# I did give up

**URL:** <https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/i-did-give-up/1402>\
**Category:** Blog\
**Created:** [April 21, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/i-did-give-up/1402 "2014-04-21T15:43:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Barry\_C](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/barry_c/32/157_2.png) [@Barry\_C](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/u/Barry_C)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/i-did-give-up/1402/1 "2014-04-21T15:43:21Z")

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Em ruined my life and if they would have given me enough morphine(unrelated issue) at a time I would have ended it. It seems that my shrink and my doc DO talk. I was in a wheelchair full time with leg devices sticking straight out because lowering them was intolerable. I laid in bed a lot, anything else was too much. I lost 50 pounds to less than high school weight. My first EM symptom was in 1991 and peaked 3 years ago

and now...

well, acceptance. EM didn't ruin my life but it did change it. I left the state to live near my sister who saw to it that I got fattened up. Not fat really, I'm in great shape. I push 3 miles a few times a week and without leg devices. I'm not walking much but I'm not pissed off at the world anymore either. I was in a 5k last year and won my age group (no wheel chair category) I wasn't up for it this year but I'm OK with that.

I kayak fish every chance I get and life is better than good. I live on one lake with another about a mile away. I get my photo taken a lot while towing, it's an odd sight no? And something I never expected to hear, "your an inspiration". I even had trouble accepting that! geez

 ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/ben_erythromelalgia/original/2X/0/046ca1dd2d13908b78fb9d3a5a5d616453e618a6.jpg)  

Life is well worth living.

 ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/ben_erythromelalgia/original/2X/b/bf31bda9a68338acf857b5748b2e5461d2291fc8.JPG)

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**Author:** ![Jordy516](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/jordy516/32/602_2.png) [@Jordy516](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/u/Jordy516)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/i-did-give-up/1402/2 "2014-05-03T22:57:49Z")

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Dear Barry

I just want to say that you ARE an inspiration. I admire you - you are going to live you life despite the pain. Bravo!

Jordy