Good evening Rachel @rwinney. I have now read your post several times. You have always been upbeat about your own pain and discomfort, compassionate and caring to others about their challenges. You are strong and persistent, open to researching and listening. Each trial of a treatment or medication was approached with a sense of good planning and an expectation of success. Too optimistic?...perhaps, too hopeful? aren't we all?

You have always been trying to figure out what type of neuropathy you had and what caused it.

You were not going to settle for idiopathic. I have been there.....and now I am waking up in the morning to greater pain not only in my feet and ankles but also popping up over my knees.

How did it get that far this fast? Why are my wrists so cranky? How do I know the barometer reading every day without looking?

And then there is the self-doubt....don't these people know I am in a 6-8 pain level all the time? I better not tell them or they might not want to hang out with me, see me as a PITA.

Why am I more comfortable just staying at home? I know.....I don't have to worry about finding or taking my medication, I don't have to worry about running out of steam and just losing it in a restaurant or at a friend's house.

Let's focus on what you do know about yourself and the treatments/medications that are available to you today. Can you lay out a plan that assigns dosages or levels to your needs throughout the day?

I think we can become more pain tolerant to a certain extent with distractions, activities, mindfulness, and meditation. My spiritual guru, Patsy, would tell you that you have to acknowledge the pain if you want to have some control over it.

I am ready to sleep now, so will say goodnight. May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering dear Rachel. I am here for you. Chris

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