Hi all.

to sum up, he has a recurring foot ulcer for YEARS. The doctor will debride it, it will then form a callus, the doctor will debride it again, etc. etc. It always used to heal.

He's not a diabetic, never was. Idiopathic.

He got the ulcer because after his stent, they sent him to cardiac rehab, he went on a treadmill, and got a foot ulcer. It ALWAYS used to heal.

Well, for whatever reason, this time it's not healing. His podiatrist has explained to us that he has some kind of bone impingement under the ulcer so that when he steps on it, it will come through and that's why he bleeds. He also explained that in other cases, they would shave down the bone and the ulcer would then heal and that would be that.

But because of Alan's neuropathy, he says (and he also says that they have discussions on Alan all the time because of the severity of his neuropathy), well, when I say "you can't operate, you can't do ANYTHING?'

He would respond. "We don't operate on Alan, if we operated the bones supporting each other (underneath where the ulcer is), well they might collapse so we don't operate on Alan'

I understand this. He's been our podiatrist for over 15 years. He operated on Alan's bunions and takes good care of him.

I then asked the doctor (this was about a month ago when his foot would not stop bleeding everytime he walked on it).

I said "we have a wheelchair in the house, why can't he sit in the wheelchair and wheel himself across the rooms, and do this until the ulcer heals, can't he do that??"

He responded "he needs to walk" I would gather he's afraid of blood clots or something??"

Alan also tried the crow boot last week when we had to go out. It hurt him on the front so he won't put it on.

He wears custom molded shoes. With a well dug out under the foot ulcer. I gather this is no longer doing the trick for him.

He sees the podiatrist on Tuesday to check on how is ulcer is doing and if it needs more debridement.

So what has been happening is that the little hole does not close and if he walks, it bleeds. Even if he walks to the bathroom.

I'm not talking gusher here, but still, he has an open wound. I watch it carefully, dressing it, (following the doctor's instructions) and he always says to me "Melody I'm never worried because you know how to take care of that foot".

And we have an appointment with the vascular guy on Friday. Alan has a bit of edema going on, (the water pill does help). His primary care doctor, Dr. Fred referred us to his buddy, the vascular guy and he explained to me "He's also a wound care specialist"

I said "Oh maybe he'll put Alan in one of those oxygen tanks" and he said "yeah, might be"

So we ARE on top of this, AT LEAST I AM, and if any of you have dealt with foot ulcers that eventually do not heal, and what you did about that, I'd appreciate hearing from you.

Also, what happens during the first visit to a vascular wound specialist. Do they put dressings, ointments, do they put you in oxygen chambers??

We have no clue.

And what can we do about his bleeding every time he gets up and walks anywhere. I mean, there is always blood on his socks. I make him change them all the time. And I use bacitracin. So far, and he's been going every two weeks to the podiatrist, so far, no signs of infection, thank goodness for that.

When I asked Alan, "but your ulcer always healed before?" he said "yeah, but this time the hole is bit bigger". He's right, the previous times it was a pinprick. This time it's a little hole (where the doctor debrided it).

I hope the wound care guy will do SOMETHING!!!

Thanks for any input
Melody