toe on the entire right side of my body.  My life has been quite the journey and those who know me or get to know me always say I should write a book.  I have been through and am going through a lot but I always live by the saying, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." 

I'm asking for your help today for many reasons. First, to raise money in hopes of trying a new treatment out in California that can possibly give me a great amount of relief and can put me into remission so that I can have my life back and enjoy my family. If I can go into remission even for a few months,  I would be the happiest person ever! I will add links to the procedure I am considering to try. We have tossed this idea around with my physicians for a while and have tried the medication once in the ER.  It was beneficial in breaking my pain cycle, however, caused very unpleasant side effects. The physician in California takes a completely different appraoch and does this over time in a monitored environment. Insurance will not cover the costs entailed to do this because they consider it "experimental", as with most CRPS treatment options and I'm not able to do this on my own. Secondly, I would also like to try and raise money  to cover some medical expenses not only for this specialized treatment but for other treatments, medical procedures and therapy that I attend twice a week. My treatments are so specialized that my new insurance will not cover nearly what my previous insurance used to cover.  We thank you in advance for your big hearts and are extremely appreciative with anything you would like to give. 

Please read about my journey below.

We all have big dreams, wishes and hopes for our lives. We may reach the peak but right when we get there, it only takes one event, one health issue, to turn our entire world upside down.  That is exactly how I feel. I was hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian on a sidewalk when I was 11. I endured lots of pain, two broken legs, head injury and 14 surgeries since. The last surgery which was in 2011 is what started the onset of CRPS. I was officially diagnosed in March of 2014.  I'm a 36 year old who worked extremely hard in my life and worked for everything I had. I worked since the age of 10 in a family business and when we lost that, I started working since 15 holding various jobs and 3 jobs throughout my high school and college years. I graduated and started my career, got married, purchased a home and tried to start a family.  We tried for several years and in 2013 we adopted our beautiful sweet little girl as a newborn and we are the proudest parents, who are so blessed.  I worked for the first 9 months of my daughters life and was so happy even  with the struggles I had with my health, I managed. However, right when I reached the peak I had hoped for in my life where I finally had a great job with a wonderful work family, an awesome position, a wonderful family, a great support group, a roof over my head and most importantly, my husband and later my daughter, whom I count my blessings for every single day, my world just crumbled and turned upside down. My dreams, wishes, hopes, happiness and health have left me disabled without a job, without my own home, endless expenses and losses and my life is full of  fear, anger, frustration, very few days of sunshine and most of all with daily pain, swelling and skin lesions like no other; after being diagnosed with CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) also known as RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) head to toe on the right side.

I would never ask for help in my life, rather I would be the one that would always  be there and would bend over backwards to always help others. I still try to be a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister and a friend. However, it's getting harder day by day which is why after much thought I decided to reach out to all of you.

My life has become a daily struggle dealing with debilitating pain. It affects not only myself but my family and friends as well.  I miss out on family events and functions. I miss out on the fun. I miss out on seeing my daughter learn and grow many times and hurts beyond belief.  Stress makes it all worse. Aside from pain, burning sensations, going from hot to cold, not being able to tolerate heat, ice or anything touching my skin, dealing with dizzy and faint spells, having trouble focusing, issues with vision and depth perception, I am struggling daily to find myself again, to try and live life to the fullest as much as I possibly can. I push myself but fall a lot. Sometimes, I can get back up and most of the time I cannot.  I spend a lot of time doing medical research, searching, hoping and praying for that miracle cure. I need help in order to try some of these medical treatments insurances call "experimental" and do not cover. I need help in leaning on therapists of all sorts to help not only physically but also mentally. I need help to reduce my stress levels so that I can focus on one thing, getting my life back and enjoying my family.  

I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and kindness. It brings tears of joy in knowing that this world is still filled with wonderful people and gives me some comfort as I think of my child's future  in a world where we have to fight to survive.

All The Best,
Patti

P.S.  My goal is to take any left over funds and try and start a Non-For-Profit for CRPS research and fundraising events to help others.

Here are links to the procedure I want to try:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qa6gMRWM8c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F95dVfxXzs