Monday 3 November 2014

Colour the World Orange for CRPS


Today is Colour the World Orange for CRPS Day. It aims to raise awareness about Complex Regional Pain Syndrome also known called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. A chronic nerve condition where misfiring nerve signals send constant pain signals to the brain. It usually begins after an injury to an arm or leg or after surgery but can develop spontaneously as it did in my case. The main symptom is intense burning pain which is why CRPS is represented by the colour orange. 

Reduced mobility and isolation are the biggest problems faced by those with CRPS but there are a variety of other issues such as extreme fatigue, insomnia and sensitivity to touch. It is very difficult to treat and not very well understood which is why it is so important to spread awareness and push for further research. There is no definitive cure at the moment, only a range of treatments such as physiotherapy and medications that can help manage the disease. Each patient responds so differently and some have more success with these treatments than others. To find out more about Complex Regional Pain Syndrome the websites of major hospitals and universities such as the Mayo Clinic are the best place to start.



This beautiful tiger wanders into the Whimsical Woodland sporting orange for CRPS awareness



This condition has taken my life down an entirely different path to what I had planned but I guess that is what plans do. They hit roadblocks and evolve as we learn to move over, under or around these blockages. While this is the hardest thing I have ever had to learn to deal with it am determined to continue to work hard to improve my mobility and enjoy life to it's fullest.



Let's hope our feline friend doesn't see any of our woodland inhabitants as a tasty treat. The Whimsical Woodland sure is a strange a surreal place...lions and tigers and bears oh my.






4 comments:

  1. Hi Helena! Just dropping by to say hello and tell you how awesome it is that you're blogging your artistic adventures! I'm looking forward to following along :)

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    1. Thank you Hayley, it is always such a pleasure and inspiration to read along with you on your journey. I hope my little doodles and sketches keep some people entertained and show that there's life outside of Chronic Pain. :-)

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  2. Thank you, you're too kind Rick

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