The State of My Foot (w/ Gross Picture)
As most folks who read my blog and journal entries know, I've been dealing with a serious foot problem for several months now.
Anyway, here's the tale of woe, and there's also a picture under the cut that may gross folks out - so you've been warned! :)
I go for regular footcare once every six to eight weeks or so, but the footcare person I'd been seeing for close to 20 years retired in October of 2022. I wasn't very confident about what would happen with the new lady who was going to start overseeing my treatment, as I didn't know whether she had any experience treating diabetics and their feet. After my footcare treatment back in mid-November, 2022, I noticed that I seemed to be developing a blister underneath the main callous of my left foot. Over the next month or so, the blister became something more, and well... Suffice to say, the Community Centre where I have my footcare done allowed me to see their Chiropody specialist and I've been treated by her for the last couple of appointments. Since one of my doctors (I suspect the diabetes specialist at the Riverside Hospital) set up an appointment at the Infectious Diseases department at the Ottawa General Hospital, I've come to realise that the blister/haematoma on my foot is actually a diabetic ulcer. The best news is that both doctors I've seen have told me that my diabetic ulcer is not as bad as some of those that they've seen. While there was no sign of infection ::knock on wood:: in order to prevent infection, the doctors I've seen have put me on antibiotics, though third time was the charm as I couldn't tolerate the first two in my stomach and bowels. Just finished the antibiotic a couple of days ago, so we'll see how things go.
The photo above is prior to the second debridement that I had on the foot yesterday. Anyway... I had my second appointment with the chiropody expert at the Community Centre yesterday, and the specialist debrided the wound for the second time. There is good news and bad news. The good news is that the ulcer is healing, though it's a slow process. The wound has shrunk from 5cm down to 2.5cm in the past month, and the swelling and tissues are healing. The bad news is that I'm still under orders not to walk on the foot at all if I can help it, and that I have to keep it dry in between treatments by the specialist and the Wound Care folks who come in every three to four days to change the dressing. The foot hurts somewhat, but I've also been told to watch for signs of infection - notably a bad smell, signs of pus, and a few other things.
In the meantime, I'm staying off the foot as best I can, only showering on the days when Wound Care comes in to the house, and have a terrible case of cabin fever.
Feeling pretty miserable, and very lonely.
Dammit! *sigh*
Anyway, here's the tale of woe, and there's also a picture under the cut that may gross folks out - so you've been warned! :)
I go for regular footcare once every six to eight weeks or so, but the footcare person I'd been seeing for close to 20 years retired in October of 2022. I wasn't very confident about what would happen with the new lady who was going to start overseeing my treatment, as I didn't know whether she had any experience treating diabetics and their feet. After my footcare treatment back in mid-November, 2022, I noticed that I seemed to be developing a blister underneath the main callous of my left foot. Over the next month or so, the blister became something more, and well... Suffice to say, the Community Centre where I have my footcare done allowed me to see their Chiropody specialist and I've been treated by her for the last couple of appointments. Since one of my doctors (I suspect the diabetes specialist at the Riverside Hospital) set up an appointment at the Infectious Diseases department at the Ottawa General Hospital, I've come to realise that the blister/haematoma on my foot is actually a diabetic ulcer. The best news is that both doctors I've seen have told me that my diabetic ulcer is not as bad as some of those that they've seen. While there was no sign of infection ::knock on wood:: in order to prevent infection, the doctors I've seen have put me on antibiotics, though third time was the charm as I couldn't tolerate the first two in my stomach and bowels. Just finished the antibiotic a couple of days ago, so we'll see how things go.
The photo above is prior to the second debridement that I had on the foot yesterday. Anyway... I had my second appointment with the chiropody expert at the Community Centre yesterday, and the specialist debrided the wound for the second time. There is good news and bad news. The good news is that the ulcer is healing, though it's a slow process. The wound has shrunk from 5cm down to 2.5cm in the past month, and the swelling and tissues are healing. The bad news is that I'm still under orders not to walk on the foot at all if I can help it, and that I have to keep it dry in between treatments by the specialist and the Wound Care folks who come in every three to four days to change the dressing. The foot hurts somewhat, but I've also been told to watch for signs of infection - notably a bad smell, signs of pus, and a few other things.
In the meantime, I'm staying off the foot as best I can, only showering on the days when Wound Care comes in to the house, and have a terrible case of cabin fever.
Feeling pretty miserable, and very lonely.
Dammit! *sigh*