Who Me? With RSD?

After my car accident in 1995, I knew that the blue discoloration in my foot and the exaggerated swelling, prolonged and intense pain in my foot and ankle was indicative of the same disorder that had caused a nightmare situation with my daughter when she was only nine years old. I didn't want to admit that I could  have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. I just wouldn't talk about it, and it would not be true.

There was a bigger problem going on in my household. The car insurance company had found me at fault for the accident. I had, after all, told the police officer, that I was sorry while laying in a semi-conscious state after the accident, thereby admitting fault. The driver of the other car, whom I was told wreaked of alcohol, had passed a field sobriety test administered at the hospital an hour after the accident. No blood was drawn. His wife suffered internal injuries due to wearing her seat belt incorrectly. My husband assumed it was my fault. After all, I had turned to the left across traffic. We were being sued.- by a drunk driver. I was in so much pain I could not fight what I suspected was an incorrect assumption about the accident. I lay in the bed, day after day, in so much pain I could not concentrate enough to read a book.

After the cast was taken off, the terrible pain continued no matter what I did. I could not tolerate standing in one place for long at a time due to the pain and swelling. So, I sat as much as possible. I propped my foot up on a chair in front of me in order to reduce the swelling. Driving was a real problem for me because it was my right foot that had been almost severed in the car wreck.

After two months at home, I had to find some type of employment. I became a substitute teacher at the local schools. I worked as a night cashier for a local auctioneer. Finally, I went back to work as a Realtor, leaning on my cane. My foot was still turning blue and swelling. I tried to ignore it. I didn't have time for it to be what I knew...RSD!