MY CRPS JOURNEY (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)
"I first started my journey eleven months ago, after I broke my right leg and tore my PCL ligament.After the three month mark, I was in a lot of pain and my doctor ordered physical therapy. I started out good, but it increased my pain and swelling instead of taking it away. My PTdecided to turn it up a notch and the next day I was totally disabled. I was unable to work and in a ton of pain. My ortho doctor seemed confused and had me rest another week before seeing him again. He then decided I may need exploratory surgery and said, “I should not be in this much pain.”
I took it upon myself to get a second opinion. It was another orthopedic surgeon and he diagnosed me with CRPS. He saw my leg was a little red and colder than the other one.At this point, I was able to work four hour days with a lot of pain.The only pain reliever that helped was Xanax and it put me to sleep, so I couldn’t take it. He did not order anything for me and told me not to go to PT.
With his lack of explanation with my new diagnoses, I started doing my own research. From what I gathered, the last thing I should have been doing was nothing. Diagnosing it early is key — keeping it moving is key. I was highly confused at this point for two reasons. One, how am I going to move it.The pain was unbearable with exercise.The other is, why did my doctor not order ANYTHING for me?Why is early diagnosis key if I’m not suppose to do anything with it? I had a lot of questions.
I then decided to spend hours and days researching for a PT that was educated in CRPS. Needless to say, it was very hard. CRPS is not as common and no one had any info on their websites or in their bios.This is when I felt I struck gold and found Nate’s bio. He said, “I have a special interest in CRPS”. And was that statement true. Just to hear those words were like winning the lottery to me.
I called Nate immediately and we talked for a while on the phone. I begged my Ortho doctor to please let me see Nate and reassured him Nate seemed very educated on the matter.Against my doctors will and the realization I will not let this go, he agreed.
My first visit with Nate was much different than I would have imagined. I was very nervous with the memory of what happened with my other PT. Nate began to educate me, and educate me and educate me some more. He taught me how to exercise my leg without actually exercising it. Sounded a little strange to say the least, but after I achieved one challenge after another, I started seeing marked improvement. I was glad to be exercising it (even though I wasn’t actually physically exercising it). It was good to know I was doing anything other than nothing.
After all my non physical tasks were achieved, I was able to move up and start incorporating physical exercise. Nate started me out very slow. Flossing exercises and finally graduating to normal weight bearing exercises. Just a couple reps at a time. On most days, I am now doing 30 to 40 squats among other weight bearing exercises.
As my therapy progressed, there were times I actually had a pain level of 0. I would surprise myself at work when I found myself forgetting I had CRPS. My family, friends and co-workers realized I wasn’t talking about it as much and I was smiling again. I was making plans for the future, attending my sons sporting events and vacationing.
Today, I am able to enjoy physical exercise, walking a lot, shopping, working and so many other things I had not been able to do, and thought I would never be able to do again. I still feel my CRPS, but with Nate’s help, I am able to manage it.As I am writing this letter, I don’t feel any pain at all.What a difference a doctor makes. I feel blessed to have found Nate. He would not let me give up."