My husband had pins and needles in his toes. He hadn't said a word to me.

He'd had plenty to say about my feet, though.

He thought I was being unreasonable. He saw the creams I'd bought and the laptop open late at night. He told me I was "turning into one of those people."

I was the one on the bathroom floor at two in the morning, trying to get comfortable on the cold tile.

So when Dolores called me after I messaged her about a comment in a diabetes group, I listened.

She told me to get a pen and my hand mirror, and circle the spot that burned the worst. Then she told me which balm she used before bed.

I checked it for myself. I read the product page three times and looked at the ingredients and the return policy before buying.

Later, Tom asked what I'd been using. I showed him the balm.

That night, I caught him with his socks off, pressing his thumb into his toes.

The next morning, he asked if he could use some of mine. Two weeks later, he ordered his own jars.

If someone at home has opinions about your search, this part may sound familiar. Here's what Dolores told me and why, after all those creams, I gave that jar a chance.