Paula talks about her purpose and her pain

I just love and admire Paula. To have a chronic and debilitating disease and keep doing what she does is amazing. She also runs workshops for dance teachers all over the country. I wish I could go to just one, my former teacher (I moved to rural Minnesota recently - no adult dance classes out here (rats!!)) said they're really good and inspirational.

She's a much better role model than those blonde (bottle?) twits that are currently in the news.

CHRONIC REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME IS A DISEASE WHICH IS SO PAINFULL 24/7 YOU HAVE NO LIFE. CRPS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 100 YEARS AND THE MEDICAL FIELD AND DRUG COMPANIES ARE SLOW TO LEARN MORE ON DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. I HAVE HAD CRPS FOR 15 YEARS. CURRENTLY, I HAVE NO MORE TREATMENT OPTIONS WHILE THE DISEASE CONTINUES TO SPREAD UNCONTROLABLY. FOR THOSE WHO ARE BATTLING CRPS, TRY TO MAKE EACH DAY COUNT

To Bash -- You know what, Bash? Everything you have had or done to yourself is fixable or curable. Reflex Sympathic Dystrophy is incurable. She has to live with it every single day of her life. It is extremely painful and horrible.

You should be ashamed for making fun of her. You must be a horribly miserable person.

Careful, Bash. You wouldn't want the same thing you are criticizing to come upon you....would you? I can answer that....NO!

I have peripheral neuropathy, which is another pain-inducing disease, as well as fibromyalgia, which Paula also has, and I'll tell you right now that Paula is an inspiration to me. She gets out of her bed and dresses very nicely, fixes her hair and puts on her makeup, gets out of her house, and goes to the studio (or wherever her destination). Once she is there, she does a great job of disguising her pain. I, for one, would be disappointed to see someone in her place. It would be so easy for her to say, "I don't feel like going tonight." But she won't do that, because people are depending on her.

I can tell when she is having a painful, difficult night, and I sympathize for her and say a little prayer that she makes it through. At a time like this, I sometimes tell my spouse, "Paula is having a bad night".

Words cannot adequately express my admiration for her.

Ease up. RDS is a painful disease. Have a little compassion.

Paula Abdul seems to me to be a sincerely nice person. As for whether or not she has a drinking or drug problem, I don't know. One thing I do know, when I see the likes of Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton et.al., Paula looks and acts better and better.

Paula's breakdown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F6cTuP6EgI

Whether she has RSD or not, I can't say. But RSD (or CRPS as it's known now) is real, and an especially horrible disease..if she does have it, all my condolences.

BTW, It can come in areas more than just the hands like your link suggests - pretty much anywhere.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/reflex_sympathetic_dystrophy/detail_reflex_sympathetic_dystrophy.htm

And how ironic that her condition is called sympathetic reflex. That's the funniest irony I've heard in ages.

""My purpose is bringing out everybody's best and being that cheerleader to other people's success.""

If that is the case, then why are we subjected to hearing her moan? She's not allowed to moan about anything, if she's going to cheer everybody on. She should stand there next to Simon with her stupid pom-poms and do her ditty after every singer, without saying a word.