Hi MelodyL

My husband, David, started about 12 years ago when he was approx. age 40 of having some numbness in his toes. At some point he got a cut on the bottom of his foot that bacause he couldn't feel all that much it got infected. Several doctors later, they diagnosed it as peripheral neuropathy. Eventually his foot got infected to the bone (has had multiple bone scans-forget the medical name) and he had one or two toes on his left foot taken off (it all blurs on whether they did his second & third toe together, bottom line both were gone). he got some orthotics for his shoes that he says really helps keep pressure points off certain areas of his feet. Now after multiple surgeries (debredments too many to remember) he has his big toes remaining on his left foot. He has had some problems with his right foot but so far has lost no toes. He has really high arches & his toes draw up so that seems to put pressure on his toes & of course makes the way he walks put pressure on the bottom where he gets callouses. He also about 5 years or so ago has noticed tingling, pain, loss of feeling in his hands.
This seems to be genetic as his older brother (17 years older) just last week had all of his toes taken off plus part of his foot due to unhealed infected bone. (he doesn't listen to the doctors). A younger nephew (age 40-son of the one who doesn't listen) has begun having some numbness in his feet and I think another nephew has begun also with numbness. So far none of the women in David's family (he has 6 brothers & 4 sisters) has had any problems. The doctors don't have much of an answer as to why for any of this. He is having more bone "shaving" next Wednesday. Hope it's just that & not the remaining toe. (I think we have helped his doctor-podiatrist-put his kids thru college!)

For your husband, make sure to keep careful watch on any sore on his feet as infection is impossible to get rid of once it gets a stronghold. Any signs of redness, red streaks, swelling is a sign that there is infection. Xray shows some of this but the bone scan shows up with more definition.

RozzieM