Warning To Older Diabetics

Health Wellness

I’ve made it no secret that I’m a type 2 diabetic, most likely caused by my being overweight, relatively inactive and over 40. In fact, my diabetes wasn’t diagnosed until I was about 50 (I’m now 66).

I take a first level medication to help control my blood glucose and for the most part, eat a healthy diet. I also try to be more active, doing yard work, gardening and stints on a treadmill. My last 2 A1C readings were 7.1 and 7.0 respectively, which according to my doctor is good.

However, I still have to be careful not only with my blood glucose and what I eat, I also have to be more careful with my feet.

Growing up, I played hard. I’ve not always taken good care of my feet. I grew up as a cowboy out west (I’ve worked on a ranch running trouble shooter for cattle, breaking range horses and then I saddle bronc and bull rode for about 3 years). I lived in cowboy boots, which are not the best for feet.

Over the years, I’ve broken at least 7 toes and torn the ligaments loose in three toes. When I wasn’t in my boots, I was bare foot, another no-no for one’s feet. I no longer wear cowboy boots as I now wear some form of running or walking athletic shoe. However, I still spend most of my time barefooted.

Consequently, I’ve started developing large callouses on my one heel and at the base of a big toe. If I don’t keep the callouses ground down, I develop cracks that can go deep enough to bleed and this is especially dangerous for diabetics.

The callous under my big toe grew, hardened and cracked. The crack ran the entire width of the toe and went nearly a quarter inch deep.

I ended up at a podiatrist, who skillfully cut away all of the callous and surrounding dead tissue, including what she called a fat plug in the base of the crack. In fact, she cut away everything down to good tissue, resulting in a bit of bleeding.

At the time of writing this, my foot is heavily bandaged and in a walking, surgical boot. I’m also on 2 anti-biotics to prevent any possible infection.

Had I not seen the doctor when I did, there was a real danger that the crack under my toe could become necrotic, which means dying tissue. That in turn could have resulted in gangrene setting in and the loss of my toe and possible foot.

Diabetics are especially susceptible to foot infections which can lead to the loss of the foot. That’s why diabetics are told to cut their toenails straight across to avoid the possibility of an ingrown toenail.

Diabetics have to take extra precaution with their feet. In our younger days, it didn’t seem that dangerous to have something happen to our feet, but as we get older and diabetes sets in, the dangers increase.

If you are a diabetic, especially an older diabetic, don’t any chances with your feet.

diabetes Elderly

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