You are absolutely right- your future is one of pain, discomfort, and less. But only YOU can choose how to respond to this certainty. Putting aside the medical journey you’ll be on, PN requires changes to daily life.
If your balance is off, you’ll have to adjust what you enjoy to be safe. I can no longer walk the medium-sized dog, as unexpected pulling may knock me off balance and into a fall. So, I walk by myself or if with the dog, another person holds the leash.
I can’t garden anymore with footing on uneven grass/surfaces, so I garden along the house sidewalks, narrow but long beds, from a stool.
You can travel wherever you like, but you’ll need to make adjustments- hiking rugged paths is out, but walking on paved paths and boardwalks, visiting waterfalls with steps and railings, biking on flat “rails to trails” will be fine. A kayak is out, but a canoe with a strong elbow-to-elbow assist from someone for the in and out is fine. I enjoyed a waterpark this summer, with the grandchildren, went on the high tube slides- just told the kid at the top “I need your help” and reached out my arm. I went to the seashore- chose the beach entrance that has heavy rubber mats on the sand, walked to the water with one hand on my daughter’s shoulder. Rented a bike and biked on the Boardwalk.
One last thought about the traveling- the ADA laws have made it so much easier for people using wheelchairs to enjoy travel. Accommodations for wheelchair use really help we with PN- in public bathrooms and in accessible hotel rooms, there are high toilets and grab bars. In local, state, and national parks, there are paved walkways and most often railings on steps, Disneyworld (I’m going in November) has places to sit and rest everywhere- low rock walls, benches, cafes. I’ll need to pace myself for distances, it I’ll be there.
It’s hard to face the “less”, I was a very active person, always on the go, but now I think in terms of that cliche: life throws you curveballs and you can either hit them back as hard as you can or let them smash you in the face. Wishing you the best- maybe start planning a trip!

Jump to this post