Good evening @christine7, I have taken some time to get to know you a bit by reading your posts. I have walked down the same path as you have and ended up slightly confused and even frightened. For me, the pain is much more cumbersome than the numbness and tingling of my SFN (small fiber neuropathy). Last week our grandchildren came up from Texas. At 3 and 6 they are discovering the world and I love being invited to play games and puzzles with them. I have a Pop-up Book collection that started with my older granddaughters and we read all of them again and again.

When I joined Connect as a caregiver for my life partner, I didn't know anything about neuropathy. And in general, I have had little interest in medicine. However, I am now so grateful that in the last 5 years I have learned more about my body at 80 than I could have imagined.

It is the knowledge Chris that gives you the power to make decisions about your health conditions. I have learned so much from my MFR (myofascial release therapy). therapists. And even more from Connect members, mentors, and moderators.

My first Neurologist was very kind and helpful. He explained all the tests and introduced me to SFN with the punch skin biopsy. I am fortunate to have two friends who are nurses and they have done some handholding and a great deal of explaining.

I found my current Neurologist at Mayo Clinic. At this time I am still learning to be able to identify just what is going on and why. I will return to Mayo next week for more "muscle power" tests because I have been experiencing what I call "giveaway" falls. With sudden onset, my legs will just stop working.

At this point, you are the first one to whom I have introduced this new issue. I too become discouraged and a bit frightened. It may not even be neuropathy. However, my rules for myself are pretty strict. Be positive and responsive.

Learn everything you can even if you need a medical dictionary to figure things out.
Make an effort every day to pay attention and do what is recommended.
Live in the present moment.....also called being mindful.
Find some joy in every day, e.g. a flying squirrel just began appearing at the bird feeder.
My meditation group will be joining me for a "show and tell" evening about Holiday memories on Friday.

So...life goes on and time seems to go by so quickly. Don't miss the great times. Enjoy a reasonable and positive quality of life.

I will be waiting for your response. How can I help you?
Chris