4 minutes ago, my buddy John went into surgery to surrender a leg to diabetes

[SoCalDem]

:grr:

That poor man has struggled for months, trying to save it.. He had the surgery that replaced veins (arteries?) , and it did not work:(

He had multiple 2nd opinions, and the verdict was the same for all of them.. hie right leg had to go.

He's 59, and retired 2 years ago, to play golf, bowl tournaments, and hang out with his girlfriend.

The thing that surprised me was that he never seemed to have "problmes" with his diabetes..at least he never complained much.

I think he had a crappy doctor..but that's just my opinion.

My husband's diabetic, and his doctor is VERY solicitous when it comes to the care of his legs & feet.

Apparently John's lower leg and foot have been "cold" for a long time, and only this summer, did the doctor take action..

We won't find out until this afternoon, whether they were able to save the knee joint..

It just breaks my heart:cry:

[no_hypocrisy]

1. So sorry about John.

I hope he recovers, rallies, and goes on a much better future.

Take care of yourself too.

[SoCalDem]

9. We've known him for 20 years, and he's such a great person

After he and his wife divorced a few years back, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, so he remarried her, to keep her on his government insurance, and even though they have been apart for almost 10 years, they are the best grandparenting team you'd ever want to meet. After she was through with her treatments, they "re-divorced".

His "girlfriend" is also a long-time pal. She took care of her elderly husband who had alzheimers...for 7 long years, until he passed away....and was absolutely SHOCKED when she and John found out they had feelings for each other..after being bowling buddies for 2 decades..they were like silly teenagers, and we all got such a kick out of watching them fall in love at 58 (for him) and 64( for her). She's so worried about him, since he's been very depressed.

[TwilightGardener]

2. I wish him well. Such an insidious and hard-to-control disease--

my grandmother had most of her foot amputated, she hobbled around as best she could for her last few years. Hope your husband is able to avoid the complications.

[SoCalDem]

10. So far so good. His doctor is happy with the way he's managing diabetes

and I am like a food-cop:)

[TwilightGardener]

16. Good that he has a diligent food cop--my grandmother

was what you would call "non-compliant". Still ate plenty of sugar and carbs--my grandpa just never had any control of the food situation in their house, she cooked and shopped and nobody policed her. I can sympathize, though, because I am a
sugar-and-starch-aholic, and would have a difficult time avoiding the bad stuff.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear SoCalDem...

My heart goes out to your good friend...

I hope all will go well in this surgery, that this will be the end of his problems...

Vibes for him, and for you!

:hug:

[madokie]

4. Sorry to hear that

Life goes on and he'll be fine. Thats in my future too but not due to diabetes but due to PAD and a blocked artery.

[left coaster]

12. Sorry to hear of your troubles as well, madokie..

Take care, too.

[SoCalDem]

14. I hope you can get relief before it comes to that

:hug:

[madokie]

19. Thanks

I didn't mean to hijack your thread.
I was given the option of a bypass but the doctors told me at the time that there was a better chance of not, than of, it would take and I wasn't bleeding and still able to walk on it so I opted to keep my foot as long as I can. If you go through with the bypass and it doesn't take its removal of the foot anyway. so far its been two years and counting. Give your friend a big hug for me when you can :hug: Oh and here's one for you too:hug: as you're such a sweetheart:hi:

[left coaster]

5. Sorry to hear of your friend's situation..

He obviously has a good friend in you, and that will help him get through this difficult time.. best wishes and best of luck to all.

[joeybee12]

6. Very, very sorry to hear this...hoping for the best.

:grouphug:

[phantom power]

7. Some doctors shock me with their inaction.

My father in law's PCP refused to cooperate with his requests for prostate cancer bloodwork for two fucking years, and he finally just went to another doctor. Sure enough, he had prostate cancer, and had to have it removed. If that motherfucking doctor had just done the bloodwork two years earlier, I wonder if he could have treated it without losing his prostate.

It's a fucking blood test. I just don't get why a doctor would fight against that.

[blm]

8. wishing him well.....

and, I agree with you about the difference in healthcare. It matters.

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Sorry to hear. I knew two people who lost their leg and then, within 6 months, lost their lives.

Both refused to take proper care of their diabetes and won't follow their diet. One died from complications of the diabetes and the other committed suicide.

[Jennicut]

13. As a diabetic, it is a big fear of mine. I try to take really good care

of my feet and legs too. No tingles after 4 years, so far, so good. But I am only 33 and will have diabetes for a long time so longer potential for damage to happen. People with diabetes have to get their eyes and gums checked out very often as well. My next endocrinologist appt. is in a few weeks...more blood tests coming but I don't mind, it is all to keep me healthy.

Good luck to John, my husband's uncle had this done being a diabetic also. He is functioning better after a few months. It takes time.

[gwsuperfan]

25. Diabetic for 12 years here

I'm 30, no complications yet, and manage it as aggressively as I can. Even in the last decade, care has improved- A1c tests can be done at home, monitoring continues to improve, as do medications and insulin delivery systems.

Every small advance helps :)

[tammywammy]

15. My best friend's father is diabetic

His big toe has been amputated. Then he had a quad-bypass also due to diabetes. The bypass is when he really opened his eyes.

[xchrom]

17. the twists and turns of being alive -- i'm so sorry for you,

your friend and all those who care for him.

[frazzled]

18. Here's a real-life model to give him inspiration

Paul Sally, a very famous mathematics professor at the University of Chicago, has lost two legs and most of his vision to diabetes. The students call him "the pirate professor" and he is legendary ... quite the terror really, and beloved.
And nothing has stopped him from getting to class and writing new books. Prosethetic legs, eye-patch, and a wicked sense of humor, he's the whole nine yards.

From a recent interview:

Paul Sally, Jr., is a powerful man. At 76 years of age, the professor and director of undergraduate studies in mathematics says he works out daily and can bench press 150 pounds. He keeps 30-pound dumbbells under the desk in his Ryerson office; broach the subject of strength training for too long, and he’ll challenge you to do curl-ups with them. Yet these are just the physical manifestations of Sally’s far greater internal might. He’s tough enough, for example, to joke about his marshmallow Peep alter-ego the same way he laughs off the disease that took away his legs and most of his eyesight. Maybe it helps Sally to know that he’s had the last laugh. He ambles about his classrooms on two titanium prosthetics and barks commands and encouragement at students, making it clear that nothing can dent his more than 50-year commitment to mathematics education. Where life sought to cut him down to size, Sally came back with a larger-than-life “math pirate” persona. His track record has earned him armfuls of teaching awards, as well as a place among legends at the University of Chicago.

<...>

SS: You told me that you’re 95-percent blind. I imagine this requires you to do an enormous amount of math in your head.
PS: I do.
SS: How do you do that?
PS: I’m one powerful son of a bitch.

http://www.chicagomaroon.com/2009/6/1/q-and-a-with-paul-sally

Once your friend gets over the shock and grief, tell him he can be "one powerful son-of-a-bitch" still.

[SoCalDem]

20. Wow.. he sounds like quite a guy.. I'll pass this on later..Thanks n/t

[JohnnyLib2]

21. Aw, jeez.

Strong thoughts for your friend and all involved. :grouphug:

[SoCalDem]

22. UPDATE... They saved his knee !!!

but for some insane reason, they did not have him discontinue blood thinners before surgery, and now he's throwing up blood :grr:

His girlfriend is a basket-case, worrying about him..

My husband's doctor made him quit blood thinners for a week before a colonoscopy.

But the good news is that he made it thru the surgery and with a knee joint, his recovery will be much better ..

Thanks for all the kind thoughts today :)

[underseasurveyor]

24. That is nice to hear.

That they saved his knee. Why in the world would they not tell him to stop taking blood thinners before a surgery? I thought that would be standard.

Anyway he's in recovery thank goodness:-)

[underseasurveyor]

23. Aw that so sad

Please give John our DU best wishes and here's a big hug:hug:for you.