RSD

R.S.D. Three letters that I had never heard used together until my daughter was diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy last week. We were told many weeks ago that it was a dislocated shoulder. Then Olivia's burning pain in her arm would not go away. Her arm was constantly hurting and it was taking all we had to get her calm and rested.

RSD is uncommon in adults and even more rare in kids. Read about it on the interent. It is one nasty disease. It is permanent and lifelong. It can cause the loss of the use of the affected limb. "Chronic pain" are not words you want ever associated with one of your kids . . . and this one is a whopper. I would feel sorry for any adult with this, but for a kid . . . unimaginable until now.

Olivia has swam competitively for 6 years. So this was going to mean no more swimming, as water was like fire on her skin. Terri and I were devastated. RSD does not heal, it does not cure itself but it does go into remission. Olivia's pain was growing worse and her quality of life was diminishing each day. Every day and night there were tears and growing concerns.

As we got the disgnosis, we started to ask around if other doctors and friends had heard of this disease that we had never heard of. Yes . . . the pediatrician had read about it, but never saw a kid with it. No one on facebook replied when I asked about it. But a man at church had a grown daughter with it. You can find it on the interent . . . . but wading through the horror stories is too painful.

Lots of people prayed for Olivia. We did. Our pastors did. Our worship team did. Scores of others too. Olivia started talking about other sports she could do rather than swim, but with tears in her eyes. Moving the arm hurt. Touching the arm hurt. Leaving the arm still hurt. On a scale from 1-10 she said it was a 45.

There is hope - when caught early, and in kids, remission is possible. And some medications can relieve some of the pain.

Olivia saw the doctor today . What we thought was a visit to teach us how to manage a lifelong pain turned into hope. Olivia said her pain is 90% gone . . . the doctor looked surprised. He said as soon as the pain subsides, get her in the water and get her swimming again. Olivia told us she had a dream the night before that the doctor said she would never swim again. Olivia said she is blessed to be able to swim again. The relief in her eyes was a Godsend.

Olivia will have RSD her entire life, and will have to be careful with injuries. She will have to learn the signs and act fast when she feels it come on. But there is hope that she can live a normal life and keep on swimming.

For those people with RSD, a disease I had never heard of until 1 week ago . . . you are in our prayers.

Thank you all for your prayers.

Peace

Paul