CASE OF NON-HEALING DIABETIC FOOT
Mr. AB, aged 59 years suffered from non-healing Diabetic foot.
He is a Known case of Type II DM and Hypertension since 18 – 20 years with diabetic retinopathy.
Patient had just been operated for the diabetic foot. Inspite of the operation, the wound failed to heal and hence he could not come personally for the consultation. His daughter gave the full case history.
A corn had developed on the sole (left foot below great toe) which turned into an abscess. The abscess did not heal and turned into a wound. The sensations on the foot had reduced. Blood sugars remain on the higher level. (FBS – 126, RBS – 240).
Presently, he is on Insulin and other anti-diabetic drugs since 18-20 years. Inspite of high doses of treatment the sugars remain high.
Right foot great toe and 1st toe have been amputated as they had turned gangrenous. Right now has been advised bed rest due to the operated foot. Even otherwise only walks around in the house, doesn’t go out for past 10-12 years. Once or twice a year goes out of town or to golden temple. Since past 2 years his foot problems have increased.
Patient has a strong family history of Diabetes and Kidney problems.
He has a good appetite and drinks about 2 litres per day.
He is vegetarian since 18-20 yrs. He likes fried bhajiyas but he avoids them due to health reasons.
He sweats all over the body while eating even though he sits under the fan or is seated in a airy room.
He is comfortable in moderate temperatures. He has no complaints neither in winters nor summers. He prefers to bathe with lukewarm water throughout the year.
He has a good sleep. He sleeps either on the sides or on the back.
The daughter says he takes stress easily as he thinks a lot. He keeps thinking all the time. He doesn’t express himself to others. Recently he told the doctor that he is very worried about his feet.
He is a very religious person.
He would go to work/office regularly before his retinal eye problems started.
He is a very impatient person. He gets angry on small things. When angry he will shout and starts talking in a very loud tone.
He is very friendly; he likes to talk to people. In the hospital, he started talking to other patients. He talks to them and asks their problems and tries to help them. He gives his own number and asks them to get in touch with him. For example – In the hospital there was one patient from Dhaka who stayed in kandivali on rental basis. So he gave his number to him and told him that he could arrange for a place for him to stay close to the hospital. My father is a very helpful person to family, friends and even to strangers. He will go and help his sisters, brothers, brothers-in-law while others remain busy in their own life. One of our close relative needs a kidney transplant. My father has gone to other patients of kidney transplant and found out what is the procedure and whether successful or not and taken all details of how everything takes place. He will go place to place to find out all information needed. He is a very active person. But now due to feet problem he gets depressed and becomes very quiet.
In our entire family if there is a function all our relatives will take my father along for shopping since he has lot of contacts and is very helpful. He is very good at making and maintaining relations.
He has done brokerage business from home. People come to him; he never needs to go to anyone and ask for business. People give him work only on the basis of trust.
As a father he is not strict, he never put any restrictions on us. On Sundays he would take us out, would spend lot of time with us and would take us out on vacations.
He was born and brought up in Mumbai, studied till 10th and then joined the family business.
He worked very hard and due to him there has been tremendous growth in the business. In his time he made lot of property and also got things settled for all his brothers.
Recently, he has become religious – he does pooja, meditation, prayers which he enjoys most now. He will not talk to us for 2-3 hours if he is in the midst of his pooja. He has also started watching religious TV serials, news etc.
Now he doesn’t like to go for social functions especially since his vision has diminished. He likes when people come home, he will talk to them for hours. He enjoys company. He will talk on phone and discuss various things.
People always say that my father is a good man, a very helpful person, he has worked very hard, he has helped others without ever saying NO.
He is very friendly with his brother-in-law, he will enjoy, laugh and talk to him a lot.
Now-a-days he gets very tensed if my mother or we are late. Generally he is not a very nervous or anxious person.
As a husband he is very caring. He would get things for us and his wife.
He has so many health related issues but he has accepted it as GOD’s giving. Last year both his parents expired at a gap of only 2 months but he accepted that very well. He was not shocked he explained that it was age related and that they have lived their life.
He plays a lot with his grandchildren. He wants to see them daily. Even before when he was working, he would like to meet relatives and go out for dinners with his family.
On the basis of the history given by the daughter, medicines were prescribed for the patient. No local applications were used.
Within a week the ulcer started healing. In a month, the ulcer had healed completely. There has been no recurrence of the ulcers once treatment started. The patient’s blood sugars also are now under better control. He continues to be on regular Homoeopathic medications.
