Andrew’s PN Journey Timeline 2026

75 years old

Ever since the time of my very first peripheral neuropathy diagnosis I’ve been hankering about whether or not to go back to live in S E Asia.
I was so close to going just before Covid hit, but that put the kybosh on that plan.
Even after Covid from around 2022 onwards, each year I was trying to convince myself to go.
I spent many a happy hour living vicariously on YouTube watching various travel and cycling creators travel S E Asia.

But as each year passed and the peripheral neuropathy affliction got steadily worse I knew it would probably never materialise.
Instead over the years from 2019 to 2025 whilst carrying this PN burden I have managed to quench both my travel and cycling desires by taking those extended almost one month long holidays, many in SE Asian countries.

All the above will make much more sense later in this post

2026 started of pretty much the same as previous years for me.
Just like all the years before, I knew there would be more adjustments to make regarding my PN.

Walking my 10,000 steps a day was now starting to become more troublesome, more fatigue, a lack of enthusiasm and it was becoming much more apparent that my gait and walking speed (much slower) were changing.

But I was still continuing with my floor exercises which I had started previously. Especially the now habit of getting down onto the floor and back up again unaided at least twice a day.

This might not seem important but I figured that as time passed and my PN symptoms worsened I would increasingly become more likely to fall.
I wanted the peace of mind that if I did fall I would not only be comfortable down on the floor and not go into panic mode but also knowing that I should be capable of getting up again unaided.

Interestingly when I think back there was a time when first diagnosed I had found to get down on the floor and back up again unaided was difficult for me. But now, not a problem.

By March of this year, even with the unknowns with regard to my peripheral neuropathy continually raising important questions, I had reached a life changing decision:

I am going to go on another vastly extended holiday to SE Asia for 5, 6 or even 7 months in duration.
Most likely Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
This time possibly months in each country instead of weeks.

And the most life changing element in all of this, I am going to quit my rented accommodation on 28th September 2026 (my home for the past 9 years) here in the UK. (reasons for this I will not go into)

But little did I know at the time as I handed in my notice, the trustees of my charity owned and run apartment block of 9 apartments here in Devon were conjuring up their own life changing shenanigans.

In early August they informed all tenants that they were going to be evicted because the charity in its present form was closing.
Wow, the universe works in mysterious ways. No going back now!

To be continued…
This is going to be an ongoing post, updated occasionally throughout the year 2026

Summary of my PN symptoms at this stage August 2026:

• My official Handle – Label – Badge:
  ‘Idiopathic Sensory Motor Axonal Polyneuropathy’
• Always using the walking stick when out, it is now a permanent fixture.
• When I’m walking barefoot across a floor I can sense / feel if the floor is hot or cold.
  That’s a good thing, Right?  – I’d like to find out why!
• Immediate loss of balance when I close my eyes.
• Often feet felt cold. Cold when going to bed and toasty warm in the morning.
• Cannot run or jog.
• Sitting down in hard chairs (kitchen chairs) seating on Buses for more than 10 minutes and my walking is impaired for about 30 minutes after.
• Short haul and long haul flights are causing swollen ankles and walking issues.
• Still only sometimes walking upright, straight back, head up and looking forward into the distance as I walk but this is now seldom and most of the time looking down at the pavement in front as I walk.
• Walking is becoming more difficult, not sure if this is permanent or just a bad patch.
• Still cycling occasionally, locally. When riding and using the bike as a walking aid I can look up and around without too much concern of falling.
• Unaccountable fatigue.
• Stairs and steps are more troublesome, especially going down.
• My gait has changed and my stride length is shorter.
• More intense feelings – sensations of numbness, tightness and swelling in feet, ankles and lower legs more often than not, also a sensation like I was wearing tightly fitting knee length socks sometimes occurring.
• A constant reminder everyday on waking that my body was no longer what I had once considered normal.
  Still no pain.

A question that often enters my mind.
Have my various cycling excursions and travel holidays helped or hindered my current peripheral neuropathy condition?