Alan's foot is bleeding again.
 

Well, isn't this just dandy??

He just got his new special made shoes last week. He has NOT been walking anywhere differently than when he wore the boot.

He is doing the exact same amount of stuff. Walking to Dunkin (usually I go and pick it up, because he wakes up later).

He did go to the gym two days ago but only did weights, no feet stuff. (did not bleed then.) (I am editing this). I just went into the laundry and took out the sock he was wearing yesterday. I had one drop of dried blood. I asked him "do you check your socks every day? and he said "no". So this could very definitely have come from when he went to the gym. I asked him "what did you do at the gym, and he said "I did what the doctor told me I could do (wearing his new shoes). He was told he could do all upper body stuff, and he could go on the bike. (wearing his shoes).

Yesterday, was his IVIG. Did not bleed.

Didn't walk anywhere.

Just now he's laying on the bed and I look at his sock and there was dried blood. I said "uh oh, better have a look". We take off the sock and it doesn't look any different, and there's no fresh blood.

So we put a brand new clean white sock (after putting some Vitamin E) on the ulcer.

Five minutes later he calls me into the living room and says Uh Oh, I'm bleeding. And there's a drop of blood on the white sock.

I said "Call the doctor tomorrow".

So what do you think will happen? We thought the shoes might do the trick but I guess we were wrong.

The doctor had told us. "this is a process in motion, (the healing of the ulcer), and if there are any changes, any bleeding, then call me".

So now we'll call.

Never saw this coming. He did not bleed with the shoe boot thing.

What do you think they will do? Change the inside of the shoe or something?

Alan did ask him (on the day he picked up the shoe). He said "Doctor, do you ever think you will need to shave down the bone?" and the doctor said: "whoa, first things first, let's give these a try"

I have no clue now.

Thanks to anyone who knows.

P.S. He doesn't want to call the doctor. He wants to wait one week to see if there is any more blood. He's not going anywhere.

I mean, I don't get this. The shoes are custom molded to his foot. I told him "could you have banged it, maybe in the shower??" He doesn't know.

Now we are talking about ONE DROP OF BLOOD ON two socks, (didn't check the other days, I made a wash).

You better believe that we are checking socks every day after this..

But I often look at his feet when he's laying down, and this is the only time I have noticed this.

So on yesterday's sock there was one drop and today's sock there is one drop.

What's going on with this foot ulcer that it was fine up until he got the custom made shoes. He got the operation, they did the calf muscle thing, the doctor said "the ulcer has never looked better".

That was last week.

Anybody have a clue??

I'm interested in what Allen's doctor will think of this. As I told you in PM, red blood, just a spot seems not so bad to me. Only healthy tissue bleeds and if there's adequate circulation... So to me that's not a bad sign, per se. It could be worse...it could be pus or other type of fluid seepage rather than bright red blood. Personally, if something like that is going to happen I'd much rather see a bit of blood.

IMHO, if there's more blood today I'd call the doctor. It may not be a big deal but only the doctor can determine that.

It might be from using the stationary bike, the constant friction on the bottom of the foot for however long he is using it. Its not the same friction that you get from actually walking. I know that skin grafts break down if they continuosly rub against shoes or tight or sweaty or wet clothing. There are machines that allow you to do aerobic activites with your arms instead of your legs. If it were me id stay off the stationary bike and really limit exercizes pushing your feet against pedals on weight machines until this thing has been healed for a very long time.

my husband has psoriasis too...
 

And his skin takes forever to heal up. And that is not on a weight bearing
place.

The way I see it.... if the skin "cracked" from stress that would be one thing.
If it is a round center hole that would be more serious.

When you walk, you bend the ball of the foot, and that pulls the skin on the bottom. So far Alan has had the boot thing...which kept his foot FLAT, no stretching.

I don't think psoriasis patients heal up the way others do. My husband caught his ear on a twig...it took 6mos to heal up! I won't even tell you how long it took for the poison ivy he had once! :yikes:

Thanks Mrs. D.

I looked at it this morning. I had put a clean piece of gauze on it last night and wrapped it lightly.

This morning, there was a light thing of dried blood on the gauce. The ulcer looked exactly the same as it always looked. No swelling, no pus, no nothing. In fact it looked exactly as it looked when he left the ortho's office last week when he picked up the shoes.

I just put a dollop of bacitracin on it and put a clean gauze and wrapped it. He's on the couch.

I told him "you go to the gym again, over my dead body".

And I have SOME DEAD BODY, let me tell you.

Oh, I just this minute went to check it. No blood, no nothing. It actually looks perfectly fine. I told him. Wear the boot for awhile, until it's all healed.
(Today's our 28th anniversary), and we are planning to just go around the corner for Japanese.

He then said "I don't want to call the doctor yet, let's give it a few days" I said "that's up to you, but wear the boot for a few days". He said:

That makes sense.

What do you think? Do I rush and call the doctor over two drops of blood or do we wait for a few days and see what happens.

And no gym, no bikes, no nothing. He can lift weights in the house.

thanks much.

Don't make him go to the Doc on your anniversary!!! (Unless he agrees)

Take him for Japanese and both of you enjoy the day. :hug::hug:

(Don't know anything about anything, but what Jarrett said made sense to me.)

LOVE YOUR ALLIGATOR BY THE WAY, remember when I thought it was a scarf??

Yes, we are going Japanese today.

He is not bleeding at the moment (we take each thing as a small blessing).

And we shall go and enjoy our California Rolls and Shumai.

I ADORE JAPANESE FOOD.

And I might actually NOT HAVE FISH TODAY.

I just might order some chicken!!!! lol

Thanks much

I have a funny story...
 

My son took me to a Korean restaurant that served Japanese also.

I got some fish on Soba noodles thing. Well, when they served it, they sprinkled
some LARGE flakes of something on top, and when the waiter put down the
dish, these were moving...like seaweed does under water.

I can't remember the name of the dish...my son would know, but he is at work.

So I looked up and said.... this is still alive? EVERYONE, at the tables nearby stood up and immediately from some "secret" location the owner appeared and
I was so embarrassed! I never saw such fast attention!

It seems that the flakes stand up and "wave" in the heat that rises from the fish. (the whole dish).... We all started laughing, and I'll never forget it.
I was never so aware of how people "listen in" on your conversations either.
Everyone else was Asian at the time in there, and we were the only non-Asian patrons! They were all conversing in their native language too. Probably had ALOT to say about ME! :yahoo:

Mrs. D.

I am SO happy you shared the flake experience with this board. God only knows what I would have done if I ordered a dish, and the flakes started to move. I think I would scream my head off.

At least I now know what to expect if I order something like that.

I actually ordered a lunch box special. Two little pieces of Shumai (shrimp), some brown rice, some Chicken Teriyaki, on veggies, and California Roll. And they even have a little orange right in the middle of the box (which I gave to Alan).

The meal was absolutely delicious. Guess how much my meal was?? $7.95. Alan's was $6.95. I mean, can you beat this??

Oh, I put a call in to his ortho and the guy called back after he came out of operating on someone.

I explained what happened and this is when I said "why do you think this happened?, he replied:

"Well, there might be a bit more friction going on that we would like, this is what I want Alan to do...wear the boot for one week. NO GYM, and watch the foot ulcer. If it bleeds, call me back and I'll have you guys come in, and we'll adjust the shoes. It's probably nothing, but let's wait".

This is exactly what I told Alan what the doctor would say. It seemed perfectly logical. I mean, we are talking two drops of blood, not bleeding all over the floor, like he did last year.

So I'll keep doing what I'm doing. Keeping it clean, and observing. He's mad because he can't act like Rocky. He really is frustrated. I mean, besides the neuropathy, he's had this foot ulcer for two years or more and he just wants it over. Can't blame him.

I told him we can go Japanese for Mother's Day. We asked them and there's no special menu. Same price... $7.95.

Amazing!!!!

Thanks to all for the good advice.

Melody