January 2016 – charcot cha-cha

BUMP IN ROAD….AVOIDED!!

W H E W…..the foot is fine! YAY! Now this means I am set to try an attempt to return to work. (yay????). After nearly 16 months off work, off my foot…this incredible journey has reached a smooth sailing phase! Not out of the woods, and quite frankly, never will be! You heard me right…and this is because I will always be susceptible to having the foot RE-Charcot….as well as my other foot being extra vulnerable as well. The fact that one foot Charcot’d, gives the other foot a 20% chance of Charcoting too…on top of just being vulnerable due to Diabetes. Hopefully with my lower blood sugars since this all started, and good supportive footwear, I can keep the Charcot Devil at bay!!!

So please heed this advice, fellow Charcoters, and those with Diabetes hoping to prevent Charcot foot …always wear protective shoes! Always have good arch support! Give up heels! If it does have a heel, make it low, and a wedge is better than a heel that lacks support under the arch section. Forget about bare feet! A cut to the foot is never worth the risk!! Ok? OK!

BUMPS IN THE ROAD…..

I hope the New Year is finding everyone well, and in a state of doing better, with our Charcot Foot condition, whatever stage you may be at! Myself has found forward motion and healing, in that I am transitioning into my orthotic shoes from my boot. And also a pair of men’s tennis shoes I bought that are a size bigger so that I can insert my custom orthotic pads….I cannot say it enough how exciting it is to be wearing normal shoes, and to be upright and walking!!! Am still walking with the cane, which I don’t mind one bit! However, I started to develop some arch discomfort in the last few days. I don’t know if it is pain, that only presents as discomfort because of the neuropathy…or if it is just discomfort, but at any rate I will be going in this week to have the Doctor examine it. Somehow I am thinking I have a broken screw, or a broken bone, or fracture…we shall see. I certainly hope all is well!! My mind kept trying to convince myself it is just a strained muscle…and I did walk throughout, sometimes it didn’t bother me at all, like a 2 nights ago I walked a few blocks…well, hopefully I did not exacerbate whatever it is! That is what stubbornness can do…sigh! But one must keep in mind, and I really have to put emphasis on this, that with the neuropathy, you cannot take chances like I have done these last few days…I am human and thus imperfect, but the lack of pain and sensation is the very reason our Charcot Foot condition gets as bad as it does before being diagnosed. One would like to think that as an advocate for awareness, that I could follow my own advice…but my point is that you might learn from my mistakes. Don’t be as stubborn as I…you feel something isn’t right with your foot, get right in to see your doctor as soon as possible! I am trying to do that myself, but being the weekend, one must wait.

Heed my advice, fellow Charcoter’s! And take good care of yourselves!

A NEW YEAR FULL OF HOPE!

Well, I want to wish everyone out there a happy 2016!! I have bounded into the New Year with both feet on the ground!! I am now walking with the aid of just a simple little cane, and it pauses me in wonderment at times! I am getting a bit of swelling, but not enough to be too worried about, next week is my 5 week check up and x-rays, we shall see then if my foot is bearing all of this newfound walking well or not. It has been a marvelous cascade of advances…about mid December I ditched the wheelchair on my outings, and transitioned easily to using the walker for all errands and shopping. Last week my physical therapist showed me how to walk with the cane, (my request) and have not touched the walker at all after that! I still use it at home, because I do not wear my big clunky boot all day, it makes my leg swell a bit. But I have been shopping with the cane, and a free hand to hold things, whoooohoo!! The other day I took a 1/2 mile walk with the cane and it felt sooo good! The only complaint was my wrist, gripping the cane for such a distance, but for that I could have walked 5 miles! I am wondering just how much walking is allowed, and how much is too much…but my theory is to throw everything at it and see what it can withstand…we shall see at my 5 week checkup. Mind you, I am aware of being cautious and not to overdue it too much. Hopefully my doctor will be able to clearly outline what my limitations are to be.

Speaking of Doctors, I am hopeful for the New Year that more of them will become aware of Charcot Foot and be on the lookout for the early signs and be able to be proactive in being able to properly diagnose , and treat, before ulcers and surgery are required!! I am hopeful for new surgical techniques and treatment options that can hopefully reduce a person’s down time. Being off work for so long can be financially devastating, so we Charcoters need to be repaired as quickly as possible! So, tell as many people you can about Charcot Foot, because the world needs to know about it. The more it is tossed around in conversation, the more common the knowledge of it will become, and it will no longer be so horribly mis-diagnosed!! My own mis-diagnosis lasted from May until October, when I finally developed and ulcer and bone infection…hopefully in 2016, that won’t happen to anyone else. We can always HOPE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!