Hello, dj12 (@dj12)

Ah, yes, Spice up that cane! Or, as another Connecter in the forum said, "Give your walking stick a personality"! I'm all for it. I'm encouraged to hear how your chemo has shown increasingly positive results. That's something for which a person can be genuinely thankful.

Lately, I've felt that I might soon be needing to retire my cane and turn instead for better stability to a walker. My unsteady balance is due entirely to my neuropathy, but my most bullheaded efforts to improve my balance, which demands at a minimum that I strengthen my legs, are frustrated not by my neuropathy but by my ailing left knee which is jam-packed with arthritis. I had my right knee replaced 20 years ago (when I was 20 years younger, living with a life-partner, and not yet showing signs of neuropathy). Time and again I set aside consideration of a second replacement (I'm 20 years older, live alone, and have neuropathy-related balance issues) …

… until last Wednesday when I had an extended chat with my orthopedist who counseled me on how he and I might do a second replacement while keeping me safe post-op and throughout the weeks-long recovery period. So, I've decided to get this second replacement. I drove home from the orthopedist's office feeling ebullient, bouncy, happier than I've felt for a long time with my neuropathy-possessed body. 🙂

A knee replacement is not going to "fix" my neuropathy. I'm not so foolish that I might think so. No, my neuropathy will be there waiting for me post-op, but at least (or so I'm hoping) I'll finally be able to work on leg strengthening without my left knee screaming bloody murder!

All my best to you, dj2! Let me know in what way you spice up that cane! 🙂
Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)