Raising three young children is a challenge for any parent, but it can be especially challenging for Kate Palmer, who has complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
“CRPS for me has been quite devastating,” Palmer said. “Obviously I have struggled with it for a long time.”
The neuro-inflammatory disease results in burning and throbbing pain, sensitivity to touch, joint swelling, and stiffness.
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Usually triggered by an injury, CRPS is ranked as one of the most painful conditions on the McGill Pain Index.
“On a tough day it’s hard to get out of bed, it’s hard to feel hopeful knowing that I have to live in this amount of pain every moment for the rest of my life,” Palmer said.
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Every day Palmer pushes through the pain, choosing not to take opioids.
She also dedicates time to the CRPS Hope and Awareness Foundation, which she co-founded.
“We focus on increasing education and awareness in the general public, because most people have never heard of the disease,” Palmer said.
“There isn’t really a lot of understanding for the context of what it means to live with the disease.”
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