Living well with neuropathy: Reflections on 30 years of PN, 96 years of life and finding purpose through it all
An update 14 years later by Jack Miller, FPN founder
“18 years ago, I founded the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy because I was looking for a cure for my (and others’) neuropathy. We haven’t found it yet, but the search is continuing, and The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy is helping in many ways. Your support can make this happen even faster.”
– Jack Miller, FPN founder
In the previous patient story from 2011 I wrote for the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy (FPN), I shared the complete history of why I started the Foundation and my own long journey with peripheral neuropathy. Now, 14 years later at the age of 96 and approaching FPN’s 18th anniversary, I would like to update that column.
I would like to start out by saying the last 14 years have been wonderful years filled with an active social life and great accomplishments. The active social life must be credited to my wonderful wife, Goldie. Having to use a walker all the time is no problem at all. I have even gotten used to having other people open doors for me.
One thing that I think is very important that has helped me with my neuropathy is that I work out almost every day. I alternate between swimming one day and then cycling, lifting weights and stretching the next day. Of course, my age combined with my neuropathy makes it more difficult for me to move around, but with the walker I am able to do it quite well.
When I go to bed at night, my neuropathy often causes pain in my legs and keeps me awake. But wrapping a heating pad around my leg often helps. Also, getting up and going to my recliner and then falling asleep reading is also something that works quite well.
On the “great accomplishments” side is my involvement with the Jack Miller Center for Teaching America’s Founding Principles and History, which I started in 2004. The goal of the Jack Miller Center is to integrate the teachings of our founding principles and our American history back into our educational system. I stayed very involved as chairman of the board until last year, when I stepped down at 95, the age I’d set as the retirement limit for the role. I still remain an active participant as a member of the Board of Directors and as a chairman of one of the committees. The reason I’m bringing this up is that having a deep involvement with an issue that’s important to me has been very critical in helping me lead a really good life despite my neuropathy.
So, now, after having lived with peripheral neuropathy for over 30 years, I can tell you that life can be good and fulfilling despite it if you just keep doing things that really fill your life with meaning.
We at the Foundation are grateful for Jack’s foresight to form FPN and for his continued support. His drive to find cures drives our research and advocacy work.
