Cyclelops:

I want to thank you for your explanation. Not that I completely understood everything you said. I think I need to get my own medical degree (and at my age, that's not going to happen). But I read and I still learn.

Alan's foot bled this morning. He thought the new orthotics would do the trick. Obviously not. He has an appointment today with the second podiatrist that he has been seeing. He doesn't want to tell this guy that he's going to an orthopedic surgeon sometime this month. I said "why on earth not"? and he said: "i don't want to hurt his feelings". I said "and what will you say if this guy says 'well, Alan, you're still bleeding a bit (one drop actually), so obviously the orthotics are not doing what we thought they would be doing, so you obviously need to have the bone shaved down, and I'll do it". I said: "what will you say if he says this to you"??? Alan said 'Oh, I'll say: "I have to discuss this with my wife"

I laughed. If this were me, I would simply say "Ah, you finally have come to the conclusion that I need surgery, well I have an ortho who specializes in people with neuropathy". But Alan obviously is not comfortable doing this, so he'll handle it his way.

I don't think the second podiatrist would be offended if a patient found a specialist who is more well versed in dealing with people with neuropathy. I mean, this second podiatrist is the SECOND PODIATRIST. He was the 2nd opinion, right?? So why not go one step further and get a medical doctor, an orthopedic specialist who helps people with PN???

That's my take on it, but Alan sees this as offending his second podiatrist.

Oh well. We shall see what the doc says today. Probably, "go back to wearing the shoe boot and see me in two weeks".

I can't wait until Alan sees the ortho guy. It's been over 2 and a half years with this foot ulcer that keeps coming back and all the oft-loading shoes, and such have not allowed it to heal completely. He has this bone impinging thing going on. Hopefully the ortho guy will examine him, do the x-ray thing and say "okay, let's get this sucker taken care of".

Alan is really disgusted with his foot. I mean, he has the PN between the toes, and this stupid ulcer that just won't heal completely.

So time will tell what ultimately is decided.

Oh, for those of you who have not tried this massage thing by Homedics, Alan bought this thing that you put on a chair. It's by Homedics and it has shiatsu and rolling options on the hand controls.

Well, ......I can't stand anything going up and down my back because I have scoliosis. But last night I was sitting in the chair (it's in our computer room so we can go on the computer and get this massage thing going on.

It was 12 a.m. last night and I looked at the control pad and I saw the upper, lower, full ...options, and I pressed power, and pressed full, and I waited until the mechanism went up to the top, then I pressed some button that lets it stay in one place. I scooted down a bit on the chair and the mechanism did my shoulders and my neck.

Let me tell you something. I sat in the chair for 10 minutes. I went to bed and Alan had to shake me awake this morning. It was 9 a.m. and he was shaking my foot and saying: "hey, don't you want to go to Dunkin Donuts".

This massage thingee did a job on my shoulders and neck, (oh, and when I put it on my lower lumbar area and leave it there), it just kneads and rolls and does it's thing. Alan got this in GNC for about $89.00.

My god, what a nice thing. It takes away all the muscle tensions.

Alan has to use the other massager when he gets into bed. It's a hand held thing he got from Brookstone. He puts it on his calf and he feels that it brings all the oxygen down to his feet and helps the PN. Oddly, I can't stand anything that vibrates, and when Alan turns on his thing in the bed, the bed vibrates and I have to get up. It's good for HIM and his PN, but my legs can't stand any vibrations. How the heck can the same disorder (whatever you call PN), affect two people in such various difference. He loves vibrating stuff on his legs and I can't stand it.

interesting!!!

mel