Todays picture is one of me with my sister Lauren (13), brother Aaron (18), me and brother Nick (21).. It was taken at christmas time when I could still stand! I love them a lot!

I managed to get in the bath today.... With huge pain, but I really needed to get my hair washed and there is really no other way... There were a few screams, yelps, gasps and tears but we did it!! And it was succesful!! It had to be luke warm... and even then it felt like scalding hot water for the first 5 minutes... Thats how weird CRPS is... Water is really hard -- and I can not shower as the water hitting or running down my leg would be nothing more than horriffic --- BUT --- in a few days it might be a new story -- I just might be able to shower!!! *BIG SMILES*

Cause Guess What?? Yes, Dr. Neff emailed me this afternoon to tell me he had spoken to head of department and it looks like its all go for tomorrow morning! Which means I need to make my way to the Hospital to be there by 9am -- no later than 10am! Thats going to be a very early morning!! The hospital is an hour from where we live and my room where I am is up two very large flights of stairs and I can not walk! I can use one foot, and have use of one arm == but thats about it! The other two, the left side of mu body is dead, but dead with pain, lolz. Mums been pretty much carrying me for quite a while... I have no balance... I cant stand or sit diwn by myself and fall over alllll the time even when Mum holds me, lol..... So we may need some prayers I get down the stairs safely... We were going to have a streacher and ambulance but it fell through and then when we enquired personally it would cost us over $500 and $100 to just streacher me down the stairs ... OUCH!! So we are going to work it ourselves... Mum will go behind me (carrying me, and me helping with my good foot) and Dad will stand in front of me and we will take it slowly... Then we are going to pile the car up with pillows and I will have an hour trip in the car... DOUBLE OUCH!  Soooo..... there is good news to this .... the end of the trip brings the Ketamine Infusions.... A 'Pain Hoilday', Dr. Neff has called it! Time off from the pain... I really hope that it works ---- My main goal is to be able to sit!! If I can sit I can go out in a wheelchair into town, the shops, church, other peoples places, sit at the table for dinner.. it would change a lot!! Also I want to take my leg sensitivity away so that the wind or a slight breeze doesnt hurt my leg, and so I can shave my leg and wear pants and long tops, jumpers and shorts, shower...... This is my prayer... That I dont have pain once I come out of the infusion and it lasts longer than a week or month!

Im looking forward to re-learning to walk again and slowly building my muscles up again... Sitting (ok, laying) here now in some ways its hard to believe.... with my wrist and hand hurting so much... Its hard to comprehend they can take my pain away after 5 long months of much pain! And then I wonder what it means... Whether I will feel a lot of pain learning to walk again or not?? or even other things? Guess its a wait ans see! lol...

I was thinking... As I have been having a few questions... If anyone wanted to  read up about what CRPS is heres a good website... I am in "stage 2" of the disease:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/reflex_sympathetic_dystrophy/detail_reflex_sympathetic_dystrophy.htm

Well, I have a lot of packing and so forth to do so I better get going.... not that I can do my own packing... lol... but still, Ive got emails and lists to write, lol...

Mum will be updating my journal entries if I dont have internet access at the hospital... but I dont think Id be up to doing it even If I could... Mum will try continue the daily updates, but it is going to be a busy busy time... For those of you who have my cell phone number I wull be available on that, and happy to recieve texts.... I would also LOVE visitors at the hospital if your anywhere in the vicinity of or have the time... *smile*

So pray for me --- though i know you all are already, and I look forward to reading any guestbook messages that I get when I get back... Updating you on all the successes!!  Yeeha!!