@jesfactsmon Hi Hank, Your post about Linda made me cry. It is the happiest, saddest account of your day. I had no idea Linda had not been out in such a long time. To go out today, with such enthusiasm, and have such frightening results is just chilling. Do her feet normally turn like lobster feet? CRPS came to my mind when reading your description. I have a history of fibromyalgia, but never had trouble with motion. This is a new one to me. I do know that in one day, I could go to feeling decent to horrific with the whatevers of Neuropathy. I would get very pissed off from excruciating pain, and go and vacuum rooms in my house. Sometimes the pain would be excruciating, and I would walk down the street like the angry warrior. I could have 2 days in a row where I was pain free, and the next, could not bear how bad it was. When was the last time Linda has been to a neurologist? I want to tell you that today, I see the DRG as promising. I am exhausted emotionally, but I do notice a lot less pain, and balls of feet are less like solid concrete. Toes feel less stuck together. I want to talk to Linda, Frank. I think it is time I talk to her. Maybe we can all speak on speaker phone, or arrange a zoom conference. I have no idea how to do this, but my husband does. My heart goes out to you and Linda. Leading a life like she is leading is unfair. Just unfair. We cannot be on this earth to suffer so. Get back to me Hank, when you can. I will get here as soon as I can. Lori

@ jesfactsmon I do relate to Linda's outing filled with joyful emotion, adaptation and maybe some anxiety? I am incredibly happy she made it out of the house, in the car and to a market. This was a big day for her (and you)! It is burdensome that we pay the price for simple pleasures when we live with neuropathy, fibromyalgia, chronic pain disorders, etc...

I gave up driving last December at the height of my debilitating pains. Pain made me reclusive and I did not like it but I grew comfortable. I became afraid of igniting more pain by leaving my house. I became at odds with riding in a car with various discomforts and pains, from movement and jarring, to sound and lights. I developed anxiety from all of it. I knew I had to force myself out of my safe zone to find whatever normalcy was going to mean for me. Every time I pushed to go out, I paid a price but knew it was mentally healthy to tackle and accomplish, even if it meant I was bed ridden after and down for the day or night. Never did I like any of it and still don't. I'd get quite resentful that the bad presented, which means I lost focus of the good that presented. Mindfulness...always a student.

After a long winter of this, I started to believe my body was shutting down from lack of use. It's stated that excercise, movement, stretching is relevant to neuropathy. Practicing yoga or tai chi is beneficial and must be done as tolerated but, still done. Well, I did minimal stretching and that's about it. By April I mysteriously started to feel let up in certain places (maybe from myofacial release, maybe spring was in the air, maybe supplements kicked in, maybe the stars alligned). My point is I pushed little by little, in and out of pain and realized with every movement, like planting a flower pot, I was completely over stimulating my muscles. Bending to pull a weed set my legs on fire. I'm now able to do a smidge better with a bit less pain and I'm happy for that. I made my first drive in the spring as well. It was nerve wracking. I felt out of sorts and my body wondered what the hell I was doing! I had tried before but my body went nuts. So, there is my small progress...I drive maybe once or twice a week, 5 - 10 minutes max to one small destination like CVS. Sometimes I still put the car in park at a light to save my leg. It feels wonderful to have that independence back and I listen to my body when I cant do it. Many days the legs put me down without choice.

I've babbled too long. I just hope Linda knows I feel her frustration, sympathize with her pain and rejoice in her happy moments of which I hope will become more often. I hope she is motivated still, somewhere inside, to keep her fight and not let her feet win completely. I'm impressed with her day and hope more can be had. How about a portable wheel chair for the next grocery trip? Be well Hank and Linda. All the best to you both.
Rachel