Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.
This will be a brief story that we will update over the next few days. In March 2014, Dr Heather Cardin was skiing with her children and suffered a benign ankle fracture and dislocation. This triggered a rare neurological disorder called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). You can find more information about the disease here, www.rsdhope.org
We have exhausted almost all medical treatments for traditional, experimental and alternative... we have been praying very hard for God to show us any treatment option. So to make a long story short... there is a new study "consortium" that has had amazing success and everyone in the study has ad 100% relief from this devastating disease. RSD/CRPS is rated the highest pain on pain scale models. Higher than that of childbirth (which I have done 4 times with no drugs), cancer, and kidneys stones. I will be having an above knee amputation April 2nd. Even if I do not get remission (though we believe I will get remission), I will have less pain and be done trying to accommodate the dysfunctional limb. The constant pain has continues to put excessive stress on my heart, kidneys, GI and brain.
As you can imagine it took us some time to get things lined up both here at home (Overland Park KS) and figuring out who can help me in Denver where the surgery and recovery will take place. Ralph can be able to be with me in Denver part of the time but needs to be in OP since we have kids at home and financially our office cannot be closed for 3 weeks. I will be in Denver for 3 weeks and we are trying to figure out all logistics... who can help me.. I will be in the hospital for 3-5 days.
I am at peace with the amputation but am not at peace with more disruption for my family, my boys, my mom,,,, I need your prayers and love. Ralph and I feel that this is correct next step (no pun intended) to give me the best chance of having a better quality of life. GOD has opened the doors very easy and helped make our decision very simple.
We are certain that this is Gods plan for our family. I need to be able to participate at a higher level with my family and friend's... use my love languages more easily... be a better mom, wife, daughter, friend, doctor...... Please share if I left someone out...Thank you. We welcome all prayers.. and please let me know if you have any questions, thoughts, ideas and mostly words of encouragement ...
