A MFA I’ll Never Use

I have CIDP with the painful type of neuropathy. Sometimes I am up and sort of okay. Other times I am totally disabled. My doctor described the pain as if one were to get a root canal and then someone played with the exposed nerves.

When I was diagnosed I had just gotten a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) from Carnegie Mellon. I got it in my late forties as a single parent. I thought I would be able to use it. I will be 56 years old this month. My life has been torn apart with this disease.

My granddaughter loves to be touched along her arms and hands; it is sad when I do it, though, because my numb fingers can't feel her soft baby skin.

My condition changes daily, and it is actually a relief that the pain moves around—you can stand anything for two weeks. It is a relief to wake up and find the pain has moved to a new spot. But it never leaves completely.

Nancy C.