~ My Favorite Quotes From My Favorite Movie ~

I decided to share these quotes instead of writing a blog post today because the words that will follow have always comforted me in difficult times. I hope you will take something from them as I still do every time I read or hear them in the movie.

Quotes from the movie Under the Tuscan Sun 2003 ~

"Faced at a crossroads in life where you can either turn left or turn right, always take the chance and follow your heart...The turn you choose will always feel right even if you fail; at the end of the road you will look back and know that you did what was right for you at that crucial moment in your life and no one can take that moment from you."

"Live spiritually, never lose your childish enthusiasm, and things will come your way."

"Regrets are a waste of time. They're the past crippling you in the present."

"[As Chevalley says,] 'Sicilians never want to improve for the simple reason that they think themselves perfect."

"Life offers you a thousand chances...all you have to do is take one."

"Never lose your childish innocence. It's the most important thing."

Last but not least my favorite quote from this movie, in regards to writer's block..

"Terrible ideas are like playground scapegoats; given the right encouragement they grow up to be geniuses. Take one of your terrible ideas and work on it."

Have a great day! Ciao!


©2014 Lysa Wilds

Seriously, I Asked For A Court Date Not A Bigger Fine...

Back in April I wrote two blog posts about how my neighbor and I received parking tickets for doing nothing more than parking in our driveways. Well, we both checked the box on the back of our tickets requesting a court date. What we received two months later were not court dates but instead bills for five times the amount of the original $32 fine. Are you even kidding me?!?

After a few phone calls and a letter to the clerk of the court via fax, I FINALLY have a court date on July 24. I am more than prepared to plead my case, as I have at least a dozen pictures of neighbors parked in their driveways hanging out on the sidewalks. I even have several of the idiot on the corner who parks right in front of the stop sign.

I even went so far as to measure the length of my driveway and took pictures of it as well. My driveway is a mere 13 feet long and my Pathfinder measures just over 18 feet in length.

No one else has been ticketed and they continue to park the way we were parked. All I can say is that they better throw my ticket out of court; and while they are doing that they better re-think making our subdivision an exception to their new sidewalk law.

Like I stated in April, these homes were built in 1979...that was 35 years ago! Why should we all of a sudden be punished for the poor planning and design of the homebuilder back then? This is something that is truly out of our control...our vehicles do not fit in our driveways and that is not our faults.

I'm done ranting and raving about it now...unless they make me pay a fine in July that is!

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©2014 Lysa Wilds

~ What Exactly Is RSD ~

Since I'm asked quite often what RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) is, I decided to write a blog about the disease. The information in this blog post is based on the two plus years of research I have done on RSD. I will include a list of all the websites where I have obtained my facts at the end of this blog.

My hopes are to bring more awareness to this intensely painful, crippling, and deforming disease. The reason I want to create more awareness is because currently there is not a cure for RSD and funding is desperately needed for further research.

For those of you who do not know much about me, I was diagnosed with RSD a little over two years ago. It took several months and specialists before they could determine what was wrong with me.

How it began ~

I just woke up one morning with horrific pain in my left foot. I was baffled because I had not done anything to injure that foot the day before. I wrapped it with an ace bandage and suffered as the pain increased daily. After about a week, I just could not take it anymore so I finally called my doctor.

That was in January 2012, and by June 2012, I was in a wheelchair 100% of the time. Within those few months the disease had spread to my right foot as well. I could no longer bear any weight on my feet to walk or stand. After several months of intensely painful physical therapy, in which I cried every time; I slowly began to walk again. They were only baby steps at first but I was walking.

Where I am today ~

It has been two and a half years since the pain began and I only need my wheelchair about 60% of the time. I have learned to manage around my house with only the occasional use of a walker. The only time I use my wheelchair is if we are shopping or out somewhere and a lot of walking is required as I still cannot stay on my feet for long.

They still have not found a treatment that gives me any relief. I have had to force myself to just "deal" with the intense pain the best I can. I decided to stop taking all of the narcotic pain medication because despite the high dosages I was still in constant pain but was unable to function. I also stopped the monthly nerve block injections because the small amount of relief was not worth the damage I was doing to my body by being put under anesthesia every month. I am currently waiting for an appointment with a Neurologist as the neurological symptoms are getting worse.

My feet are now deformed as the bones in my feet and toes have shifted. I am unable to wear shoes, only flip flops, and in order to walk I have to turn my feet so that I am applying the pressure to the outsides of them. As I cannot apply any pressure to the balls of my feet without crying due to the intense pain.

We still don't know how, but I have broken the metatarsal bone in my right foot twice. The only reason I went to the doctor for that was because the pain was in a different place and didn't seem right; that is how intense my everyday pain is. But enough about me. Here is what I have learned...

RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) ~

They can date RSD back to the American Civil War, yet it is still pretty much a medical mystery because no one really knows what causes it. Currently there are several theories in regards to the cause which are:

A dysfunction in the sympathetic nervous system;

An overactive immune system response;

Nerve damage;

Soft tissue injuries;

Surgery;

and Stroke.

RSD is unique because it affects nerves, skin, muscle, blood vessels, and bones all at the same time; unlike any other disease. RSD symptoms either come and go or they are long lasting.

Diagnosing RSD ~

RSD can be difficult to diagnose and requires ruling out other conditions that produce similar symptoms first. A thorough history and a neurological exam are very important. A Physical examination includes observing the skin color and temperature; sweating, and vascular reactivity; overgrown and grooved nails; swollen and stiff joints; muscle weakness and atrophy.

Other conditions are ruled out by MRI studies, a full laboratory panel, EMG/NCV, and a thermogram test.

Symptoms of RSD ~

RSD is a chronic pain condition. The symptoms include; continuous intense pain that gets worse instead of better over time. It is very common for the symptoms to spread beyond the limb initially affected. It most often affects arms, legs, hands, or feet and is accompanied by the following:

Severe limited mobility;

Contractions of muscles and tendons (limbs may be twisted);

Irreversible changes to bone and skin;

Motor disability, with decreased ability to move affected body part;

Muscles in the area may also become weak and stiff. Jerks and twitches may occur in the hands or feet that are affected;

Changes in skin color, temperature, and texture;

Changes in hair and nail growth patterns;

Commonly the pain will have a tingling, burning and electric like feeling;

As well as constant deep aches and sudden jolts of shocking pain.

It is also important to mention that stress triggers activation of the sympathetic nervous system and increases the pain of RSD. So any amount of emotional stress at all can cause the symptoms to worsen.

The Three Stages ~

There are three stages associated with RSD and it is not uncommon for some patients to have symptoms of all three stages at the same time.


Stage One Symptoms ~

Burning pain usually in the hand or foot;

Swelling and tenderness to affected area;

Temperature and color change to the affected area;

Excessive sweating often accompanied by a low-grade fever;

Increased hair and nail growth;

Loss of movement in joints;

and Muscle spasms.


Stage Two Symptoms ~

Extreme sensitivity; light touching, breezes, bed sheets, or air conditioning can cause an extreme amount of pain;

Spreading pain; can spread to other limbs and up to the shoulders or hips;

Hair growth decreases and nails become cracked, brittle, grooved, and spotty;

Increased swelling;

Bone and joint damage; osteoporosis sets in. Joints thicken and become less mobile;

and Muscle atrophy.


Stage Three Symptoms ~

Severe bone, muscle, and skin damage; the changes in the affected bone, muscle, and skin become irreversible;

Constant pain; the pain becomes merciless;

as well as, Severe mobility limitations; there is muscle atrophy and severely limited mobility of the affected area. Joint movement is greatly impaired and occasionally the limb will be dislodged.

Treatment ~

Due to the fact that the cause of RSD is usually a mystery, it often takes some time before an effective treatment can be found. Since there is no cure for RSD, treatments are aimed at relieving painful symptoms in hopes that those who suffer from RSD can resume their normal lives; unfortunately that often is not the case. The following RSD treatments are frequently used:

Psychotherapy ~

RSD often has profound psychological effects on those affected and their families. Among other things, psychotherapy often helps those with RSD cope with the stress of the disease and discover ways to deal with it.

Physical Therapy ~

A gradually increasing program of exercise to keep the affected limb moving in hopes to restore some range of motion and function.

Medications ~

Many different classes of medication are used to treat RSD, including topical analgesic, anti-seizure medications, antidepressants, corticosteroids, and opioids. Unfortunately, no single medication or combination of medications has produced consistent long-lasting improvement of RSD symptoms.

Sympathetic Nerve Block ~

One procedure involves IV administration of phentolamine, a drug that blocks sympathetic receptors. Another procedure places an anesthetic next to the spine to directly block the sympathetic nerves.

Intrathecal Drug Pumps ~

This is a device that administers medication directly to the spinal fluid so that they are being delivered directly to pain-signaling targets in the spinal cord at doses far lower than those required when taken by mouth.

Spinal Cord Stimulation ~

This procedure places stimulating electrodes next to the spinal cord providing a pleasant tingling sensation in the painful area.

RSD Prognosis ~

Each person with RSD will have a different prognosis and the components that affect this are unknown. Some patients experience spontaneous remission from symptoms while others have unyielding pain and irreversible changes despite the same treatment. Some doctors believe early treatment helps to limit the effects of RSD, but it has not been supported by evidence from RSD research or clinical studies.

In Closing ~

It is hard for me to understand the fact that RSD was first diagnosed during the Civil War yet it remains a medical mystery. Why is it that there is still so much more research that is needed to understand the causes, how it progresses, the role of early treatment, and most importantly to find a cure for RSD? Those, like myself, who suffer from RSD can only hope educating the public and creating awareness will help in finally finding the answers and the cure we so desperately need.

Resources for the information in this blog came from:

eMedTV.com

RSDHope.org

MayoClinic.com

pain.about.com

health.ny.gov

Helpforpain.com

©2014 Lysa Wilds

~ The Most Trying of Times ~

I'm going through, for a lack of a better description, an incredibly difficult time in my life. I feel the need to write about it so I can process it all and get it all out at the same time. But, and it's a really big but, I cannot and will not give any specific details. This leaves me perplexed because how can I write about it without actually talking about it? Well, here we go...

I have been bullied, tortured, verbally abused, mentally abused, and pushed to the edge of insanity for over four years now. Technically it has been about 12 years, but the last four have been unfathomable! Still not sure if it is obsession, hatred, or both that is fueling this persons desire to hurt me. Enough is enough already!

They will never push me over the edge like we all assume is their master plan. I am a much stronger person than they have ever given me credit for. I am even stronger now that I have taken back the power I gave them to hurt me in the first place. This is only a perplexing and frightening situation in lieu of a hurtful one for the first time.

I have been married less than two months. This is suppose to be my honeymoon and my happily ever after. Not my biggest nightmare parts three and four; but that is what it has become.

I actually found out today that this recent scheme began 25 days before my wedding day. A ploy that not only myself, but those closest to me believe was developed to try and ruin my wedding day. Thankfully God was watching out for me and it did not commence until after our wedding.

My life story needs to be turned into a book. It is far stranger than fiction with unbelievable twists and turns throughout. There are several situations in which you would be certain of the outcome then at the last minute the exact opposite occurs again and again. One day, when I am ready to relive it all I will do just that. For my own safety and sanity it may just have to wait about five more years.

Our justice system is so incredibly flawed that my stomach turns just thinking about it. I want my justice at last! I want for once, for the judge to actually look at only the proven facts and the evidence before him instead of believing the fabricated and exaggerated lies, that are all just speculation. There is not a shed of evidence or proof to his stories. This person will and has concocted unbelievable tales every time accusations are brought up against him. It is his way of deflecting the situation at hand away from him and aimed in my direction. He is a master manipulator and a pathological liar and that is being kind.

I can only pray that the time is approaching rather quickly in which I just might obtain the justice I so desperately want and deserve. I'm fearful of the decision I may be forced to make...it hurts my heart and soul to even think about making it. But beyond a shadow of a doubt this reign of terror, control, and abuse must be brought to a permanent end this time around! One way or another it WILL cease to emerge EVER again! This time a line has been crossed that never should have been crossed. It will no longer be tolerated in any case, in any event, or in any manner from here on out.

I have exhaustively and painstakingly been pushed past my emotional and physical limit. My health is deteriorating on a consistent basis due to the unnecessary stress being forced upon me as a direct result of his fraudulent accusations. I am constantly in unimaginable pain and am hardly without severe tremors in my feet. This is accompanied by perpetual seizures that have me terrified I might not make it out of this alive.

I am absolutely frightened, heartbroken, repulsed, and devastated when taking everything in mind. I may, as a result of the deterioration of my health, be incapable of seeing this battle through to the end. It is a choice I struggle with every second of every day. I will persevere until I am on my death bed but it never should have come this far.

I am disgusted with every aspect of the judicial system. For aren't they suppose to protect us from our abusers? Well they do not, they give them more power and control so they can continue their reign of terror upon their helpless victims. When will it ever end for not only myself but other woman and children in our country. I am hoping and praying it does not end with my demise.

Whew...I feel better already...if anyone actually read this blog post I thank you for letting me vent and get this off my chest.


©2014 Lysa Wilds