Don't lose touch

My dad’s in surgery today losing a few more toes on his remaining foot. It’s a common story with diabetes. The foot is more likely to experience the nerve damage caused by diabetes. Circulation drops in the etremities and white blood cells don’t perform as well. The skin dries out and blisters form. The toes and feet become a perfect vector for infections, and because of the nerve damage there’s no pain to alert the sufferer unless they make an effort to inspect their feet.

My grandmother lost both of her feet in one fell swoop when I was still a teenager, and she practically willed herself to death a week later. It’s a tough result to bounce back from. I’ve learned from the experience of people I care about to not lose touch with my legs, feet, and toes. If I start to notice my toes getting stiff I make an effort to stretch them and scrunch them. I exercise, stretch, and massage the toes, the feet, and legs. I even make a special effort to soak my feet and scrub away any dry tissue. It’s really important, even at this stage, to build the habit of looking at my feet so I will keep doing as I age.

It’s been about four years since I first noticed I was losing touch with my toes, and in that time my situation has gotten much better, not worse. I’m glad I’m keeping in touch with my toes.