So I'm about to lose my right foot.

Well you could always get IV antibiotics on an outpatient basis. That's probably a lot less expensive than hospitalization. Nonetheless, these things usually aren't logistically well coordinated in your local urgent care. The hospital is likely the resource where this can be coordinated. I'm not sure if a short inpatient stay is required or not though. Can't hurt to check. Go to the ER, get some blood work to see how sick you really are. If they insist on the "too expensive for me" route, you can always leave AMA(against medical advice.)

 

Okay. No insurance. That explains why you waited so long. But that is no excuse for the rest of it. That infection could turn lethal. They have no business sending you home with some pills just because you have no insurance. It's irresponsible.

And I'm sorry, but it bothers me that you seem so resigned to losing your foot. "I'm diabetic and it was bound to happen sooner or later". Gee, I don't think so.

I'm gonna stop now or this thread will be moved to Fred's House of Politics while I rant about the healthcare and lack thereof in this country re: insurance and lack thereof.

 

Hi TJ,

I am really sorry to hear about your foot (and everything else). I understand where you are coming from and why you believe in fate. At the same time, fate is also something you contribute to a lot, i.e. we should close all hospitals and schools if fate takes care of everything. So, try as much as you can to save your leg and please don't give up. You can somehow earn the money, but not a leg. If the doctors cannot save your leg, I hope you will retain your spirit. My thoughts and good wishes are with you and I wish you good health.

 

Losing your foot is NOT inevitable, TJ. It's still possible that the infection can be cleared up with proper treatment. NOT getting that treatment exposes you to risk of losing your life, not merely your pinky toe or your foot.

I have no medical qualifications, but from what I've read on the internet, treatment should include:
1) debrasion of the infected tissue to prevent the infection from spreading further
2) treatment with intravenous antibiotics
3) checking by medical personnel to see if the antibiotic is working - different people respond differently to different antibiotics
4) possible hyperbaric treatment,
and
5) getting your blood glucose levels into acceptable ranges immediately (which may mean as little as a single dose of insulin, and checking your glucose levels every few hours or so to make sure they're staying in an acceptable range. You can buy a generic blood glucose meter and enough test strips for at least 50 tests for under $50 in any chain drug store or chain supermarket with a pharmacy department. In fact, if you go to your 'urgent care' clinic or to an emergency ward, ask them if they have any free samples of test kits/test strips.)

Your diabetes also puts you at risk of going blind - it's the leading cause of blindness in adults. Is it so inevitable that you should poke your eye out? NO WAY!!!!!!

You've mentioned that your consumption of sweetened soft drinks in the past may have contributed to your diabetes. You've also mentioned in the past that you were very overweight and have worked hard to bring your weight down with diet and exercise, which probably has helped your diabetes. I applaud you for that - you didn't just decide that dying from diabetes complications or heart failure was 'inevetible' and your designated fate.

There's an old saying that 'God helps those who help themselves'. So go ahead and help yourself - that may put God in a more receptive mood when it comes to prayers to spare you your fated amputation.

 

Gads TJ, I'm so sorry to hear about this. My thoughts are with you and your family.

 

I don't doubt so I ain't looking.

 

From that picture you need to be at the hospital. Yesterday.

 

Wow,... um, ewww.... I'm guessing the infection has a good hold. Yup, glad you are off to the ER... hope they get that seriously cured for you.

I'll light some more candles, while I'm at it.

 

Hey! I'm missing my big toe nail too!

 

I avoided the thread as I thought it was some obscure post i wouldn't understand but finally decided to look in case it was as the title described.

I'm very sorry to hear this TJ. I do not have health coverage either and things like this scare me to death. I'll be thinking of you and I hope everything turns out well.

Justin

 

T.J., I'm glad you are in the hospital!
Sorry about the wait... that always sucks.

Free WiFi is good

Hope all goes well now. Enjoy the food...

 

that's good news! so they're only focusing on the toe now- i take it that means the rest of your foot will be ok? glad you went to the hospital and got yourself some good medical attention, TJ.

 

I'm sorry, but at this point I need to say "told you so".

And you should have gone to the ER like...at the first indication there was infection from the burst blister, not waiting until the following Monday. You knew you were diabetic and that all of this was a possibility. So you don't just resign yourself. You do everything to head it off at the pass.

ER on New Year's Eve? I will not comment on the lazy intern that gave you a shot and pills and sent you home.

But I will berate you about the head and shoulders about waiting so long to go to the ER. What might have been taken care of by a shot and pills on Dec. 27 has become a hospital stay with possible amputation on Jan. 4.

Why am I being so hard on you? Because if Jim Henson had gone to the hospital instead of thinking "aw it's just the flu, it will pass" he'd still be alive.

Now that I've got that out of my system, I'm glad someone was smart enough to admit you, get you on insulin and start to actually treat your foot. I'm sure between the IV and the draining your foot will continue to improve. About the toe....they might decide to use maggots. Let us know if they do. (And if it tickles.)

 

The book Becoming Vegetarian, which is written by four dieticians, says that even the American Dietetic Association believes that the body of evidence that a strict vegetarian diet can reduce risk of diabetes, as well as other chronic diseases, is substantial. There will always be someone who holds a contrary opinion about that but it won't hurt to try it for a while and see if it helps, eh? If I had diabetes, I'd try it for sure.

 

I'm glad you're getting proper treatment! I hope that you recover quickly, and that you don't lose the toe.

As to the insulin - they're giving it to you to bring your blood sugar into normal range, and it doesn't mean that you'll need to stay on insulin therapy the rest of your life. Any illness and stress raise your blood sugar levels, and the high glucose levels 'feed' the infection, so you need this 'drastic' intervention now.

Once you're out of the hospital, though, you should get a home blood glucose testing system - see my earlier post for suggestions about getting one free. Testing frequently is important to see if you can control the diabetes with diet and exercise with no medication. If diet and exercise alone won't do it, there are oral medications that can help, and at least one of them is available as a less expensive 'generic'.

Please keep us posted!

 

This is great news. TJ I don't know you, but I have seen your posts here so I feel that I have some connection to you. I am glad this is a good outcome for you.