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[Guest guest]

Hi :

Welcome to the group! My name is Marti and I am 31 years old.

No, I'm not 20 any more but I can relate quite well to most of what

you said. I first was diagnosed w/ nerve damage in my feet and legs

at age 16. Gym (P.E. class) was hell but I fortunately got out of it

my last few years of High School. I was given AFO's in High School

and went through a depressed and traumatized couple of years.

Things did get MUCH better after High School. I stopped

wearing the AFO's but that was not the source of what was better.

The great thing about College as opposed to High School is that in

college ALMOST everything is about CHOICE!! You chosse where to go

to college, you choose MOST of your classes, you choose your major,

you choose your clubs or activities moreso than in High School. I

found that my CMT became less of a problem because I was put in far

fewer situations that involved competitive athletics. I am an active

person and enjoy exercise but I was able to CHOOSE to exercise where

and when I wanted and able to pace myself.

For me, adulthood has been much better than childhood or

adolescence.

I can also relate to your anxieties because I was only

diagnosed with CMT for the past year or so. Previous to that, I

didn't think my nerve damage would/could get much worse, I didn't

know my children (if I have them) have a 50% risk, I didn't know that

CMT could be so painful or even (in very rare cases) deadly. Now, I

am greatful for the education I've received but I find that I can't

go five minutes of a day without thinking about the CMT. I am BETTER

and LESS anxious than I was six months ago, but it's hard. Although

I am mildly affected now, I do not yet have a spouse, don't have

close family, don't own a house or any major assets, and have a huge

debt burden from my grad student loans. As a result, I worry a lot

about how I would sustain myself if/when my CMT progresses a lot. I

also worry about whether or not I should have kids. Because I take

better care of myself now, and know about the effects of stress and

overexertion, I am glad I have been diagnosed and educated but some

times I really do miss the times when I didn't have the diagnosis and

thus didn't worry about these things. I do KNOW and do have to

remind myself constantly that nothing is a given in this life - even

w/o CMT any of us could be hit by a bus and severely disabled

tomorrow, or worse, but that higher probability is certainly scary

some times.

Hang in there, it does get better and a positive attitude makes

all the difference Marti