Celebrating The "Women Of HOPE" - Journey # 4

~~Beckii's Journey~~

My name is Beckii and I am 15 and I live in central England and this is my story....


I have CRPS/RSD, Chronic Pain Syndrome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).


I first fell ill in October 2006, at first we were sure that I had appendicitis, but when my temperature fell back to normal whilst in hospital and the lack of vomiting the doctors were completely confused about what it was. I was in hospital for two weeks, and it wasn't appendicitis.

One of the head consultants said it was a nasty muscle attacking virus that would last 6-8 weeks. We believed him and went away, in the follow up appointments I still wasn't any better, he then referred me to the pain management team at our local hospital (who are very good, the consultant and chronic pain nurse I'm under there are both Christians which is yay for me :D ) They diagnosed me with Chronic Pain Syndrome, (a rather nondescript title which just means that I'm in pain for a long time).

Then I plodded along for a while taking my meds and doing part time school, then Easter 2007 I got crushed in a door frame at school. This was when the CRPS occurred. It first appeared in my right arm, it was diagnosed within 2 weeks, which was amazing. ( It just so happened that the 5th time we went to accident and emergency the doctor decided to send me to the physical therapy department. The PT we saw took one look at my arm and diagnosed it. Looking at it really this was a minor miracle that everything got moving so quickly!)

Again I plodded along taking meds having physiotherapy (at this point my arm was purple nearly all the time, frozen across my body and my trigger finger twitched constantly)

Then in June 2007 I got a night cramp in my left leg. This also developed into CRPS. We took the same course of action only this time we went straight to the physiotherapist, we upped the therapy.

In august 2007 I went to my church's family camp, after much prayer I was completely healed and off of my meds within the week. But this is not where my story ends.

In September 2007 I scolded my hand whilst making a hot drink. I took Co-codamol for the pain, the A&E nurse said it was actually really bad (2nd degree covering about 1/4 of my left hand) and suggested the co-codamol.

By October this had sparked off pain and nausea in my stomach. The docs said this was the chronic pain syndrome back again (we later (august 2008) found out that it was also IBS) so we started back up on the meds, but not with opioid's as that's what caused it.

Again I plodded along until may 2008 when I got night cramp in both of my legs, the CRPS developed in my left leg again. To start with it was only my lower leg but now it's the whole thing. I use a stick to walk and I cannot walk very far most days, after about 50 yards I want to stop, after about 200 yards I need to stop and sit down to recover, if I don't it takes me hours to, after about 500 yards I'm on the verge of collapsing and it can take me days to recover.

I don't live as a normal teen girl would, I've been forced to grow up. But I've also been forced to fully rely on God - I mean even without pain walking on God's steam can't be a bad thing right?

Last weekend I went away with one of the local Christian youth groups, and I can say a good time was had by all. Though if I weren't actually counting on God to make my legs move properly and keep me smiling even through the agony I wouldn't have coped.

It sounds very odd to say this but If I could of course I would get rid of the pain, but If I were given the option of not having it at all, I would still take it. I've learn so many lessons through it the experience has been invaluable.

~~Beckii~~

Xx