Roger - You are not much older than me but diagnosed much younger than me. I too am not good at following all the rules, limitations, etc and went thru 25 years of poor BS control. Luckily I finally bit the bullet of getting a CGM and love the control it gives me in determining what I can and cannot safely do.
I have not suffered the additional health problems you have but reading your story convinces me to do better.
I don’t know if any of your other medical conditions would eliminate this potential and at the risk of getting slapped down, I would suggest investigating Colloidal Silver as an antibacterial and antiviral to help fight off infections. I don’t have proof that it helps me except that for the past 5 years that I have been drinking an ounce per day as a preventative, I have been healthy other than requiring insulin and I have not suffered from argyria, a bluish-gray discoloration of the skin. I made some for 2 different friends suffering from shingles and they both reported almost immediate relief after topical applications. I can almost guarantee your physicians will tell you your skin might turn blue. DO NOT take my suggestion without performing your own due-diligence and realize that it will not be as fast acting as pharmaceuticals.
Thanks for that, Marie. Yes,I will almost certainly lose my second and fourth toes very shortly. I am going to suggest that we do it ASAP, in fact, to try and get ahead of the curve, cheat the hangman, get in there fustest with the mostest. If we can cut out the infection and stop it now, I may have a chance of saving my foot. My foot with two toes will make quite a conversation piece, too. I’ll have to get a pair of sandals.
Now it is definite. I am losing my second toe at 10:15 on Monday morning. This makes me feel a bit sad. The doctor thinks we should wait and see if the fourth toe clears up after the second one is gone. In any case, he doesn’t want to take the fourth toe until we’ve had some new X-rays.
I’m going out for breakfast, but I think I’ll opt for the bacon today, and skip the sausages.
Roger, I’m so sorry to hear the bad news. My thoughts are with you!
OK, so now I have lost my second toe (The one next to the big toe) That toe was getting kind of ugly anyway, but it leaves a big gap in the ranks of my toes. I am feeling sad, tired and depressed by the whole thing. I don’t suppose this is anything new to people who have lost body parts to this disease. I am getting a CGM in the hope of getting better A1Cs, as if that will help, and getting a handicapped permit as my walking is a bit wobbly just now, and I am not supposed to walk long distances, long distances apparently are anything over about 200m. I’m facing two more months of healing, so I should be almost healed by my daughter’s wedding in October. I thought at first the toe would heal and that would be the end for a while, but now I have to think about the other toes, the foot, the leg.
The surgery took less that ten minutes - less than a minute to amputate the toe, and the rest to remove some infected metatarsal an clean things up. No anaesthetic, as there’s no feeling in the toe. Surprised me. So, if any of you are wondering, this is what it was like for me.
Once again, I’m sorry to hear about the loss of another toe, but glad to hear that the surgery went well without complications. Why did you phrase the following the way you did? (The bolding is my own.)
It sounds as if you believe getting a CGM won’t help. Please correct me if I’m wrong, Roger.
I’m sorry Roger and thank you for being open about your experience. If anyone doesn’t know, diabetes really SUCKS.
I enjoy your posts and your sense of humor please continue to share your story.
I am sure a CGM will help me get better control of my blood sugars, and that is a good thing. Since my feet are, in effect, rotting, I’m not sure how much good better blood sugars will help when the damage to my small blood vessels and nerves is already done and irreversible. Perhaps better bgs will slow the progress of liver and kidney disease, and prevent recurrence of diabetic retinopathy, but it will not reverse anything. The damage is done, and I can only hope to slow it down Perhaps I am at last beginning to realize that those years of casuality about my A1Cs are coming home to roost. Ca ne fait rien, there is nothing can be done about the past.
If you haven’t guessed, I have been feeling teribly depressed lately. I want to be able to talk with my grandchildren about things that are important, and it is beginning to look like that if more and more unlikely.
Having better BGs will help you feel as healthy as possible and you deserve to feel as healthy as possible, Roger! Everything worth anything in this life takes a lot of effort, and the effort itself can bring great satisfaction. I know that I’m speaking for many, many others when I say that we’re here to support you along this journey. Keep on hanging in there, Roger.
Roger, I hope you are on the mend. THinking of you.
Just to follow up, the wound clinic doctor stopped my antibiotics today (Oct 7) told me he expects the healing process to be fully complete in a week or two, and the little ulcer that had appeared on my big toe is closed up and not an issue. So, it looks like this is the end, for now. I’m looking forward to swimming, walking longer distances, and doing many of the things I could not do because of the need to rest my foot while it healed. It’s been six months of pain and inconvenience, and I’m glad it’s over.
Thanks for all your kind responses.
Roger212, I’m so happy to hear you’re doing better! 
nice! 
I was just thinking about you today, Roger, and wondering how things are going. I hope that your healing is complete, your daughter’s wedding was wonderful, and that you are in a good place now. Hoping that you are well. xoxo - Jessica
Thanks you for asking. My foot is all healed up, the wedding was wonderful, and I am able to do things now that I wsn’t able to do when I had to keep my foot rested. I feel very well, at least until the next challenge. Thanks again.
Keep fighting the good fight!!
Hi Roger, I’m Allyson Schloming, Development Director with Diabetes Hands Foundation. I would like to share some quotes from your story in our End of Year Giving Appeal. Would that be OK with you? Please let me know if you have any questions.
If you could let me know as soon as possible that would be great!
Yes, by all means use my story if it can help you. Please let me know when you publish.
Roger Tulk
On 14 December 2016 at 11:00 Allyson <tudiabetes@discoursemail.com> wrote:December 14
Hi Roger, I'm Allyson Schloming, Development Director with Diabetes Hands Foundation. I would like to share some quotes from your story in our End of Year Giving Appeal. Would that be OK with you? Please let me know if you have any questions.
If you could let me know as soon as possible that would be great!
Visit Topic or reply to this email to respond.
To unsubscribe from these emails, click here.
Thank you Roger! I will keep your story handy and let you know when it is
put into our email campaign.
Have a great weekend!
Allyson
I do hope you share @Roger212 story. It is very important. It how cruel this disease can be but how in 2016 with proper education and modern treatments it no longer needs to be that way. Roger for some reason your story resonates with me and I am routing for you!!!