Last week I had an appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon to get his opinion on how my knees are holding up under the strain of maintaining my balance and walking.  I shared with him my latest theory of what I thought might be causing my idiopathic condition and what might assist me in walking "normally."  When I was finished, he took my hands and said, "You have a neuromuscular condition."  My mind took in those words and they didn't sound so bad.  In fact, they sounded less threatening, less harmful, less terminal than idiopathic peripheral neuropathy. 

     I had a chance to test this new label the other day when yet another well meaning acquaintenance noticed my gait and asked if there was something wrong.  When I replied that I just have a neuromuscular condition, she said oh and talked about something else.  Idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, on the other hand, only invited pitying looks and more questions. 

     The knees are fine, the ortho said, just very flexible.  He gave me some stabilizing knee braces to wear when I exercise.  I doubled my time on the elyptical trainer at the gym and was able to walk around the block without it feeling like an exhaustive aerobic workout. 

     Dare I try roller skating again?