A diabetic update that comes with the hopes that you can help encourage any relatives or close friends with diabetes to take care of their feet and their diet! It STILL blows me away that one can break their foot and not feel a thing... and a BAD break that is completely separated! That is diabetic neuropathy at work. :(
Yesterday hubby had to see the orthopedic surgeon. This was the followup to the hospitalization for the septicemia (blood infection), osteomylitis (that hubby called osteoMileyCyrus ;) and the broken foot and ulcer on his foot. The bone growth from the healing break has pushed the bone at the amputation site further out and down to the point his ulcer can't heal. The infection is clearing up (probably due to the 2 x a day IV's that are $440 each) he's feeling better. I wish they had taken that whole bone out as part of the amputation of his MRSA infected big toe and the joint below it. Had they taken that whole bone this wouldn't be the current situation. Because the joint of the bone was removed the bone isn't attached to the bones beside it so it was able to be pushed at an angle resulting in this mess. You're probably saying "wow" about now or maybe "yikes"! I can tell you it's a night mare for me!
The good news is that on Wednesday he will have surgery to remove the bone so the tissue can heal and it won't keep causing ulcers and damage. I never knew there was evening surgery but we have to be at the hospital at 5:00 pm and surgery is 6:30 pm! That's going to be a LONG day and I'll have a long drive home. I hope the roads aren't bad! Fortunately they feel they can still save his foot and just remove this bone. THANK HEAVENS for small miracles!
Also, this all started 3 years ago with his stroke. He's now 58 so it's not like he's a "real old" guy! So, if you are diabetic, have family or friends who are, please encourage them to take care of themselves as diabetes isn't just the diabetic's disease.... it's the family's disease and a nasty one at that.
Sorry for such a solemn post. But, as the saying goes, it is what it is and it's what I'm dealing with here on the homestead.
Being diabetic, I can understand your frustrations. I have to check my feet all the time. Or have DH look at them for me, when I can't get it up high enough to see, myself. Luckly I caught beind diabetic early on. Weight is and alwasy will be an issue for me. Getting family, even after 10 years, to understand DIET, is a whole other battle in itself. Good Luck and know I'm praying for you and your hubby for all to turn out well.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I gave hubby my make up mirrow that is magnified on one side and thought that would make it easier for him to check his feet. I don't think he does often enough though.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing to do is run your hand into your shoes before putting them on. His first ulcer was from a tiny but sharp edged stone that lodged in a shoe. That could happen with shoes that have raised areas too. One can use a good shoe insert to help lengthen the life of a shoe that's thin inside but it's a good idea to check for anything in them too.
I never use to understand the magnitude of this until hubby had the stroke. I never realized that diabetes "chooses" a way to start destroying the body from the inside out and how it affects the blood system and not just lower limb circulation. It really is a silent killer.
I wish you the best with yours and hope you never have to deal with a foot ulcer or any of the other severe things it can do to one!