Diabetics feet! Who needs feet anyway...

[lanemaux]

Great news about the new leg amigo. Wife also thrilled to hear you are on your way to recovering mobility. Keep us posted on how you're getting along , we're pullin' for ya.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Phil,

This is the first time that I have seen this thread and I am amazed at your good humour, throughout all of your trials.

I hope that your wound completely heals and that you are able to master your new leg soon.

All the very best,
Neil

 

[Phil Pascoe]

:lol: Sometimes I question my own sanity, sitting here for six months with one leg and nothing to do, trying to sell my house for £32,000 less than I paid for it last year. Things can only go upwards!!

 

[n0legs]

Well, eight months after the amputation the wound has nearly healed and I've got my new leg. It's going to be a nightmare learning to walk again.

Hey mukka you've come a hell of a way.
Take it like the rest of us, one step at a time.

 

[Noel]

Good to see you're starting to get mobile.
Best wishes.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Two years from the beginning, and I've an ulcerated sore on the left ankle and a fresh sore (I know not the cause ) the size of a 10p on the side of the big toe. Not only are the small veins and capillaries shot (they had to get an anaesthetist to get a cannula in) , but two of the three arteries from the knee down are blocked (to the point they don't show on an angiogram), so they are reluctant to give me another angioplasty higher in the leg as there is a likelihood of losing the lower leg. So here's hoping the bl00dy things heal, or I'll have to get used to no legs instead of one. :roll:
Edit - just had another week in hospital.

 

[n0legs]

Jesus H Christ Phil what next!!!
Sorry to hear you've got problems again mate. Stay positive my friend.
Get on here and rant a bit, it'll make you feel a bit better :lol:

 

[John15]

Thinking of you Phil

Best wishes

John

 

[paulm]

Sorry to hear that Phil, hope it gets sorted.

Cheers, Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Blimey :shock: Only just read this thread. Sincerely hope your situation starts to improve, Phil. Try to stay positive.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[dickm]

Phil - your stoicism amazes and humbles me. Makes my recent repeat surgery for Dupuytrens seem really trivial. And it is such a refreshing contrast to another site I've been visiting. I've got a rare (20/100000) blood condition, which in my case is controlled with no problems. But for interest I started looking at a Facebook site devoted to such conditions and, while I'm obviously lucky in having almost nil associated problems it has really made me wonder what harm such sites may be doing. Almost every post is a long whine about how dreadful everything is. The last straw for me came when the site moderator, one of the worst complainers, actually wanted to compile a list of all the things that folk with these condition miss compared to normal folk. Fair enough, I guess, among friends, but she wanted to do this to prove to the wider world how bad it was, and got really annoyed when I suggested that compiling some positives might be more valuable. What it must do to someone newly diagnosed who goes to that site wanting to learn ,I dread to think.

It would do most of the members of that forum immense good to read your posts. Long may you keep smiling, even if it is really a grimace some of the time.

 

[lanemaux]

Damn Phil , wife and I were both knocked back by your latest post. I just wish I were clever enough to offer some advice that might help amigo. Only damned thing in my quiver is to keep your spirits up and plug on in the fight. I know damn well your tough enough to do both , so just remember that me and mine are pulling for you, and if you feel the need to swap stories I'm always ready to listen. And I have some great stories on recoveries as well.

 

[beganasatree]

WHAT A BUMMER PHIL,I have just read this for the first time [all 5 pages]and I do not know how to thank you for the wake up call.I will have to rethink my own diabetic care.The Doc,[my doc] tells me that diabetes can cause blah,blah,blah,but never elaborate on anything ,I hope that others read this and take heed .

BEST WISHES, PETER

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Thanks, everyone. I think no matter what info. you have given to you it's easy to put your head in the sand and just think it'll never happen to me - but it often does. I suppose realistically that if a doctor took you aside and said here's the expected ETA of toe amputations, leg amputations and so on he'd probably risk getting struck off for frightening the crepe out of people. I may have peripheral neuropathy in the hands to look forward to (bad enough in the feet), and maybe vascular dementia and a heart attack to finish off the litany of disasters. Mustn't grumble. If this thread frightens people it'll have been worth starting.

 

[Tom K]

Blimey Phil does this mean you can no longer kick start the bike? If so how much do you want for it?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The bike went two years ago. I wouldn't fancy anyone's chances of kickstarting a 1900cc V twin anyway.

 

[Tom K]

Ah always just too late for a bargain (hammer) I suppose it had electric start but was a pipper to keep upright at junctions eh. Mates dad had been through similar, outcome was as bad as it gets but he didn't have your inner strength judged by the posts you make here.

 

[MusicMan]

Thanks Phil, for all your posts and warnings. I'm also Type II diabetic, diagnosed at 61, now 75 and going strong with no major problems as yet, but taking your warnings very much to heart. I had my own scare some years ago when I got complacent, neglected meds and blood tests and nearly hit a diabetic coma while travelling on biz in the USA. They wouldn't let me fly home till they'd got my blood sugar down with a drip, and when I got home the diabetic nurse said I had the highest sugar levels of all 600 diabetics in the practice. One needs a wake-up call. The best thing I did for myself was to lose a lot of weight, from 16 stone to under 13. But your story is a scary and timely reminder to keep at it, because sadly it is a 'progressive' disease that does just get worse. Thank you for sharing your story, and I wish you the best.
Keith

 

[monkeybiter]

I'm also Type II diabetic, diagnosed at 61, now 75 and going strong with no major problems as yet,

As a recent convert to the growing cult of diabetes I find this very encouraging, I've been getting quite hung-up on the lifespan aspect, starting to change my expectations of the next/remaining 20-30years. Feeling a bit happier now.
I also started at just over 16stone at diagnosis and have dropped ~1 3/4 stone in the three months since then.

 

[MusicMan]

Mike, that is very good going and will do you a lot of good. The other things are don't forget the meds, blood monitoring and checkups. And of course, as Phil emphasised, the feet. Take care that your shoes are not too tight and watch out for any numbness/tingling.

I didn't do any fancy diets, other than largely avoiding sugar, just eat less. About half the portion size!

No point in getting hung-up!

Keith