It’s been a long road/journey
It all started several years ago. I had successfully reh-habbed myself back from a nearly deadly infection (95-99% mortality). When a lovely spring day presented itself with recent rains providing ideal opportunity to pull weeds, I spent the morning pulling ragweed along the fenceline. That night I knew I was in trouble as I could feel my right foot slapping the pavement during my evening walk around the neighborhood.
What followed was three back surgeries with initial improvement only to find continued problems.
After the third surgery involving placement of screws in my back, I was sent on a journey involving physical therapy, pain management doctors who insisted on drug screens costing 15000 each—yes that was the correct number of zeroes, a chiropractor who had never treated someone with rheumatoid arthritis,, assorted tests along with an insurance company who seemed to make up the rules as they went along always erring on the side of not spending money, doctors who were in network when I made my first available appointment in three months to find they were no longer in network the day of the appointment.
Some people thought I was exaggerating my symptoms as I looked fine. And yes, I was working full-time through all of this.
I finally landed at University of Texas in Houston. Even this was no easy project; surgery was canceled at the last minute.
I walked into the hospital but came out with a walker unable to control my left leg.
Things have improved–not nearly as fast as I would prefer but they seem to be heading in the right direction. I can now feel the bottom of my left foot, I can walk around my house without a walker and I can go up the stairs slowly without a spotter. Yesterday I managed to walk around a smallish block without my walker in between the rain deluges of this past week.
Here is a photo I took last week while still using my walker for long distances at the Cat-Tail Marsh, the tertiary sanitation segment for the city—and no it does not smell like sewage. It is full of birds, some migratory and others permanent residents along with alligators and other creatures. It is one of our favorite places to go–to be outdoors within twenty minutes—and not be in the city.
Sylvia Weir Art 
Oh my – this has been a long ( and scary) journey!! I hope that you are on the mend – and that you win the lottery – that was expensive!!! what an ordeal to go through, and I do like that you are noticing good changes