@colleenyoung Sorry, Colleen, but the more I exercise, the weaker I become. I have AL, and the fibrils get into any bodily tissues, pulling and pushing them apart. The heart begins to fail from stiffness, the nerves from the brain to the heart get shorted out so the heart does not beat. The Urethra stiffens from the invasion, as does the liver and the prostate. PN multiplies in severity, and vision becomes blurred. And the cerebellum cortex fills with dead mis-folded protein. No, exercise is not a one-size-fits-all, especially if your have Amy in any form. AL, MM, WG, , hATTRwt, AGel, ACys, etc.Cardiac, pancreatic, pulmonary, etc.

OldKarl, thank you for that slap of reality! You're so right that exercise is not a one-size-fits-all solution, however I would've thought some form of movement would usually provide benefit. Clearly I am wrong. One needs to be clear what is right for them. Thanks for setting me straight.

Good morning. I am responding to John Bishop's request about exercise and peripheral neuropathy. Most of us have led active lives that include physical activity and regular exercise. My annual 50 mile inn to inn walks in Europe, the US and Canada were total peak experiences. The Grand Canyon, the Ring of Kerry, the Monterrey Bay (mostly in sand) top a long list of places I have walked with my walking group. I loved every minute of the training, the preparation and the total experience. Now I am lucky to walk a block or two and then I usually pay the price the next day when the chronic myofascial pain begins on top of the peripheral neuropathy. I think that the first thing we need to do is to acknowledge and grieve for this loss of activity potential which came way too suddenly and way too soon even for those of us who are in the aging years. Exploring the grieving process with your CBT, ACT, or other support professional may be helpful. The next challenge comes when we attempt to find a replacement for our loss. There are lots of hours in the day that need to be filled with rewarding and healthy activities.
Here is what works reasonably well for me. Just think.....Keep Moving! How about dance? How about pickleball instead of tennis? How about a 30 minute walk instead of a 3 hour hike? I requested a personal set of Yoga poses based upon my physical abilities from my Yoga teacher. I also learned that Yoga is a practice that needs to be a ritual to receive the most benefit and that doesn't mean once a week...it means every day at the same time if at all possible. In one pose I raise my legs up ....called legs up the wall.....and point and flex my feet. In the next pose I turn my ankles several times in one direction and then the reverse. Just this one pose and its options has kept the numbness in my feet and ankles to a minimum. And I rarely have pain or discomfort any more in my feet. The stretches and twists in my program are held for six breaths to build suppleness. The strength poses are done very slowly to build up muscle tone. I add a quick body scan in shavasana to relax ankles, knees, jaw, neck, etc. And then I do 8 - 10 guided meditations for that mind/body connection..
At this point I have found that if for some reason I miss my "Keep Moving" routine, my day just doesn't go as well and I don't feel as positive....sort of out of sync.
I hope this inspires some of you to just "Keep Moving." I am happy to share whatever might be helpful from my experience. Be joyful!

Hi Chris (@artscaping) - that's pretty much my mindset also, one day at a time, one step at a time. I've been thinking of getting an Apple watch to remind me to get up once an hour...too much sitting at the computer. Hope you are safe from all the fires out there...was thinking they are west of you...right?

John

Good move, @artscaping, I have gog myself a calm and lifely little dog, who loves to discover nature and meet the neighbours dogs. I try to join my kids and grand kids on sports events or musical activities, playing card or chess with them -  rather than running behindtennis, ping-pong or squash balls. When they go skiing, I may sit in the nearby terrace and enjoy the sceenery or watch them race.Such activities can reduce pain levels remarkeably.

@artscaping

Thanks, Chris. I have days when I just sit and do things online like this group. Depression has a way of shutting me down some days. Often, we go to town, which is usually for church or doctor appointments - and shopping. I used to out shop my wife, but neuropathy pain in my feet has put some limits on the number of stores I'm willing to browse. I sometimes resort to the electric shopping carts in big stores, but my service dog doesn't like them. But those are good days for strengthening my legs and knees.

I've been through CBT sessions several times over the years, and I'm just beginning to give ACT a go. I'm noticing that the pain isn't bothering me as much lately. No complaints there. My wife has benefited from the exercises she's learned from PT. I should try the yoga moves you described. They sound like they'd be helpful.

Jim

Thank you for writing so beautifully about two points I have difficulty expressing. The grief - and that is the right word - over the loss of our beloved physical activities and the search for replacements. I have difficulty even watching a movie or video set in the mountains (Lake Tahoe was my favorite hiking spot.) I have discovered photography is particularly effective at focusing on people,plants,animals OUTSIDE OF MYSELF AND MY ILLNESS. I will kept this posting with me as a guide.

@johnbishop Thanks for thinking of us with the fires. We actually have been and still are experiencing the Santa Ana winds. The gusts were so high over the weekend that the power was totally shut off to all of our mountain....several communities, for 2 days. This is a preventive measure to keep downed power lines from setting off sparks when hit by falling trees and branches. So....we hunker down, light candles, and snuggle up. We actually spent several hours at the Idyllwild Brewpub as they have generators and great craft beer. Because it is so dark with no lights for 50 miles or so in any direction, we also get more coyotes around the yard so have to be careful with Roxie, our little Cavalier. We survived, of course, but feel so sorry for all the devastation to the West and South of us. We head for San Diego this weekend and hope all remnants of that fire have been extinguished. Have a joyful day!

Good evening @keeptrying. Thanks for your response. It is sometimes difficult for folks to accept that grieving is a process and takes time and attention to resolve. A loss of any significant and loved part of our life can lead to depression if we don't address it. I love Tahoe also as I grew up near Yosemite. Now I live on top of a mountain in the San Jacinto range of Southern California. Be safe and joyful.

Greetings @swiss, thank for your reply. I, too, receive great comfort from my Roxie, a little Cavalier who is just a love sponge and the perfect companion (as long as she gets treaties of course.) I have always enjoyed sitting around the fireplace at ski/winter resorts. Couldn't risk any more back injuries and that was in my 20's. I did make it down the course in the 4 man Olympic bobsled while in Innsbruck but that is the extent of my winter sports. Sounds like you are having some joyful moments. Good for you!!!!