Feel so discouraged..........

[Ohio Buckeye]

Today I had to go to clinic to get my blood test results and see nurse, dr.,
dietician and soc. worker.  Yesterday I was at the foot wound doctor and
my foot was pretty wrapped up and I had taken pain pill because I am so
sore today.  The doc said he didn't need to see foot since I was at dr.
yesterday.  Then he decided he needed to see it.  So it has to be
unwrapped and all and he says "I see improvement in the heel, but the toes
were black last time I saw them and they are still black. Are you dead set
against losing your toes?  It looks to me as if there is not any improvement
and they should be cut off.  The body can only spend so much energy
trying to heal and you are so limited. I am going to call the dr. and talk
to him about this".  So he's call to call the doc. who sees me at the wound
clinic.  This burns me.  I think he should worry about the dialysis stuff and
let my wound doc worry about my wounds.  How would you feel about this?
The toes are still black on the ends but he should have seen them before.
My wound doc has said as long as he scrapes and finds new tissue that is good
and he is giving them time to heal and I am glad of that.  He has said tho that
I could still lose the tips of 2.  Anyway I am irritated at this dialysis doc.
I absolutely hate the set-up there.  There are 5 clinic doctors and they rotate
on a 3 mo. basis.  It is good I only have to see this one 3 mos.  I wish I could
choose a neph somewhere of my choosing and have him take care of dialysis
and not have to deal with the clinic and all the different doctors there. 
The supplies come to my house and I wish I could do my thing here, go to a
neph of my choice and not have to listen to crap like this.
I feel so discouraged right now.   Sorry you have to listen to me gripe today. 

[Joe Paul]

That sucks... I think that doctor is over stepping his bounds. If he is a Neph, he should have just kept his thoughts to himself. Don't let it get you down. If it were me, I would definitely complain to someone about the Neph for sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. Hang in there & keep healing!!!

[paris]

 Dear fellow Buckeye, I am sorry your day has been so bad.   I wish we could go get Donatos for dinner!  I think your wound care doctor is the one to listen to. He knows more about it than a neph would.  I don't think drs realize how one simple sentence from them can throw us for a loop.  They speak before they think through what they are saying. We are alll somewhat emotionally fragile and talking about removing toes is enough to stress any of us out.    Sending you good thoughts

[goofynina]

You are right O.B.  Dont let what the neph says overrule what the foot dr. says    Sending good thoughts and prayers your way 

[Laurie]

I'm so sorry your having to go through this. If it were me, I would listen to the foot doctor.
I hope things improve for you soon 

[paddbear0000]

Being a diabetic, I can sympathize with your wound situation, as well as doctors sticking their noses where they don't belong! I'm sorry you had to go through that. Ignore him and follow your wound care docs' advise.

[stauffenberg]

Let's face it, when you are seriousy ill, people enjoy inspecting, policing, and punishing you, just for the sheer sadistic pleasure and sense of superiority they get out of the experience, even though they hide behind their official description as 'concerned' doctors and nurses.

But on a more practical level, you should read the book by Dr. Vere Shute of the famous Shute Cllinic in Ontario, Canada, called 'Vitamin E for Ailing and Healthy Hearts.'  The Shute brothers became famous in the 1970s for helping apparently hopeless cases where patients were about to lose toes or a limb to gangrene, just by giving them large doses of vitamin E and packing the wounds in liquid vitamin E.  If I had your problem, I would take 1600 IU of vitamin E (in equal amounts of dl- and alpha tocopherol forms) one a day, and would soak the entire foot in liquid vitamin E.  You and your doctors will be astonished at the improvement, if you believe the results published by the Shute Clinic.  Even if it does not help, it can't hurt, so why not try it?  Just make sure you take the vitamin E away from the time you take iron, since iron renders vitamin E ineffective if taken at the same time.

[Roxy]

I'm sorry that today was discouraging. I think it falls into doctors having the "know it all" attitude. You should follow your gut and trust the doctor that you feel is right and go with that. I personally think doctor's should stick to their own specialty. The neph should mind his own business and take care of you with the things relating to your kidney and let the wound doc take care of the wound. I hope things improve and your day gets brighter 

[thegrammalady]

my first reaction to this is........the next time the neph comes near your foot kick him!

[Ohio Buckeye]

Dr. Stauffenberg
Thanks for the info.  Would be worth a try.
I had an iv of 200 iron yesterday.
How long would I have to wait for the Vit. E to be effective?
Thanks.

[Sluff]

  ....nuff said

[meadowlandsnj]

I'm sorry you had such a rough time.  I agree, I'd let the wound care specialists take care of this.  My nephs are pretty good although one of them thinks he's an all knowing all omniscient superdoctor who has all knowledge of all things!   

Donna

[jbeany]

One slightly out of context Bible quote for you. . .

"It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."  Acts IX,5   

As soon as your foot heals, kick him with it!

[keefer51]

I am very lucky i am not diabetic. However most of my friends at my clinic are. I have seen many a limb here today gone tommorow. I am so sorry for your trouble. I do see the neph. at my center do the same thing. Please rant here anytime you want my friend.

[BobT1939]

Hang in there, Buckeye! Maybe that vitamin E idea will do the trick and you will be ready to kick a field goal and beat my Wolverines on November 17./bobt

[Ohio Buckeye]

lol, Bob

[stauffenberg]

Ohio, I am able to keep both my iron and vitamin E levels where I want by taking vitamin E in the morning and an iron tablet at night: so a sixteen-hour interval is effective.  For a massive, intravenous iron dose, starting the vitamin E regimen after waiting a day or so should allow your body to clear the iron before the E goes to work.  Dr. Shute's book may be out of print now, but you can probably find out more about how effective his vitamin E treatment was by searching through the web.

[lola]

OB I'm so sorry you are having such a tough time, hang in there