@harley22 Hmm. I seem to remember the neurologist mentioning the demyelinating. I'd forgotten about that. I will ask him about it when I see him again.

Numbness is something that never goes away for me. I don't feel any sensation of temperature or pain. I feel the cold tile floor with my heels, but not with the rest of my feet. In the shower, I don't feel it when the really hot water is hitting the tops of my feet. I had a leg muscle puncture test. They poke a large needle in four places, the first one in the thigh, and downward from there. With the needle in, I had to flex that muscle. That was really painful. Until the last one which was on the top of my foot just above my toes. I didn't feel that one at all, and asked the tech if he had done it. It's a bit scary not to feel pain. For that reason I never go barefoot. It's weird though, that the same areas are very painful from the nerves. I'm not diabetic so amputation doesn't worry me, although there are many times when I wish I could cut off my feet to stop the pain. The non stop pain factor is something that drags me down.

I'm glad that my wife and I made the commitment to love and be faithful to each other in sickness and in health in our wedding vows 47 years ago. Our spouses have to put up with more than they expected when we made those vows when we were young and healthy, and yes, naive. My wife doesn't understand everything about what goes on in my head because she's never had the same experience that I have, and I wouldn't wish it on her. I also agree with you, Marilyn, that having illnesses that aren't visible presents its own set of challenges, both at home and out in public.

Jim

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