Alan's Foot Ulcer is now calloused.
 

HI All.
Don't know what to do. He doesn't seem concerned. Is this normal?

He puts the bacitracin on and a bandaid (as instructed). Then he did the sponge attached to the orthotic thing, so it would put even less pressure on the ulcer. Maybe this was not such a good idea.

Last night he says to me "I'm going to wait on going to the gym, I want the podiatrist to check out my foot first" and I said 'why it's all healed" and he says "well, it has a callous" I immediately looked at it and said "is this supposed to look like this, what will the podiatrist do when he sees this, and Alan said "well, he'll probably do what the other podiatrist did for 18 months....he'll debride it".

I said: "but it was all healed, why is it calloused (now it's a very small callous, no big thing), but, he is scheduled to go back on October 3rd.

The podiatrist said "Let's give this a month and see how it is healed".

I'm not trying to jump the gun here (and it doesn't hurt him), but here's my question. When the podiatrist debrides a callous (that used to be a foot ulcer), does it immediately turn into another foot ulcer so that he has to wear the shoe boot thing again?

I mean, isn't debriding cutting away, and if he cuts away, doesn't that again make a hole???

Today, he decided not to do the sponge thing.

Also, (and this went completely against the doctor's instructions), Alan does not put the orthotics inside his slippers in the house. Now Alan doesn't do a lot of walking in the house, just to the bathroom and back. And outside of the house, he always wears the orthotics.

So my question is "should we call the podiatrist and say "Alan's ulcer area is now calloused, should he come in?" (Alan refuses to do this). Alan says "I don't want to bother the doctor, I have a callous, all he will do is debride it, I won't use the spongee thing attached to my orthotic anymore".

Or should I just let the man be in peace, drive me crazy and let him suffer the consequences.

I just looked at it. He came out of the shower. It does not look like an ulcer, it simply looks like a callous. Is this what happens to foot ulcers when they finally heal?? Do they usually develop into a callous.

In the past, he has always taken his pumice stone and filed down the callouses. He, of course, knows not to do this.

Any idea would be most welcome. I would hate to go back to where we were 18 months ago.

Thanks so much if any of you are foot ulcer, callous savvy out in neuropathy land.

Melody

Alan's callus
 

Hi Melody:

I am no expert but I believe that calluses are caused by pressure on that spot. Maybe Alan needs to wear the orthotic at all times when walking around? Can you phone the foot doctor and tell him about this callus and see what he or she advises? I am concerned about this.

Shirley H.

Hi Shirley:

Alan will absolutely not phone up the doctor. But I told him what you wrote and he agreed to wear the orthotics in the house now (inside his slippers).

God, what a stubborn individual I am married to!!!

Thanks much.

Melody

Well, it concerns me too because I wonder if there might still be some ulcerous tissue beneath the callous? This could be really bad and a source of infection, etc if left untreated. Im also a worrier though, so might just be fine! He really needs to be careful with those feet, as I am sure he knows!

Well, for the past 3 weeks, it was all healed. So I really don't think (at least I'm hoping), that there cannot be any ulcerous tissue underneath the callous because he's been using Bacitracin for 3 weeks and it looked all nice and pink and clean. We check it twice a day.

But he wouldn't listen and didn't like the orthotics in the slippers (thankfully, he has now seen the light). And he did add that darn sponge, hoping it would relieve even more pressure, but who the heck knows, maybe all he should have done was just put the bacitracin, use the bandaid and put the foot into the orthotic.

men!!!! you gotta either hate them or love them.

I'm deciding!!!!! lol

Melody

it might not be a callous...
 

It might be a cheloid (keloid). This is scar tissue that is thick and sometimes a different color from the rest of the skin.

Cheloids form when normal healing is interrupted like Alan's continuous ulcer.

So don't get upset yet. And remember Alan has psoriasis and healing with that is sometimes different for them.

http://www.hmc.psu.edu/healthinfo/jkl/keloid.htm

Oh, it might be a cheloid (keloid),??? Never even knew about this.

Do you think I should call up the podiatrist and tell him?? I don't want to be a fussy wife and go all "you have to do this, you have to do that".....but sometimes, I want to throttle this man.

He does not like to phone up doctors. He does not like to phone up anyone actually. He is getting better at the phone thing but honestly, why are men so stubborn??

I mean, it's a phone call for darn's sake.

All the podiatrist would say is "no, you must come in tomorrow," or he'll say "don't worry, come in on the 3rd of October".

But I really think the podiatrist should be notified.

What do you think?

Mel
P.S. IF Alan knew I was doing this on this board, he'd shoot me.. lol

IF
 

It doesn't hurt, is not swollen, or red, or oozing... I'd say wait til the next appointment.

Alan won't phone doctor
 

Hi Melody:

I think if Alan were my husband I would phone the doctor myself. Better safe than sorry and if he refuses to do this, maybe you should - but it is up to you.

Shirley H.

lol

Well, now I am at a loss.

Two completely different opinions.

I'll think I'll toss a coin up in the air.

Not oozing, not red, not hurting him. Not bulging.
Just a stupid callous.

Will wait a few more days.

I'm going to Cornell on Friday (for me).

So we shall see what the old scale at Cornell has to say.

God I hate scales.

Mel