Welcome to The Project3x5.

Hi Hi! I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to stop in. Let me introduce myself… 

My name is Danielle. I’m 25 years old and originally from Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean. I know, I know, it seems strange at first, no? But - with the exception of my American Grandfather, a US Veteran - my family has been scattered around the West Indies for generations, many coming as Portuguese religious refugees, others from France, and to make me a true melting pot, some even come England and India. Just to make things truly complicated however, I was mainly raised overseas in the Middle East (Qatar), Colombia, Texas, the UK, and California - where I currently reside. 

My masters is in Human Rights (though that’s another story…) and so I work with refugees through UNHCR. I think my dogs - Bella & Max - are my babies. Sometimes that gets weird. Thank goodness I have a fantastic mother, father, and sister who love me anyway. 

MY PAIN:

In March of 2010, I was involved in an accident which left my left foot badly crushed. We’re talking bones broken and sticking out, skin ripped off, joint smashed and spun around, stuck on the border of Saudi Arabia with no pain-killers for hours - crushed… Immediately, it felt as though someone had lowered me into a volcano. 

As of then, I’ve suffered with an intolerable and rare chronic neurological pain disease known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (CRPS/RSD).

CRPS/RSD is widely recognized to be the most painful condition in the world, as evidenced on the McGill Pain Scale when shown to be above the pain caused by cancer, the amputation of a digit, and even childbirth. Fox News has even declared it to be 1 of the 5 craziest diseases in the world! In short, the nerves are stuck on replay from the point of the accident and so I am in almost constant, searing pain as if I have been set on fire. 

Although it began in my foot, the disease has now progressed to all of my limbs, my hips, lower back, and shoulders. There is the eventual possibility that it could eventually spread into the internal organs eventually reaching the brain as well. There is no cure, but for some - if treated with aggressive treatments - there is a chance it can go into remission. I - with the help of my doctors, support system, and the positivity of this blog - am currently trying for this now. 

Never heard of this horrifying condition? Neither had I! There’s a shockingly low awareness level that desperately needs to be remedied. And sadly, I’m not alone in my affliction… 

SO WHAT DOES TheProject3x5 AIM TO DO ABOUT IT…?

There’s a lot of negativity towards the condition from many other sufferers (and who can blame them, really?), so The Project3x5 hopes to be a source of hope, positivity, fun, accurate information, and possibly even inspiration through the daily happenings of my own life. I also hope to raise the staggeringly low awareness level for this debilitating condition in order to subsequently raise funds for research. 

So, in short I aim to advocate, educate, empower, and maybe even inspire those with CRPS/RSD, chronic pain, and nasty little invisible illnesses in general (yuck).

Follow along with me, spread the word and join the cause! x

Lots of love, 

Danielle x