I am a Patient Activist and Advocate for those suffering from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy now known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, (RSD~CRPS). I experienced the first symptoms of the condition after surgery to remove my gall bladder. The procedure left me leaking internally which burst four days later, leading to emergency surgery. The surgery was the beginning of my symptoms in 1994. This lead to my multiple diagnosis' of RSD~CRPS in 1998 and 1999 at Johns Hopkins, in Baltimore, MD.

My desire to understand the confusing symptoms and strange changes to my body's functions lead me to devote years in the study of the condition and all chronic pain research. I was fortunate in assisting the American Pain Foundation as a chat host and blog monitor in the PainAid community. I am in the unique position to have studied RSD at Medical CME's, through broad pain research, from doctors on the leading edge of RSD~CRPS research and treatment and through the struggles caused by living with this condition.

Best of Health,

Nick aka PocketFullOfBlues