and, he is one who has been able to cope far better than most of us! Especially about this sort of thing! He is wise in this quarter as is Mrs D about the various vitamins that can help us heal.
There are no quick fixes that I know of? No 'pills' to make you better and call the doc in a week scenarios.
Follow a good program of B-1 and B-12 supplements [avoid B-6 if you can?] and do keep in mind that it can take minutes for nerves to die, but years for them to heal.
I myself have a severe auto-immune neuropathy and as Jackatak stated things can and do go quite dead! But, with advice from good folks here I am still walking, and kicking butts or the like.
When I had my onset? The pain was excruciating! Amputation was looking like a good alternative. Then it abated to a sort of dead-ness.
My ultimate opinion [worth nothing really, but for experience] is that as long as you can feel ANYTHING? it's a good thing!
Go and read the 'stickies' at the top of the page and learn from the collective intelligence of the real pro's here!
Know that you are UNDERSTOOD here and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Hope and common sense always prevails! - j