Good morning everyone. I started taking the Protocol on September 2nd so have been on it about 2 months. When I started taking the Protocol I had numbness in both legs from the upper calves down through the toes.
How I got here (and more) – I am 73 years young. I don’t have pain with the SFPN, just numbness. So I can count my blessings. About 15 to 20 years ago the numbness started in the toes and after a few years was in the bottom of the feet. When I first asked my doctor about it he told me it was probably nerve damage and they could run some tests to find out if I wanted the tests. So I asked him if it does turn out to be nerve damage what can you do? After he told me nothing can be done I just lived with it, which in retrospect was the wrong decision. This past March I became more proactive and started reading and searching for information and set up an appointment with a neurologist to get a diagnosis. After I had an EMG and several MRIs, I met with the neurologist and he did his exam and told me I have small fiber peripheral neuropathy. He thought it was idiopathic or possibly hereditary based on my mother and 2 younger sisters both have diabetes. I have never had diabetes but have had higher than normal glucose levels over the years. He said just to monitor the numbness and he thought it would gradually get worse over time and to let him know of any significant changes. So, the diagnosis has helped me be more proactive and learn more about similar diseases/conditions and possible alternative treatments.
The SFPN along with old age has made it harder to walk. I have a recumbent stationary bike that I ride for 30 minutes 5 times a week to keep the leg strength up. I have learned to wear loose fitting diabetic socks at night as well as during the day. That I learned after a trip to the emergency room in the middle of the night. Evidently I had a jagged toenail and rubbed my feet together during the night which nicked/tore a blood vein near the surface in my ankle. Fortunately I woke up for a bathroom visit and when I got there in a daze I couldn’t figure out why there was blood all over the floor until I saw a stream spurting out of my ankle and I wasn’t able to stop it. It wasn’t funny at the time but looking back it did give me a good laugh. The weather was drizzly and when the EMTs were taking me to the ambulance they tried to put a cover over my head to keep me dry. I said please don’t! This was because I saw all the neighbor’s lights on and I didn’t want them to think I was dead. I made the episode into a speech for one of my Toastmasters meetings.
While I’m not quite at what I want to be for my new normal, the numbness is less. It is now a little above my ankles. So to close out this episode of my story – #theprotocolworks is the real deal. Thanks Bob Diamond!
