I have lived with CRPS and walked with crutches for 8 years following femoral nerve damage during a knee arthroscopy. I am seeking remission through a 3 month treatment program at The Spero Clinic in Arkansas and have followed the clinic’s progress for a year showing patients achieving remission from CRPS. This is a rare, poorly understood condition where a person experiences persistent, severe and debilitating burning pain. The pain is out of proportion to the severity of the initial injury. I have tried various treatments including oral ketamine and calmare therapy which helped to reduce my pain but not enough to put my symptoms into remission or enable me to throw away my crutches! The clinic sets a personal care plan during the first two weeks of treatment and the funds raised will be used for this purpose. I plan to start the programme in January, the treatment is expensive with estimated costs of approx. £2,300 per week plus accommodation (flight are on top of this.) The total for my treatment journey will be in excess of £30,000. Treatments will include neuro muscular re-education therapy, vagus nerve therapy, oxygen therapy, cereset and magnetic resonance therapy to name a few. I want to raise awareness of CRPS as well as raise funds to help with the initial treatment cost. I have set myself a challenge to swim 5km during the month of NERVEmber, (November is International Nerve Pain Awareness Month for people living with Neuropathic Pain.) This is about commitment rather than distance as I can only swim 16 lengths of our local 18m pool before pain overcomes me hence the need for the month to complete the challenge. I also hope that this challenge will help get my body in the best physical shape possible for starting treatment in January.

Your support is much appreciated. Joyce xx