RSD Interview #13 - With Barbie Gallier

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU GET RSD?
On May 26, 2012, I fell in a puddle of water in a hallway at work. I dislocated my left knee (knee cap was completely behind my leg). I popped out my hip and messed up my ankle. I hit my right hip on the wall before hitting the floor.  I was 23 years old.
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IN WHAT WAYS HAS IT AFFECTED YOUR LIFE?
I can no longer work, walk without crutches, or even bathe myself (because I am a fall risk). I lost my spot in nursing school, for which I had spent two years in school preparing. I'm no longer able to walk my dog, do my art or cook. I get tired after just a few minutes of physical activity, to the point of dripping with sweat and shaking from pain.
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DO YOU HAVE A GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM?
It is my husband and my best friend that keep me going. My parents try, but my mom and her husband don't get it. My dad and step-mom help me as much as they can. My dog is my constant companion, protecting me and alerting my husband when I fall or am in extreme pain.
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DOES FAITH PLAY A PART IN YOUR STRUGGLE OR YOUR STAMINA?
My beliefs tell me to slow down and reflect on my choices.
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HOW HAVE YOU RE-INVENTED YOURSELF?
I am trying, trying to find who I am because I attached my identity to what I was…homemaker, nurse aide, nurse student, artist and fun-loving, free spirit.
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HAS ANYTHING GOOD COME FROM THIS TRIAL?
I've learned to slow down and not to stress, as stress makes it worse. I'm learning my limits.
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WHAT THINGS DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Not being in pain, walking without crutches, dancing, and being able to be up for more than 5 minutes without extreme pain and swelling.

WHAT DO YOU WANT THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO KNOW ABOUT YOU AND/OR YOUR DISEASE?
Just because I look ok doesn't mean I'm not in pain. If I could get out of bed, I would. And, when I need to rest or use a wheelchair, please don't look down on me. My illness is not, and was not, my choice. Your understanding is a step closer to finding a cure or, at the very least, it is one less fear/worry.
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*I am not my illness. I'm a daughter, a sister, a wife and (one day) a mother. I am not lazy or stupid. My medicine makes me foggy and sleepy. I'm not RSD. I'm not CRPS. I am Barbie.