the day that my numbness began is forever etched in my memory.

I was wearing my new pair of sport sandals (ALPs leather, with long blue criss-crossing laces, for water activities) at work, to break them in.

the leather is supposed to be soaked in water, then the laces tightened, which makes the sole mold to your unique footprint, and that helps keeps you stable when river rafting and boating.

following the instructions, I soaked 'em, laced 'em up, and began my day.

a few hours later, I was rounding a corner in the shipping dept. at work, when I *banged* my right foot into a pallet.

I immediately realized that although my foot SLID a bit inside the sandal, I didn't FEEL it...

took off the sandal, and felt my foot... my toes ached, but I couldn't feel the SOLE of my foot at ALL... hmmmm... that's weird!

within four days, the numbness had spread up my right leg, started similarly in my left, proceeded up BOTH sides to my waist, and stopped there, with a really TIGHT band around my waist.

I got my diagnosis the next week.