My name is Marla Martindale and I have been
diagnosed with RSD since November 2003 after breaking my ankle on October 1, 2003 at 4:10pm....yes I remember it well,
because I broke it on both sides. While I had my cast on I couldn't stand, or have anything over my toes, I would get real
touchy if anyone even got close to my foot, but I didn't know why never having had broke anything that severely before.
Then
once the cast came off and the doctor was telling me the exercises I needed to do when he touched a certain spot on my foot
and I told him "You bout made me wet myself when you touched right there" he responded with "Clean up on aisle nine". He continued
to explain all the things I needed to do but I should be able to get up and walk out without the crutches, but if not that
was fine just work on it over the next couple days. So when I went to get up off his table and start walking again without
crutches, I couldn't do it!! It hurt way too badly to put weight on my foot and to even put my foot on the floor. I
know my husband, the doctor and his nurse thought I was a weenie but I really didn't care, I was using those crutches like
it or not. I went back to my office and was talking with some of the ladies around there and I had my leg hanging down when
one of them noticed it was all deep purple. She asked me about it and at that time I hadn't noticed it because I just
had the cast taken off not an hour before. She was telling me I needed to call the doctor and let him know, but I didn't,
I waited about a week while it continued to turn deep purple and had this horrible pain... oh doopy me just kept putting
it off....don't do that people!! When I did call and was describing what was going on to the nurse she told me to come in
right then. So I loaded up in my car and went right over. The doctor took one look at my leg and sent me for x-rays. Once
he had the x-rays back he tried to explain to me that I had Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy but he was talking or explaining
over my head. And my head was already reeling from just the name "Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy". To be honest I think
I missed some of what he was saying because I got stuck on those words, especially "Dystrophy", that didn't sound like
something I wanted because I kept picturing Jerry Lewis doing his telethon for Muscular Dystrophy and I knew that was bad
news. But all in all I didn't catch much of what this doctor was telling me at all.
He told me he was going to refer
me to another doctor who was better capable of treating this and he was about to walk out the door when I asked him, "What
do I do about this" and he looked me dead in the eye and said, "Don't give into it". Well now at the time I was more
than a little upset!! I was thinking how dare he leave me like that, but he did.
So
I go to this other doctor. She was so shocked to see someone with RSD. She hadn't seen it since she was in med school many
years back. She explained things to me in a manner in which made sense and got me started on physical therapy. I must say
the only part of physical therapy I didn't like was the contrast baths....those hurt so badly. I went through
8 weeks of physical therapy while still working full time. I also had 8 rounds of Spinal Blocks Injections that
would only last about 30 days.
Then I started getting better and I was doing really good for almost 2 years. It was
great....I didn't feel any pain and I has my life back. I was so happy!! Then in October of 2006 I had a dental appointment
to get my front tooth fixed, just a little cosmetic stuff, damn my vainity. I took the guidelines from the RSD Organization
for dental procedures with me and the dentist followed them to the letter. It was my body that didn't pay any attention to
them. It started going crazy on me. I started shaking like I had a severe case of Parkinson's Disease. My husband had to help
me walk out of the office and get into the car, it was horrible. That was on a Friday, so when I got home I had to sit in
my desk chair for 3 days straight, day and night because I couldn't find anything comfortable enough to sit or lay in, so
that's where I stayed. My leg swelled up bigger than it ever had before and was so deep dark purple, it was pure agony for
sure. That is when my RSD went into overdrive!! It decided to venture out to the rest of my body....and I do mean everywhere
on my body!! But you know what, I survived it and I am growing stronger because of it. Don't get me wrong, I have
had my share of "pity parties", but I'm not going to allow the RSD to take control over me. Why you ask....because my will
to have control over it was (and still is) much stronger!!
If you are finding yourself needing to understand
how to get control of your RSD and your life, I am here for you. I can help you come to terms with what is going on
inside your body so you can have the much needed mental strength it takes to control the amount
of pain you actually do feel. It's not an easy road to journey down, but if you are willing to put in the time and
effort and aren't afraid of hard work, than you CAN and WILL succeed too!!
In October 2007
I was not only diagnosed again with RSD, but now they threw in Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis
in both knees, Multiple Sclerosis, Karatitis, Cataplexy all on top of the Fibrocysistic Breast
Disease, and Scoleosis I had been blessed with for many years prior. And to be totally honest
with you, I really don't give those much thought because frankly none of them can compare to RSD, so I have embraced it and
have learned so much about myself, and am still learning things everyday. And I look forward to helping
you learn about yourself.
I wouldn't wish this on my worse enemy, but I am so glad that it all happened to
me, because it has made me stronger, softer, more caring, more giving, insightful, loving, in-touch, and so many more things
that could completely fill this page, so I will just leave it at that. Once you get to know me, you will see, I'm simply
an honest person who wants nothing more than to help everyone as much as possible.
On March 31, 2008
I did a 4 day trial with a Spinal Cord Stimulator. It didn't help 100%, more like 30-35% but it was enough
for me to tell the doctor to set up a time for the permanent implant because it can only get better with time and I am ready
to take the time to make it work for me on more like a 45-50%, and up from there. I did learn some interesting things during
the trial that wasn't told to me prior to me doing it. And when I told the doctor about them, he just laughed and said, "Well,
nobody has ever told me things like that before." Guess he didn't realize I was going to tell all. =)
**UPDATE** Sept. 9, 2009
On June 2, 2008 I had the permanent Spinal
Cord Stimulator implanted and I am so glad I did. The first few days haven't been easy, but they will be worth it!!
I have sure learned many things I would have never thought possible during this past year and half. Soon I will be putting
together an eBook for you. It will be filled with all my SCS experiences giving you the inside scoop on it all. Sure
do wish something like that would have been around before I got mine....you guys are so lucky to be getting all my knowledge,
combined of course with my humor thrown in here and there. So you will want to keep checking back to see if it
is posted on here for your reading pleasure.
