Recognition of diabetes

[Flower]

Today I had some time to waste before my bus so had a wander in a shop. I have my right leg in a plaster cast and walk with crutches due to Charcot foot - my ankle joint and metatarsals have collapsed and various surgeries haven't managed to fuse my foot to my leg. For now I'm choosing to be in a cast, my only alternative is a below knee amputation- something I'm dreading and trying to delay for as long as I can.

The person in the shop said " hello" and left me be then as I went to leave said "can I ask about your leg as I've seen you before and it doesn't seem to get any better"

I was expecting the usual questions that I get most times I'm out, where were you skiing, didn't your parachute open, what number bus were you hit by and often followed by calling me Hop-a long or Long John Silver 🙄 but today I got asked "Do you have diabetes". I was completely shocked, that is the first time in 25 years of having my legs in casts that anyone has ever made the link to diabetes. We had a good chat about diabetes and what a challenge it is and how devastating complications are. They had family members with complications and knew a lot about it. It actually made me feel so much better that someone else recognised the ongoing challenges of diabetes and didn't see fit to make a stupid joke about my situation. Made my day 🙂

 

[Peglegmariner]

Hi. I have just been diagnosed with Charcot foot after finding a fractured metatarsal that I didn’t remember hurting. I don’t have a cast, but a boot that does similar job. I also have had my other foot amputated due to a bad ulcer ten years ago, and to be fair, I’d rather lose this foot too than go through what could be years of trouble with it….

 

[nonethewiser]

There's some good understanding people in this world, trouble is we don't often bump into them.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Lovely to hear @Flower

 

[Inka]

Hi. I have just been diagnosed with Charcot foot after finding a fractured metatarsal that I didn’t remember hurting. I don’t have a cast, but a boot that does similar job. I also have had my other foot amputated due to a bad ulcer ten years ago, and to be fair, I’d rather lose this foot too than go through what could be years of trouble with it….

Welcome @Peglegmariner Sorry to hear about your foot troubles. I hope you have other options apart from amputation but I understand why you think it’s preferable to years of trouble. Sending you my best wishes.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi. I have just been diagnosed with Charcot foot after finding a fractured metatarsal that I didn’t remember hurting. I don’t have a cast, but a boot that does similar job. I also have had my other foot amputated due to a bad ulcer ten years ago, and to be fair, I’d rather lose this foot too than go through what could be years of trouble with it….

Hi and welcome to the forum.

So sorry to hear that you are having such serious issues with diabetic complications. I can't begin to imagine how challenging that must be. Obviously managing your diabetes as well as you can will limit the risk of further deterioration. Are you getting plenty of support with that? How do you manage your diabetes? ie. are you on MDI or a pump? Do you have Freestyle Libre or other CGM?
Is there anything particular that brings you to the forum. We all know how empowering and encouraging it can be to compare notes with others in a similar situation as demonstrated by @Flower's thread here. Just someone acknowledging that they genuinely understand and empathize can be uplifting. The forum is also a gold mine of practical tips and experience as well as the emotional support, so I hope you will come back to the forum and engage with us some more. I have only been diagnosed 3.5 years but I can't begin to imagine how I would have coped without the expertise that the members of this forum have kindly shared. It has been the single biggest factor in my diabetes management. I hope you too can benefit from that collective knowledge and support.

 

[Peglegmariner]

Hi,

I was diagnosed in 1997 at the age of 21 and spent many years in denial, and I’m paying the price for that now. I take Levimir and nova rapid after doing the dafne course a few years ago. I got a libre sensor 3 months ago, when my hba1c was 103 and my libre app says it’s down to 58. This sensor is a godsend!
I have had many eye surgeries due to my poor control and lost my left foot 10 years ago. I also have coronary artery disease and have had 3 heart attacks and am now in stage 3 heart failure, and now with Charcot foot, I am truly fed up. I’m only 46 and I feel like an old man…

 

[rebrascora]

Hi,

I was diagnosed in 1997 at the age of 21 and spent many years in denial, and I’m paying the price for that now. I take Levimir and nova rapid after doing the dafne course a few years ago. I got a libre sensor 3 months ago, when my hba1c was 103 and my libre app says it’s down to 58. This sensor is a godsend!
I have had many eye surgeries due to my poor control and lost my left foot 10 years ago. I also have coronary artery disease and have had 3 heart attacks and am now in stage 3 heart failure, and now with Charcot foot, I am truly fed up. I’m only 46 and I feel like an old man…

Oh goodness! I am really sorry to hear that you have other serious complications too. You have been very unlucky but obviously you now realize self care is an extremely important part of diabetes management and you can't afford to ignore the condition. I am very well aware of how extremely lucky I am to have developed diabetes late in life and I don't know how I would have coped with a diagnosis in my younger days. My heart goes out to parents and their children who are diagnosed especially as teenagers/young adults. Such a difficult time of life without the massive strain that diabetes can add, so I can totally understand how easy it is to bury your head in the sand at that age.

So pleased that you now have Libre and are finding it Is helping you so much and many congratulations on your HbA1c reduction. I think most of us agree that Libre is a game changer.

Is there anything particular that we can help you with here on the forum? Did you come here to seek help with a specific issue, perhaps the Charcot or for support or just swap notes with others in a similar situation. I think sharing your feelings and frustrations with people who understand is a big benefit of the forum as well as it being a gold mine of knowledge and experience, so please ask if there is anything you think someone may be able to help you with.... or feel free to just have a good moan.