Im English so its deifinitly grey for me guys. Cyclops, good luck with the surgery. Hope its not too painful. These stories of trips to the toilet sound horrible and I fear im not far from them myself.
PN certainly seems to be a horrible condition and as so many of you have said it is not understood by friends and family. The best way I have heard someone try and explain it to a non sufferer was try imagining a toothache that would never go away.

I like what Hemse said about someone saying to a non-PN sufferer that it was like a toothache that never went away.

For we burning types who have the small fiber sensory, it's like a sunburn that never goes away. It just feels SO good to have to put on clothing every day that feels like sandpaper scraping along the skin.

But no matter what kind of PN one has, they're all nasty.

In the absence of taking meds to try and dull the allodynia, I find that distraction works fairly well. So far. That's why I have to keep on going as best I can for as long as possible.

Tonight's distraction will be the TV series Mad Men. Come next month, Mad Men AND Dexter on Sunday nights. And there's Netflix. Just LOVE movies - classics in particular. Can really get lost in them.

Best wishes,

Sheltiemom

Yep, distraction is about it....and I am running out of things to do.

I saw on a TV trailer, that they are re-releasing - for the big screen
'Avatar' in 3D & IMax 3D.
New scene(s) have been added that were cut from the first release.
If yer into movies - that's the one to see.

I saw it in the theater, but not in 3D....yeah, the movie scene....back to my genealogy stuff....preparing for holidays....getting thru this surgery....then deciding if I want the second one...raising this grandchild....waiting for my first EGG which should be in the next few weeks! I have 2 roosters, which so far get along, mostly because I have enough hens and a large containment for them....bigger than most people's yards....so, I hope I can keep both. It takes 10 hens to keep one rooster happy, and I have a total of 23 hens. I am very attached to my Plymouth Barred Rock, Lars, since he is so sweet. My Ameraucana, Anders, is a snit....he is totally neurotic and not very nice, but I like his colors. We shall see..... My business should be booming after the egg scare....but it won't....

Eh...you know, late summer doldrums. I got all my tomatoes canned and left a few to rot, just to add to the fruit fly population. My hands just gave out....totally gave out and have not been back to 'normal'.

As hard as I try, I do see progression in the disease, whatever this disease is....bums me sometimes. I will get over it.

We have a busy Fall and Holiday season planned, so I will get to see all of my kids, and grandkids....and who knows, maybe a new one will be on the way by then...."to everything there is a season". I hope I get enough seasons to see all the joys.

Maybe I need an elephant ride??:)

I'm a convert to the wonderful world of bedside commodes
 

I live alone and don't have to worry about a mate's comfort. For the past 3 years I have used a commode for the 2 am bladder call. Lets me sometimes get right back to sleep and eliminates the crashing & careening off walls on the way to the bathroom.

Well, maybe I should have taken to the bedside commode last night! I wasn't able to make it all the way! I had to grab the towel from the back of my door and use that as a temporary "diaper".

By the time I actually woke up enough to get my bearings to the bathroom, it was too late to make it all the way there! So I grabbed the towel from the back of the door and sat on the chair so as not to ruin the hardwood floor. Then I reached for the dresser and a clean pair of night clothes. Headed for the bathroom to take a quick "body shower" then to the washer in the garage, then back to bed. I was pretty wide awake after that! Oooohhhh this is just so frustrating!

I've been through this in the car coming home from a 2 hour trip, or with the granddaughter in the car... many many times! I'm only 50! I still work full time and I'm not ready to wear "Depends" yet!

Then, while driving to work I felt a zap in my urinary area, (you know, one of those nerves that are about to go out that sends a message saying... wake up!!!!) and at the same time, a zzzzap in my ankle and toe on the left foot! Whew! That scared me! Especially while driving!

Hey, the circus is coming to my town... maybe I'll see some of you riding the elephants!

I will be with you riding the Elephants Terri.

Don't worry about the "Depends" if you need them wear them. You reach menopause and say great no more pads and then you have to wear pads for a different more embarrassing reason. It is one more thing I have to add to my shopping list. The joys of neuropathy. Yes very grey indeed.

Oh, the Depends may be a good option for those times like sleep or car rides....you can temper it with some nicer undies for times when you feel more secure!

I wonder if Depends would keep me from having to stumble to the bathroom when staying in a hotel or a friend's house? Any shortcomings... leakage, etc?