Thanks to people like you the activity on RSD Alert is rocketing away. This was once a single story on a personal website. Not any longer. Mail from all over has produced a growing variety of personal stories and shared experiences about living with RSD.

"Story Board" is a recently introduced feature that started with one page but has now grown to four. Its value on the site is that visitors are more and more likely to encounter experiences and ideas that match their needs for comfort, encouragement or advice. Keep giving us feedback.

We are grateful to Keith Orsini, for contributing our latest addition - "A day in the life of an RSD patient" - a hard hitting response to people who under-rate the seriousness of RSD's effect on a person's life. Keith knows all about it. Not only has he had RSD since teenage but, as Director of the National RSD Hope Support Group (USA), he is in touch with thousands of sufferers via RSD Hope's website (www.rsdhope.org) the flood of correspondence they receive, plus their annual conference.

Incidentally, have you heard about the UK conference to be held in Eastbourne, East Sussex on 4th - 6th May? The main event is on Saturday 5th and I intend to be there. Organised by the Eastbourne RSDS Support Group (www.rsds.freeserve.co.uk) this will be a meeting place for RSD sufferers and health professionals (some of whom will be speaking to the conference). If you are there, come and introduce yourself.

Best wishes

Derrick Phillips