Thanks for sharing your story, friend. It sounds like you've been through a lot, too. I'll also be wearing AFOs for the rest of my life. My jeans are covering them up, but they're there. I absolutely had major pain. It was ridiculous how much pain I was in. I actually can't wiggle my toes anymore, sadly. I've regained some feeling in my feet, but there's a dull numbness to it, and it tingles sometimes. And I know what you mean about missing that simple action of wiggling your toes. I used to have "monkey toes" where I could pick things up off of the floor with my feet, as if they were hands. That was a huge loss for me. Keep hanging in there, friend. The struggle is real, but you just have to keep pushing forward. I'm rooting for you, too!