Well, I have seen worse, if you can believe it....so I think we can save this foot if our patient is willing to do HER part. This woman came to our clinic today. She lives in Roatan. If you are unfamiliar with Honduras geography, Roatan is one of the Bay Islands that is part of Honduras, but is in the Caribbean, an hour and a half ferry ride from our city, then another hour and a half to my clinic by bus. She heard about us from some friends...wow...I feel priviledged to be part of her care. The success
will truly be an effort between her and me. Her commitment for taking her meds, and doing wound care when we are not open, and then coming to the clinic daily for wound care when we are open. So...will see what happens...
Update - people have asked, so here is a little more info - she is a diabetic who has chosen not to take meds for personal reasons (according to her). She has been diabetic for 6 years uncontrolled. This is an unfortunate common issue with uncontrolled diabetes - ulcers like this. For fear of losing her foot, she has agreed to start taking medication for her diabetes which we are able to supply for her. She has committed to staying on the mainland with family until this is well on the way to healing which may take months.
1 comment:
I was wondering how she was going to do that trip every day!
I was just on a summer team somewhere and saw a foot (not so bad), but same cause. I went back with one team member, did the whole dressing teaching, and showed her were to go to get free help we had set up, oh, and bought her a pair of shoes because guess what? walking around barefoot like that is NOT helping!!! Also told her to get tested for diabetes since a simple 12h fasting blood sugar she did two years ago was not enough to convince me she wasn't diabetic!
Hope she sticks to your routine and the foot heals.
ellie
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