The Unprofessional Guide to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal type 2W

So a neurologist just said the words 'Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal type 2W' — and you heard everything after that as static. The name alone sounds like something out of a medical drama. But what is this condition, really? What does 'axonal' mean? Why does it affect your feet first? And what does the next ten years actually look like?

This guide answers those questions — and many more — in plain, honest language. No jargon without an immediate translation. No false reassurances, and no gloom-and-doom. Just a clear, compassionate walkthrough of what's happening in your body: the genetics, the symptoms, the diagnostic tests, the treatment options — plus the practical day-to-day stuff no one mentions, like what to wear, what to tell your boss, and how to handle stairs when your feet feel like bricks.

Written for patients and the people who love them, this is the book that makes a scary diagnosis feel manageable. It doesn't give medical advice — only information, context, and permission to feel all the things you're feeling. Read it alone, read it with your partner, or share it with your skeptical aunt. You'll come out the other side knowing exactly what you're dealing with, and a whole lot less scared.