Well, he ate dinner like a horse, he just had his coffee and a small piece of cake, and I'm sure later he will have one of those sugar free eskimo pies.

This man has an infection???????

lol

Melody

best of luck! i had cellulitis once, should clear up with the antibiotics

yes, i hope it heals quickly. treat one thing, cause another, its a vicious cycle. get well soon.

FWIW, my podiatrist made me a new set of orthotics. I wore them at the gym and figured I needed to break them in. So I kept wearing them over the next couple of weeks and I kept getting blisters on the soles of my feet. I only discovered them when I actually looked at my feet because I don't feel them happening. At first I was stumped and I didn't put 2 and 2 together. I finally went back to the podiatrist and he had them put a different cover material on them initially and that was causing the problem. Who would have thought!!

Isn't it amazing what we find out? Our podiatrist had always made Alan's orthotics. A few years ago, Alan went to Beth Israel to see an ortho guy there who operated on Alan's leg, doing a procedure that was supposed to relief the pressure on a muscle (he was an expert at this operation) and people had this done when they had recurring foot ulcers.

In Alan's case this procedure did not work (no fault of the surgeon), but the surgeon used an Orthotics company and Alan needed a crow boot and shoes, etc, so from that day on, we have used that particular Orthotic company.

I will call them tomorrow and tell them what happened.

Now before I do, ALL INPUT IS WELCOME.

How would you word it when calling the Orthotics company. I'm not coming off all bitchy because that would accomplish nothing. My husband's doctor said they did a lousy job on his orthotics.

How would you word this when you called them AND WHAT SHOULD BE THEIR RESPONSE IN THIS MATTER?

I just need a little input on how I should phrase all this.

Thanks much

Melody

First of all Melody, I gotta say that Alan having his health issues: not so lucky. But having you to take care of him and stand up for him: couldn't be luckier!

As for how to deal with the orthotics people, I'm not sure if nice is the way to go. I think maybe putting the fear of God into them is. After all, they caused at a minimum, pain and suffering. Could have been...well, let's not even say it. Since you asked, my opinion is that they should consider themselves as having gotten off easy if all they have to do is make it right and in duplicate--as in several free pairs a year, not just what Medicare pays for.

Are you the type who can raise hell on the phone? How about a letter? Do you have a lawyer?

Well, who is to say "who" exactly is wrong?

Is this foot doctor going to say--- it is my fault, and Alan's problem is a long term infection I am not being aggressive enough with? (since this appeared next to the original lesion )

Or is he going to blame the orthotic company?

Given the odds I'd say most doctors blame someone ELSE.

So getting irate at this point may be counter productive.
Do you have proof the orthotic is improperly made? not at this point.

Has Alan's foot changed any? You don't know that either.
Has this foot doctor ever cultured the pus to see what organism(s) are present? Or does he just give you an antibiotic off the top of his head?
A chronic lesion of any sort is typically cultured to see what exactly is going on...in this day especially with mrsa around!

After reading this long story for many months, I still think you need another doctor's opinion. It is possible this is a deep issue, long standing needing more aggressive treatment.

Perhaps a consult from a wound specialist? Something else of quality in any event.

Well, the only thing I can say about Alan's foot ulcer is that over the past year it was doing just fine, until it re-curred and his doctor would debride it and he has not had any infection in YEARS. This is the first infection (and it was not by the ulcer), it was over on the side of the foot and we looked at the orthotic and it is apparent that it's made completely different than his previous orthotics (by the same company)

And over a month ago when he was measured at Beth Israel by the orthotic person, and she sent out his foot impression so they could make him a new orthotic, well, when it was done, they sent it to the same Orthotic lady and she called us up and said: "I don't know what is wrong with these people, we got Alan's orthotic but they didn't do the oft loading, they didn't do anything, we are sending it back with new instructions"

So she sent back the newly made (but wrongly done orthotic) along with his right shoe, and we waited. When we got the call, "the orthotic is here", Alan went by himself, came home (never took out the orthotic to show me) not that I would have said "oh this is badly done" but it had this extra piece on it and it was placed in the wrong position. Alan doesn't feel anything so it didn't bother him.

He rarely went out so he was mostly in the house and didn't wear it. He uses special slippers with the older orthotic.

but last week he went out for a while and the newly made orthotic must have rubbed along the side (the doctor showed us where the blister was and how the new orthotic was responsible).

It's so obvious because when you hold up the two orthotics side by side (made by the same company but we don't know if made by the same people), well the previous orthotic had the "well" exactly where his foot ulcer was.

and the newly made one had the "well" slightly higher and they had this foamy cushiony piece of something around the well, (never had this in any previous orthotic), and the doctor said "look at the two orthotics, look at this new one (the well), is placed wrong"

He then took a pen and drew a line where the orthotic SHOULD HAVE PUT THE 'WELL"

I then said "should I take a knife and slice around this thing and make the well the correct size"? He said "I'd contact the orthotic company, they did a lousy job"

So that's what I'm going to do as soon as I finish posting this.

Don't know about any cultures. We'll see the guy again on Saturday, and I'll ask him.

He's been our podiatrist for 15 years and Alan trusts him (as do I)

He's always had our best interest. He once said "you know, we sit around and have discussions about Alan's feet"

Alan is very comfortable with this guy and we've had other podiatrists but we really like this guy. I think he is right on the money with the orthotic, because if you just look at it, you see immediately that the "well" was put in the wrong position.

Melody

It wouldn't seem likely, even probable. But....could he have received someone elses orthotic?

Pabb:

What wouldn't seem likely? even probable???


But to answer your second question, could he have received someone else's orthotic, I have no idea. But the fact that they sent the first ones that they made and it had NO well for Alan's foot ulcer, and she had to send it back, well, it just appears that the people who MAKE the orthotic from the foot mold that they were sent, well they didn't read the instructions. Everything was written and it was clear. She had instructed them to make a well in the orthotic to allow for the foot ulcer. The first time they made the orthotic they left out the well.

Then when she sent it back, they made the well and added a piece of foam to it.

The easiest thing I can do is make of video of Alan's new orthotic and you can see what it looks like and how the doctor drew a line on the orthotic showing how it SHOULD have been made.

Be back in a jiffy.

Melody