I am a single mom to James, living life on wheels. I am a Domestic Violence Survivor. I have a L4 Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury as the result of an assault from my ex husband...13 days after our divorce was finalized. Learning to live life in a wheelchair has it's challenges, and I try to laugh about it. Every day is a struggle, and some days are better than others, but I refuse to give up. I am also living the Van life, so those experiences are different with SCI. I love photography, crafting and playing Magic the Gathering. You will find me traveling most weekends and enjoying life. Things are different, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
I have not one but two rare conditions. In 1994, after a Workers Comp injury, I was diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. RSD is also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. This is a very painful disorder, and the way I describe it best is like this:
When you have an injury, your parasympathetic nervous system takes over. This is what controls your flight or fight instinct and it tells your body that it is hurt. In some people (like me) it went
crazy when I got injured. I was diagnosed by a bone scan many years ago. The doctor basically
just told me "you have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy" and gave me more pain pills and an AFO
brace. Over the past twenty years, it has steadily gotten worse.
In 2007, I was rear ended. As a result I have three herniated disks at the C5-C6-C7 level, and a Syrinx (a cyst inside my spinal cord) at T3-T6. Having the Syrinx means that I have what is also called Syringomyelia. This also causes pain and numbness. I have problems with my hands going numb quite often, more on the left than the right.
Having these conditions has made having a SCI different in many ways, but that's TheMarciFactor.
You had a very tough life. I like the way that you keep your positive attitude. Bless you.
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