Ateevia Botanica PRIME Daily Pain Defense Cream Review

I have been diagnosed with RSD for about 7 years now, and I have been suffering from chronic pain for several years before this.
 Since my teen years, I had several sprains, and breaks in my feet and ankles, which I later learned, never healed properly. I was actually born with some foot problems, and even though I was in braces for a while when I was a baby, and a toddler, my feet still turned in quite a bit and I was diagnosed with "weak ankles".
When I was a teenager, I started waitressing at local pizza shops, and then a sports bar, which later led to my bartending career. (20+ years of being on my feet and usually always on cold concrete floors)
 Anybody who has ever bartended, know that this can be a very brutal job, long hours, no breaks, and very rarely sitting down!
 I found a surgeon after a few years off searching, to help me with a reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. She finished the left foot and ankle first and scheduled me for the right foot and ankle to be done 6 months later. Well, after a year, I was still stuck in a wheelchair, and in much worse pain then I ever was in my life.
 I ended up leaving several messages, asking what I am supposed to do, no answers, I went back to my family doctor and he sent me to physical therapy, and more orthopedic surgeons, and they just continued to refer me elsewhere and send me away after apologizing and admitting there was nothing they could do.
 I have been to several different doctors, surgeons, neurologists, pain management, and nobody can do much of anything for me, except "treat" my RSD.
 So, after all of my injuries, torn tendons, failed surgery, heel spurs, drop foot on both feet, and many fractures that made my feet and ankles even more weak, I ended up with RSD, a neurological chronic pain disorder.
 I have also been diagnosed with all kinds of arthritis, and most recently, MS. On top of this, the tendons that my original surgeon "repaired" have since re torn, and my heel spurs are back, and the hardware that was put inside my heel, foot and ankle, are supposed to be removed, except, I can't find a doctor brave enough to attempt this crazy mess I'm in!
This has affected my life immensely! My family has suffered a great deal because of this and I'm not always able to help or do as I used too. I still bartend pt on the weekends, even though it is getting much harder and it takes the whole week just to get back to "normal". There are days I can barely move, and there are days I just get terribly sick from medications, and from being in constant pain. I get very little sleep, and it takes an average of about 4 hours to just get into an ok enough state just so I can go about my day here with my little ones.
 I keep a diary of my pain for my pain management doctors and especially since RSD is such a weird disorder, something new seems to happen each day, as well as spread like wildfire throughout your body.
Pain management is something I can not always even get much relief from, if at all. On top of it being expensive, and after so many treatments, certain things just don't work anymore. I have had so many nerve blocks, and injections, and different prescriptions. If insurance would cover some better treatments for RSD, I could possibly take advantage of Calmare Therapy, Hyperbarrick Oxygen Chambers, and my newest referral is for nerve cutting surgery, which I really don't want. However I don't think this is getting any better, it continues to go downhill.
I have been going back and forth with different pain relief treatments, creams, vitamins, capsules, and I have tried so many different products over the years and have had some of the worst experiences and some that were not as bad but didn't help much of anything.
I recently had the opportunity to try, Ateevia Botanica PRIME Daily Pain Defense Cream, and I can really attest to the fact that this has provided me with a great deal of pain relief! (and it came at just the right time of year!!)
Ateevia Botanica, is formulated to alleviate inflammatory pain, such as: Arthritic Joints Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Tennis Elbow Tendonitis Lower back pain Heel pain and Sports bruises.
 Another reason I was interested in this product is because it is made in the USA!!
 Some of the other reasons: because Ateevia is an all natural formula that is one of the most therapeutic topical analgesics that are out there today. PRIME stands for, Phytonutrient Rich Inflammation Minimizing Extract.
 We've been trying to convert to all natural and organic in our home, and this is something I would love to focus on this year and hope to replace even medications that I am prescribed. Ateevia, is a good start!
 While my chronic pain disorder may be a little different then others, I do also suffer from a few other chronic pain disorders as I mentioned above. The arthritis, and constant, achy, soreness around my ankles and heels is what bothers me most mornings. It seems my doctors steer clear of treating this, even though I think and wish it could be treated separately because whenever I do have a little relief, I can get around a little better. It all kind of depends on the day and what hurts and bothers me most when I wake up.
So, anyway, I started using Ateevia on my ankles and heels, in the morning. I didn't notice a difference right away, (Ateevia doesn't claim that results will be instant, it of course will depend on amount of pain, type of pain, etc. You can refer to their website to read more testimonials about their product and more about how you may need to apply more then once a day, or even several times a day) I did notice my skin around my ankles was quite a bit softer, and that was instant! That was enough to keep me content! I have such bad swelling some days, and super dry skin. I try so many kinds of lotions, body butters and creams and they seem to soak right in and disappear. Ateevia, is much different and I am more then pleased with this. It's rare I can not be so embarrassed with my giant ankles, legs and feet;)
 The scent is also pleasant and I even received compliments on this. Oh, and it makes my hands very soft. Most creams and topical ointments I tried in the past have a very mediciny type smell to them, and they are pretty greasy. It seems to be, "just right" with Ateevia Botanica, because it does soak in and I firmly believe has actually started to heal my extremely dry skin from the inside out. (at least the dryness, but this is the worst of all of it with me.)
After a few more applications on the first day, I could actually notice a difference in the layers of pain that this cream helped! (The achy, bone, sore, beaten up kind of pain.) It has also helped with some newer pain I acquired since my accident a few months ago.
 Nothing ever will take chronic pain away 100%, but when you find another piece to the puzzle and you can get just one step closer to having lower levels of pain each day with a specific product combination, or even just by itself, your life becomes just a bit more bearable.
 I do recommend this for people who are struggling with various types of pain and inflammation. I will be adding this in the mix on a regular basis for my pain days!
You can also find Ateevia on Facebook!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Lost Posts and Book Reviews HELP:)

I am having a major issue for a couple months now, all pertaining to this blog. I was hacked once, a transfer failed once, and I lost several book reviews and posts and even a few giveaway posts. Then, Blogger decided to switch on me, and for some reason, if I have html code in a post, my paragraphs are not starting and stopping properly?? Besides all of this, my RSD, (I know, and I am sorry if I seem like a crybaby), but it is getting worse and spreading and between neurology and regular dr and pain management visits, I am so ready for vacation!! I am not happy with my recent dr visits and diagnosis, nor do I approve of my medications being upped, and new ones added and being told I can not really rely on Calmare, to help me. I just want something, anything to even just take away even a third of the pain and discomfort!! But for now, it is being "controlled", it is better then it was the last few weeks, and months since it has progressed, yet again, and so, I am able to re locate all of my lost posts, and pictures. Well, I can not really locate them all, I have no clue as to what happened exactly, other then the fact that I was hacked, and I paid somebody to transfer me, and well, they transferred me back because they "lost" so much in the initial process. Luckily, I found a very reliable blogger, Blogelina, and she will be taking over from here on out. I am only 1 person, and not a business, so therefore, I do not have the type of money to spend to fix and host and run my blogs. All of my networks and sites are unfortunately just run by me;P I am planning on this to change, especially since I now see the light at the end of the tunnel, with all of the technical difficulties, and I also am being "managed" by my team of doctors. (Even if I hate it, I can at least get on with my life, so I am grateful!!) If anybody has tips, pointers, suggestions, on how to fix my paragraphs, or maybe knows of a book I can buy and read that will maybe have every answer to every question, issue, concern, dilemma, that a blogger may have, lol, please, I am begging you, to let me know what that book is!! It takes me so long to find answers to my crazy, adventurous blogging career!!

Learning How to Deal With CRPS or RSD

Just a few days ago, I think I finally realized that this isn't going to get any better.
I have always had a very hard time accepting things, life changing events, and things that aren't what I would prefer were happening. Not that I try to pretend that it isn't really happening, or that I act like
it isn't there. But, I try to steer clear of discussing my fears and have always tried to stay strong and be happy, no matter what.
One thing I will never understand is how some people go through horrifying life changing events, and how they stay strong, and I will never understand why and how people get through chronic diseases, being told they will die from something, or that they have only a few months to live, etc etc. These things bother me, and I have a problem with trying to imagine what it would be like to be that person, and how I would cope. I feel sorry for these people, and families, and I feel guilty sometimes that I am happy and content where I am, and that I complain about things that seem so irrelevant, when there are people out there living in the streets, dying from cancer, and being told that their child just passed away from cancer. I think this is why I have always taught my children, and myself, that there is always somebody worse off then you, no matter what. This is true, and it helps to cope with things that are happening in my life that aren't what I would consider, positive.
I believe this is also a fault in some ways, and I tend to then overlook what is happening in my own life, and when I am in pain, I think in my head, over and over, to stop complaining, because all I have to do is turn on the TV or the Internet and I will see somebody who has it much, much worse then me. That normally stops me from being so miserable about my own life and situation.
I still can't grasp the fact that I have a real disease and that even though I may not die from it, I have had to endure and will continue to endure, some fairly rough changes. I tend to feel selfish when I think about what I think may be "small" changes in my life, but then again when I look at what has changed in my life, how it has affected my husbands life, my children's life, and others around me, I start to think that RSD is a pretty awful disease. I would never wish this on anybody, and feel terrible for the "new" RSD sufferer's I meet online and at my doctor visits. They have no clue, I think to myself.
It has been several years since I have had to deal with constant pain. It started a long time ago, back when I was a teenager, when I would walk to the mall, school, my friend's houses. I just assumed it was weak ankles and I did walk a lot! Plus, it wasn't constant, yet. I did have some sprains and joint pain, and never thought for even a second that this pain would end up following me through the rest of my life.
When I was a mom for the first time, I took my little princess everywhere;) We would walk in town to eat lunch, shop, and walk around the malls and shop, lol. We would go for walks, and go to the park, and a few years later, when she was a toddler, I also started working a few jobs, (I guess to pay for all the shopping lol!!) I always waitressed, and also took a few pt jobs when I could, normally seasonal, at toy stores, video game stores, (they always at least gave a nice discount for employees;)
Anyway, my point is, I was on my feet, much longer then normal, and I figured that was why my ankles hurt like crazy. I have been a bartender since 18, (just about 20 years now), and as much as I love my job, it seems this is the real always opted for a walking cast, although now, I have no idea as to why the patient was allowed to choose this option! But, I wanted to make sure I didn't miss work, or anything else that is important to me, and having a cast would have driven me nuts!
Thanks to my ridiculous choices, I ended up with several busted bones in odd spots that just never healed and arthritis, a couple torn tendons, and of course some major pain! But yet, I still tried to hold treatments off. I just didn't have the time to deal with such an issue, and I didn't seem to have a doctor any of the times that I did break a bone, who told me that it doesn't matter what I have time for. So, I continued down this path of being, well, a complete moron lol!
Years later, I finally had enough, after lots of arguing with my husband and my mom, and the fact that I really couldn't walk without limping and crying in pain with each step, and sometimes, I couldn't lift my feet off the ground, I couldn't wear shoes anymore, due to the pain and severe swelling. I had/have to drag my feet, due to some unseen force that makes it impossible to lift either foot, (typically my left is much worse)
I went every month for about a year, each time with even more swelling, and pain, and it definitely wasn't getting better. He finally sent me for x rays and sure enough, had a few page report from the hospital about my feet and ankles. He had already started to search for somebody to help me, and was having a hard time doing so. Quite a few doctors stated, "I wouldn't know where to begin", or "I would rather not be involved with that mess". I should have realized then what exactly that meant, and I wish I would've searched for a surgeon, rather then accept the first one who said they believe they can help me...
Finally, after another year, I had my reconstructive foot and ankle surgery done. She was going to do my right foot and ankle a few months after the left one, but due to all of the unforeseen circumstances, that never did end up happening.
I will have other posts about this ordeal, and I am sure you are getting bored and wondering when this will end, lol, so I will skip some of what happened next. (You are welcome:)
Anyway, a few months after this "surgery", my surgeon would no longer see me, return calls, or give me a note to return to work. I went in the horribly busy facility and demanded to be seen and finally a nurse came out with a referral to see pain management and even though I couldn't walk, and they knew what job I had, she asked if I feel I can go back to work, I replied, "I don't know how, but I have too! This is why I have been trying to get a hold of my surgeon!" and she stated that she can't release me for work until I just answer the question with a "Yes", so I did, and she quickly wrote a note and told me to make an appointment with pain management.
I am very grateful for my pain management doctor, She is really an excellent doctor, and so are all the nurses and staff. I do feel I am getting the best care and treatments I can get at this office, whether I like what is happening to me or not. The diagnosis I received, RSD, or CRPS, I had never heard of, and had no idea what either meant. I asked tons of questions and they answered them all, and no, I did not/do not like the answers, I am happy I have a doctor I can trust.
For the past few years I have had to cancel quite a few appointments and reschedule and I hate doing that, but I have 4 children, 3 that are still pretty little and have their own appointments and the travel time is tough, plus, I know now what some of the answers are and some days I just don't feel like being let down again.
I figured the last few years, that this will go away and I will get better, and I keep thinking positively. Even though I have yet to meet somebody who has "gotten better", other then the small possibility of a remission period, I kept thinking that there has to be a cure, there has to be somebody who knows how to fix this. I had lots of hope for the future of this disease and for myself.
I can't do a lot of things anymore that I once could, even with the amount of pain I had before RSD, I was still able to do certain things, and as much as it hurt, I just dealt with it and did what I could, of course a HUGE part of me is very, very stubborn.
I can't work like I once could and I can't figure out how to make up the income I have lost over the years. My husband works like crazy with our small trucking business. (he is our only driver;) and so I started the online earning opportunities. However, a lot of the time, sitting and even lying down, are much more painful and almost impossible, compared to walking or standing.
I am always trying to find ways to earn money, so I can stay away from having to apply for disability, I feel like I would be giving in if I apply, just as I felt when I finally gave in and took advantage of my handicapped parking placard. So, we have been doing without some things, and I do work pt at the bar, and I work on my blogs. But until we win the lottery, or until I end up as big as some other bloggers out there, I need to do something.
I don't know what it was, maybe the new layers of pain that just started last week, or the realization that this just keeps spreading and getting more painful and harder to sleep at night or walk or sit. But, I feel that if I apply for disability, I am succumbing to this disease and that is one thing I do not ever want to do. Stubborn or not, I have to do something. It is for my family, and I think that is what finally got to me
I consider this a fault of mine. Not wanting to accept things like this and just when I think there can't be anymore new types of pain, worsened pain, more spreading, there is. I started to wonder just last week, when does this end? Does it spread to your whole body? What happens next?
I am still learning about this disease, and what I am learning, I am not to thrilled about.
I will be starting my adventure on finding help and accepting my "fate". I do hate this and I hate to have to depend on others and I am not looking forward to this , don't think I have a choice anymore.
If you have any suggestions, tips, advice, on RSD/CRPS, disability, anything, please feel free to comment below!! I enjoy meeting people who share this horribly painful disease with me, and I hope to help others out there too!
In the meantime, please consider donating for RSD Awareness! There are tons of beautiful RSD angels out there, and they long for people to be aware of what happens to us, what RSD is, what it does, and maybe to help find a cure.