I am a 50 year old long term diabetic 18 months ago I broke my ankle whilst walking the dog when he went to chase a cat !!
They wanted to put plates in my ankle but being a diabetic (For 40 years) wouldn't entertain it, hence I went into plaster, it felt very tight but not ever having a plaster wasn't to know that this was too tight I unfortunately had to have the plaster removed revealing an ulcer on the top of my foot about the size of a ten pence. The consultant said he would have to skin graft it but I argued that a course of antibiotics would do the trick as I am well controlled on an insulin pump which he agreed and the ulcer cleared within in week. The consultant put me in a walking boot so that he could keep an eye on the ulcer but my ankle got very painful and I could no longer walk on it without extreme pain. He said after 6 weeks that I no longer needed the boot and I would see his registrar in a week . Looking at my leg it wasn't straight any more and was quite bent which I did point out to the consultant but he said it was swelling. On seeing his registrar he was horrified that I wasn't in plaster in his words the ankle was now deformed. I then spent the next 7 months having a plaster every 3 weeks and the ankle manipulated (NO ANAESTHETIC VERY PAINFUL NEARLY PASSED OUT) and wedges put into the plaster, all because they wouldn't do a 2 hour operation which my Diabetic consultant said I would sail through. To put along story short he after eight and half months he decided there was nothing he could do and passed me to a Diabetic ankle specialist which I was miffed why didn't I see him in the first place he could do nothing but referred me to a limb reconstruction unit I then had a 5 hour operation to put me into an external frame to straighten the leg then when it was straight a rod was put up through my heel and the ankle was then fused which was another lengthy operation !! 16 months later I am in pain and find it difficult to walk any length of time. Finding shoes is a nightmare I am not a trainer girl I did wear heels most of the time and was a passionate ballroom dancer which I can no longer do. Is this what I am left with and how do I cope !!