I found out about my diabetes in an awful way.

Back in September I was sent to the hospital for an infection on my big toe. My whole world changed in a few hours.

A few years ago my doctor was treating me for prediabetes with metformin. Was never bad, even though I weighed almost 500lbs. Over the last 2 years or so I thought I was getting things together. I had lost over 120lbs, and was trying to keep myself more active.

This summer I was doing some projects outside with my father in some bad fitting boots, and got a blister. That blister eventually ruptured, got infected, and I ended up in the hospital with a 103+ fever.

In the emergency room they declared that I had gangrene, and took almost all the flesh off my toe. During the first round of tests, I was around 400 with my sugar. They also determined that the infection had made it into my bone.

I spent a week in the hospital getting blasted with antibiotics. There were several “tough talks” about my diabetes and how they were going to have to amputate. Even though I only had a 1/4 inch of flesh left on some parts of my toe, I decided to fight to keep it.

I spent 7 weeks at home pushing my own IV antibiotics to heal my bone infection. At the same time I was learning about glucose meters and different insulin pens. Cleaning out my pantry of anything with carbs. And having to care for my foot myself. Even after a month, they were still preparing me to lose the toe (or more).

Since then I’ve lost another 30lbs. Tried to educate myself on a new diet. As of today my average sugar level is around 105. My toe is still there, and almost 100% healed.

Unfortunately this story is not all happy. During the final couple weeks of my toe healing, I’ve now developed an abscess on the outside of my foot that is bigger than the toe wound was. I’m back to getting ultrasounds and MRIs and threats of losing even more of my foot to amputation. I am freaked out and terrified because I’ve been doing everything right, and it’s just not getting better. I have so many specialists I’m working with now, and none of them can really tell me what I am doing wrong.

So, let me be the reminder to always pay attention to foot care, and don’t mess around if you find something.