My husband decided 28 years ago that he wanted to spend more time with the family and less time at work. He moved from data processing manager to consultant, working 3-4 days a week. We were very fortunate and it worked out, we always seemed to have enough. As the years went by he was offered very tempting jobs but never wanted to give up that much of his life to work. He finally took a job, but works at home and sets his own schedule. They know he is not interested in any promotion. He has been paid for knowing more about the field he is in than most other people. I suspect that you, Jon, are capable of knowing more about your field than your coworkers and will have a secure place even if you bypass the ladder. There are advantages in being the one who can synthesize all the disparate bits of information and the skill is in short supply from what I hear.

All any of us really has is time and the more of it you can save for the important things the more successful you will have been in the end. If increasing disability should be your lot, and I sincerely pray it is not, why should your job have gotten the best you have left to give?

I guess I finally got it through my head that exact thing, Susanne. I've known for some time I was only likely to travel so far for a few reasons, neuropathy set it at a different level. I had left doors ajar hoping for improvement. Now I feel it is more important to get more quality time. It has been in far too short supply.

Besides, it is not as if I couldn't reverse course if I improved, but as I told a friend at work - if I mention that remind me I am likely forfeiting anything I gained.

It was rewarding that to this point my experience was easy. I was greeted with understanding and respect. The big cheese was pragmatic more than anything, measuring the gain in the new place over any loss at the old. Fine by me.

My modest goal is a few more quality family hours a week. My large goal is Family game night and cooking dinner a few nights a week.

It is not something that is known office wide yet. That is going to be an interesting onion.

Jon......you will not regret your choice. I've had to quit my job. My youngest of four kids is in his senior year. I am quite disabled, but happy that I can give him my undivided attention when he needs it!! Blessings!

Jon,

Take that Quality Time, utilise it fully to the best of your abilities. Make wonderful memories for your wife, children and yourself. Cook, have Family Game Night!

We all have a limited capacity for carrying out tasks, you are prioritising well.

Dave.

For what its worth I've known healthy in their people 30's & early 40's that took a "sideways position" that has less room for advancement to spend more time with their families.

Myself I could have made more $ but it would have been less time at home. I wouldn't trade my time spent with our daughter at the basketball games & practices, swimming practices & meets, piano lessons etc for more $ in the bank.

I hope it works our well for you and you find relief.

My dad told me in tipical Oklahoma fashion "all you are going to make out of life is a living". He had a mangled hand from childhood(farm machinery) so his work was here and there as he could fimd it. Yes we were poor but there is no stigma attached if you don't allow it. Back to my point, I really had the opportunity to understand my dad. We would spend time talking about philosophy, biology, nature, he taught me all he had to give and his last lesson was about how to die. I wouldn't trade my dad for seven miles of beachfront property and a Bently dealership. Ken in Texas.

Jon,
Ill or not, you made a good decision.
Lessening your stress and spending time with family will always be the right choice in life and I respect you for not waiting until you were ready to drop before making the decision.

When I got ill, I Had to make the tough decision of stepping down from a mgmt position( that I loved) and went back to a staff decision. It was so difficult to make that decision but I wasnt being fair to the folks in my department or to my husband. I stayed in staff position for a year then ran out of short term disability benefits time and was forced to "retire" to full time disability.

Jon, if you think that one day you may be unable to work full time, please look into your companies disability policies. I was so naive, I did not realize I would lose my job because I was working a less than full time schedule. I thought I could move to part time permanently but my company policy did not allow it. If hired for full time, Inhad to work full time. Once I was first sick and fell into the short time disability category, I did not know I was on a disability continuum. Now, this was a huge company, your company may different.

Thanks for keeping us informed.
Diandra

Down more weight, blood work mighty. My B12 was 1000 despite a three week break from supplementing. I think it is safe to knock that off the list of issues contributing to my neuropathy.

My A1C is now 5.7. I am rather thrilled with that. Back, back, back it was unsightly. I'd hate to misquote, so I won't.

My primary sees no point in a punch biopsy, as we treat nerve pain the same. I ran with that crack in the door pointing out that it is not enough and I am doing Herculean work. It appears pain management may be the next step, though I see my neurologist at the end of the month and between seeing him and work changes I'd like to see how that shakes out first.

I don't quite understand what else he thinks I could do. I understand that prescribing "heavier" substances invites scrutiny, but it is not as if I have not attempted to address this with everything I have.

I want more quality in my life. If that means stronger medication, I can accept that at this point. I think my rant is becoming increasingly circular. First and foremost, I'd like the biopsy. While I understand this all could still be related to my diabetes it doesn't smell that way to me.

Anyway..
Frustrated, buzzing, burning with a side salad of shooting pains,

Jon

Your A1C is great Good for you !

And I would ask for the skin biopsy because it can tell you quite a few things. It's also good to have a confirmed dx. I really needed that when I had to file for SSDI. Not sure I would have been approved without it. Also needed a confirmed dx for my peace of mind. And I was relieved when I got it even though it was really bad. No A or C fibers left in my foot and that was the 'good' foot....lol. I cried because I was so thankful to finally know what was causing me all this pain.

After reading many posts on here about the trouble people have getting a skin punch I was very lucky. My symptoms came on quick at the beginning of May 2013 and I had the biopsy on Sept 10th 2013. I had seen the foot and ankle Dr once and he thought it was SFN. I called and asked for the test and he did it the next week.

The Dr that did the punch biopsy, PCP and my neuro kept telling me I needed pain mgmt. Took me a year before I gave in and went. Now I know I should have gone when they told me too. I had this thought in my head that all pain mgmt. offices were pill mills. Boy was I SO wrong. Best decision I've made.

Debi from Georgia

His thing is I have confirmed long fiber neuropathy via emg/ncs. I think it is worth knowing there is more, if there is.