Well, I have no idea if this is good news, or if we are jumping the gun, or whatever, but Alan just came home from the new podiatrist.

He's been wearing the boot and using regranex as directed.

The doctors over at Methodist looked at his foot and said "your ulcer is healed". Now he had brought his newer orthotics to show the doctor last week and the doctor had made mention that when he started to wear his shoes, it would be one hour a day.

Well, it seems that Alan is so healed, the doctor told him "Alan, wear the boot for half a day and your regular shoes with the orthotics, the other half of the day".

So Alan (wearing the boot), came home from the doctor's office, took off the boot, put the newer orthotics in the Propet Orthopedic shoes he used to wear AND HE COULDN'T PUT THEM ON. These newer orthotics (he has never used them yet and today would have been the first day), well he puts them inside and tells me "I can't get my feet in these shoes". I just looked at him and said "well, what are you going to do?" So he found one of his New Balance shoes and the orthotics fit. So we went shopping. He then turns to me and says "my tailor bunion is killing me".

He had originally had surgery 4 or so years ago, on the other foot's tailor bunion (that was successful). So now, (and I have no idea why this is happening), the right foot (the one with the ulcer), well this big thing is sticking out of the right side of his foot. It actually makes indentations in his shoes. It doesn't hurt him when he wears the boot. But now he is wearing the New Balance Shoes and there was rubbing. He even put a piece of moleskin on the right side of the bunion. It helped but this is what Alan said: "I need bigger shoes if I'm going to wear these brand new orthotics. Alan usually wears a 10 1/2 5 E shoe. He now says he needs a 10 1/2 6 E. Trying find that!!!!

Then after we came home from shopping, we examined the underside of the foot where the ulcer was and there was no change. It was fine. So Alan said "oh that's good, I walked for an hour and nothing happened."

The doctor told Alan he has to check his feet several times a day.

Then after we came home, he took off his shoes. He got the older orthotics (they were re-made for his ulcer also), but they look completely different than the newer ones. The older ones were made by Langer and I have no idea who makes the newer ones but they look completely different and they are thicker than the former orthotics.

So Alan took the blue former orthotics, put them in his shoes and proclaimed "oh, this is much better".

I told him to call the podiatrist and tell him what happened but of course he's stubborn and won't call. His next appointment is two weeks and he said "you have to come with me, you know what to ask the doctor".

So in two weeks, I'll go (oh, if his ulcer recurs, we'll be there much sooner), and I'll ask questions about what kind of shoe he needs and if anything can be done about the tailor bunions.

Oh, and the podiatrist loved the stuff about the cotton balls. He went and gave Alan little toe separators. (The stuff that I saw on the website).

I am making my own home made version out of visco-elastic foam that I have in the house. We'll put some between his toes and I'll rig up a piece to go next to the tailor bunion.

At least he got to walk today without the boot, the pn is much better because he does the flexor thing from Harriet Carter, and wore the cotton balls between his toes, and hopefully this darn ulcer won't come back. He's had it for 18 months.

Amazing. We are just crossing fingers that it doesn't re-cur.

Just wanted to share.

Melody