I became disabled with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) after a crushing injury in a car accident in March 2010. This was before many of the recent breakthroughs in treating CRPS before it becomes chronic. It took four years for me to receive a proper diagnosis, and I still struggle with being misdiagnosed by different specialists. No matter what they call it, I continue to face many symptoms related to my disability. The worst of these is the emotional guilt I feel for not being able to do things. Eventually, I reached a point where I had to make a commitment to myself to truly live each daynot just survive. But what does that entail? It means living within my limitations while also finding ways to push those boundaries. Initially, due to people not believing me, I mistakenly thought I had to do everything on my own. I’ve learned a lot over the years, but it was a long and difficult struggle. I hope my advice can help you avoid those challenging years.