Okay, the C.R.O.W. is relieving all the pressure on Alan's ulcer. So far so good. We had to jerry-rig the front of the boot because it was rubbing on Alan's psoriasis. When we left the Foot guy (the day we got the boot), Alan immediately felt the rubbing on the psoriasis lesion (a bit below his knee). he said "uh oh, I feel this on my psoriasis"

The foot guy was with us when this happened and he said "Alan needs a long sock up to the knee. I then said "well, with the other boot, we used to use padding, moleskin, lambswool, can't we just put this right over the sock?" and the guy said: 'No, it has to breathe". Then he told us "if you see any marks on the leg, don't wear the boot, call us and we'll adjust the boot.

So we went home, I made him a diabetic sock by sewing two socks together. THIS DID NOT DO THE TRICK. There were no marks on the rest of the leg (but it was rubbing on the psoriasis lesion).

So Alan got disgusted and said: "listen, I'm going there on June 11th. This boot is GREAT for my foot ulcer, I don't even feel it, but I need something to pad the front.

So I bought some lambswool (It says FULLY BREATHEABLE) on the front of the package.

I cut two pieces of some old thermal underwear, (from the sleeves).

I put Alan's regular diabetic sock on. I then put the thermal underwear sleeve piece over he top portion of his leg (over the psoriasis), I then put the piece of lambswool over that. Then I went over to the other boot and took out a piece of the padding, and inserted that over the whole thing. (now it's fully cushioned, and NOTHING IS RUBBING ANYTHING).

Alan has been walking around like this and he feels NO RUBBING. I know the guy said not to do this, but it's the only way for Alan to function unti he gets back there on June 11th.

We check for marks every day. There are no marks anywhere. The only thing is we had to do the padding, or his psoriasis would have been irritated. There is no irritation any more.

The foot ulcer (now here's where my question comes in).

The foot ulcer is fine. No pressure (it's obviously being oft-loaded by the C.R.O.W. boot.

I looked at the foot ulcer this morning. (I'm the one who puts the whole thing on his leg after cleaning his foot, because he can't shower yet).

So I looked at the ulcer and it's not bleeding, (I have no idea how to tell if something is in the healing process because there is callous around the ulcer).

His ulcer has not formed any NEW callous because he never puts the foot down on the ground. He goes from the C.R.O.W. boot to the bed, and vice versa.

I said to him this morning. "I wonder if the ortho guy will debride this when you go back on June 11th." I said this because of the callous around the ulcer.

I have no idea what will happen when we go back. We will tell the shoe guy what we had to do with the front of the boot, and maybe he can adjust the pressure by re-padding it (I have no idea).

But do they debride an ulcer (as it is healing)? I know that when they debride they made a new hole, and it bleeds, and then it heals. But this is the first time that Alan has had the thing completely oft-loaded.

So (and this is for anyone who has been through this), do they just leave the ulcer alone, and the callous goes away in time, as he wears the boot for a few months, or however long it takes??

Or will the doctor debride it, wrap it up, and say "come back in two weeks".

One will think that he would debride it, and because Alan never puts any weight on it, THEN THIS MIGHT BE THE WAY IT WILL HEAL FOR GOOD!!!

I'm just curious. Will they cut away the remaining callous, or leave it?

Do callouses eventually come off or dissolve without being debrided??

Thanks to anyone who knows.

Melody