Feeling refreshed!

Just got back from a wonderful vacation with my family in Redmond, OR. :)  It was beautiful there!  Despite three episodes which I'll explain in a minute, the trip was so refreshing, and I loved spending lots of time with my family and soaking in the sunshine!  We watched movies together, played several wild card games, went on bike rides and walks, enjoyed time in the pool, tackled a challenging putting course, and the list goes on!  It was a very blessed vacation.

Here are a few pics that my brother took of me :)

 my "deer" friend ;)

The morning we left for Redmond, I squeezed in a last PT session.  As of that appointment, my therapist is now trying to have me not see him for at least one month.  We'll see how this experiment goes.. ;)  I really wanted to have no problems whatsoever with CRPS, EDS, and POTS on the trip, but...that was not to be.

One afternoon, my siblings and I went for a bike ride.  I was doing quite well for a time, until we ended up at this huge (and I mean HUGE) and steep hill.  I got off my bike to try walking up it, but suddenly I couldn't even do that anymore.  My legs wouldn't move, and I developed a terrible, pounding pain in the center of my brain.  I quickly sat down on the pavement to rest, and I started getting dizzy.  I really thought I was going to black out from the POTS!  I definitely didn't want to go to the ED.  Thankfully, I was able to make it back to the condo but it was kind of a blur.  For a long time, the pain in my head didn't go away.  It felt like a vein in my head was going to rupture which can be a symptom of EDS.  So grateful to the Lord that that didn't happen!

Another day, I was fixing my bed, and my left middle finger gave way and buckled under.  Now it really hurts at the first joint.  I'm not sure if this is EDS, CRPS, or both!  My fingers get stiff and swollen, and it occasionally becomes hard to "make a fist." :(

And then, another day, I was playing racquet ball with my dad and two of my siblings.  I enjoyed it immensely!  But then the palm of my left hand got scraped by a sharp plastic piece sticking out from the edge of the racquet!  Now it's a little swollen.  Right now, I'm waiting to hear back from my hand therapist about both of these "injuries"..

So I'm really glad to be home.  I've had enough adventures for a time.. ;)