Can't count to 20 anymore on fingers and toes

[ted j]

Had to have a very heavily infected 4th toe on my right foot amputated yesterday tea time

About 3 years ago, despite me always taking care of my feet because I have type 2 diabetes, I developed a small ulcer on the right hand side of my middle toe
Went to the hospital with it , had various treatments and gradually it got better, leaving a small clean crater like dent
Then the middle of last year, developed another ulcer on the opposing side of my 4th toe ........went this time to Bati , a small local private hospital near us which accepted SGK as I didn't want t go to our local Devlet during the pandemic
The new ulcer seemed to respond to IV antibiotic drip and tablets , 3 courses one after the other and actually started clearing up, so I continued treating it at home with prescribed antibiotic cream and iodine , with Kath playing a blinder and fresh dressing it twice a day

After a few weeks, it seemed to hit a brick wall and started getting worse again , so had one more course of antibiotics and ended up at Soke Egemed seeing a specialist who did tests and determined it had spread into the bone and amputation was needed , so we went along with our driver/translator friend and I had a noon appointment
Had the pre op talk and questionnaire with the anethsetist who said I had been moved to 2pm ......finally had the op at 5.15 taking 45 minutes and then had to stay overnight leaving at 8.15 am today
We have to go back next Monday for a check of it , but everything looked fine when a nurse at A and E redid the bandage before I left the hospital
I had some pain last nigh but that was due mainly to the bloody hard bed
I was expecting a toe missing but they cut the 4th toe out completeley and moved the small toe over (and stitched the old crater in my middle toe)

In 2 weeks i have to see a specialist at Denizli to evaluate the poor circulation in my legs that probably caused the ulcers to not heal
After my open heart op 10 years ago, I had one blockage ballooned out in my stomach but when I asked about my legs (which were not that bad at the time), he said he couldn't do them as they were too narrow, but now apparently they can be done or have veins grafted, either way they will have to be done , so yet more bloody pain!

 

[Akasya]

Best of luck Ted , hope it is sorted very quickly .

Steve

 

[ted j]

Thanks Steve

 

[IbrahimAbi]

Sorry to hear this Ted, hope you have a good recovery

 

[TLF Admin]

Looks like you are well cared for in the Turkish hospitals, wishing you quick recovery.

 

[enoch]

Best of luck hope your feeling better soon.

 

[yalimart]

All the best Ted and a speedy recovery, as an aside, my wife could count to 22 as a child but that became 20, she feels your pain.

Martin

 

[ted j]

Forgot to add, I had to take a PCR test beforehand (finger prick and results in 20 mins) as well as a blood test
The room was private with flat screen TV , (Turkish channels and Al Jazeera), hospital bed (remote up and down), small table and chair, coffee table, couch and lounge chair and had a clean en suite bathroom
Meals were included but the hospital has no vending machines , so when the canteen is closed no food/drinks are available
The cost was 7500 lira (£750).......unfortunateley the ulcer was caused by my diabetes which was an existing condition , so no SGK help hence that price

The wound is still bleeding slightly, but it is light , watery blood and not much of it, which I expect is just water content draining , it doesn't smell , so hopefully the infection (like one of the operating team said ) is gone
I am on yet more antibiotics and have on hand a packet of powerful painkillers which I am avoiding unless I really feel I need one

All in all, I am glad to be rid of it, it had got really badly infected despite all efforts and progressed at a really fast rate (we are talking 6 days from a bit worse to VERY bad )

 

[VILLASUNDAY]

So pleased that you managed to get it treated during Covid. I guess that it would of been classed as urgent given how quickly it was progressing.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

I hope that your leg operation won't be to expensive

 

[Bramidan]

All the best Ted, sounds like you had first class treatment and more importantly you sound in a good place in yourself to deal with this.

 

[durham rader]

All the best Ted stay safe

 

[juco]

Had to have a very heavily infected 4th toe on my right foot amputated yesterday tea time

About 3 years ago, despite me always taking care of my feet because I have type 2 diabetes, I developed a small ulcer on the right hand side of my middle toe
Went to the hospital with it , had various treatments and gradually it got better, leaving a small clean crater like dent
Then the middle of last year, developed another ulcer on the opposing side of my 4th toe ........went this time to Bati , a small local private hospital near us which accepted SGK as I didn't want t go to our local Devlet during the pandemic
The new ulcer seemed to respond to IV antibiotic drip and tablets , 3 courses one after the other and actually started clearing up, so I continued treating it at home with prescribed antibiotic cream and iodine , with Kath playing a blinder and fresh dressing it twice a day

After a few weeks, it seemed to hit a brick wall and started getting worse again , so had one more course of antibiotics and ended up at Soke Egemed seeing a specialist who did tests and determined it had spread into the bone and amputation was needed , so we went along with our driver/translator friend and I had a noon appointment
Had the pre op talk and questionnaire with the anethsetist who said I had been moved to 2pm ......finally had the op at 5.15 taking 45 minutes and then had to stay overnight leaving at 8.15 am today
We have to go back next Monday for a check of it , but everything looked fine when a nurse at A and E redid the bandage before I left the hospital
I had some pain last nigh but that was due mainly to the bloody hard bed
I was expecting a toe missing but they cut the 4th toe out completeley and moved the small toe over (and stitched the old crater in my middle toe)

In 2 weeks i have to see a specialist at Denizli to evaluate the poor circulation in my legs that probably caused the ulcers to not heal
After my open heart op 10 years ago, I had one blockage ballooned out in my stomach but when I asked about my legs (which were not that bad at the time), he said he couldn't do them as they were too narrow, but now apparently they can be done or have veins grafted, either way they will have to be done , so yet more bloody pain!

Just get Dianne Abbot to do your counting. Seriously though I hope all goes ok for you now and in the future.

 

[Kingfisher]

Geçmiş olsun Ted, hope you make a swift recovery

 

[ted j]

As a follow up , I am a pretty sore bunny
went back to the plastic surgery doc 2 weeks later, he said it had healed OK ,but the blood supply down both legs was not good (I have had bad legs, getting steadily worse for the last 10 years,and was told originally,nothing could be done to blow out or stent them as the arteries were too narrow
The plastic surgery doc had a specialist friend who he said should take a look at them , so we had Murat, our driver/translator take us along to Pammukalle University in miles away Denizli
The dr there, Doctor Mohammed , did test after test and determined that any blockages were a lot higher up and my lower veins were still OK
He said I could stay in and he'd do the op privateley for a reasonable fee, so we agreed that

I had the op the next day, but he said things inside were pretty bad, most of my upper arteries were like glass and choked up with gunk, he couldn't stent any because they would just blow, so he did bypasses.....5 of them

The main artery coming down from the heart branches in 2, about belly button level, branching into 2 iliac arteries,which supply the legs, mine were all knackered,so he did a bypass from my navel down to just above little Ted, then , one to my left groin connecting with the left leg good arteries, fixing that leg, then another bypass graft over to the right groin, then another to my right leg ending in a 5 inch really tidy narrow scratch like scar , fixing my right leg

My legs are now fine, but such operations usually spike your kidney levels, so I am on a cocktail of antibiotics and every blood cleansing drug going ( 3 specific ones actually)

The main problem is the wounds have to have drain holes left to drain away the watery fluid caused by the op , so Kath has been an absolute diamond , changing my dressings multiple times a day and sorting everything else out

Walking is possible with no pain but standing up has to be done first to a crippled bent over stance before a few breaths enable standing up straight.....I am told it is the equivalent of a historectomy

Went to try get stitches out yesterday locally but told no, go on antibiotic IV drip , same Monday then again Wednesday to make sure any inflammation in my navel gash is gone


Pammukalle University is great, clean, we had a 2 bed room , all meals etc paid for by SGK and the op cost 7235 lira

 

[enoch]

Glad everything is OK, not being cheeky is that the total cost of the op or did SGK pay towards it?,why I asked was in one hospital in Alanya I was quoted 6000 tl for colonoscopy.

 

[Akasya]

Best of Ted , stroll on Sir.
Steve

 

[VILLASUNDAY]

Omg. That must of been a shock waking up to find out that you had bypasses instead of stents. Did he forewarn you that this could be the outcome.

The price seems very reasonable for all the work involved.

Hope that the soreness goes quickly & you start feeling the benefits of the surgery

 

[ted j]

Hi Villasunday
Yes he did inform me beforehand , I am getting stronger every day , the main bone of contention and what is slowing me down, is the left groin drain.....these are just under 1/8th inch holes where all the watery fluid keeps seeping out to aid internal tissue healing .....I am told it may continue draining for another week yet ...these have to keep having a dry dressing applied seferal times a day and night

 

[Struggs]

Wishing you all the best for a speedy and full recovery Ted, take care. Diane

 

[Mushroom]

Hi Ted.
Hoping all works out well for you.
If it's any consolation- take a look at the current waiting lists for hospitals in the UK with private procedures also stacking back as a knock on effect and much more expensive.
Then, spare a thought for those born on the west side of the Pennines who have never been able to count to 20 in the first place as one thumb and a hoof on each hand and each foot adds up to much less.