Type 2 Toe Amputation

Bionic woman said:

My brother aged 64 yrs is shortly to undergo amputation of one of his big toes due to infection. I am trying to find out as much as possible about what to expect as he is the sole carer for our 96 yr old mother and I need to get some plans in place.
Any experiences that you can share would be helpful e.g. how long will he be in hospital (assuming all goes well)? How long before he can drive? How long will he be off his feet? Anything really as I am completely in the dark and discussion with him/ my mother is not always easy.

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Hi BW.

I'm not sure how much experience people on the forum will have with this.

Take a look at this for guidance.........
http://www.thefoothealthclinic.com/index.php/patient-information/toe-amputations

Bionic woman said:

My brother aged 64 yrs is shortly to undergo amputation of one of his big toes due to infection. I am trying to find out as much as possible about what to expect as he is the sole carer for our 96 yr old mother and I need to get some plans in place.
Any experiences that you can share would be helpful e.g. how long will he be in hospital (assuming all goes well)? How long before he can drive? How long will he be off his feet? Anything really as I am completely in the dark and discussion with him/ my mother is not always easy.

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I am an amputee of two toes and part of my right foot.A lot of it depends on how bad his sugar is one thing. I had to go back for a second surgery and have an additional bone removed from infection, I had to carry an antibiotic pump for 6 weeks until I healed.It also depends on the infection..mine was Merca a very serious infection.

Bionic woman said:

My brother aged 64 yrs is shortly to undergo amputation of one of his big toes due to infection. I am trying to find out as much as possible about what to expect as he is the sole carer for our 96 yr old mother and I need to get some plans in place.
Any experiences that you can share would be helpful e.g. how long will he be in hospital (assuming all goes well)? How long before he can drive? How long will he be off his feet? Anything really as I am completely in the dark and discussion with him/ my mother is not always easy.

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OH! I also wanted to mention that I developed Charko Foot after the surgery. This is very painful and crippling.It is when the bones weaken from the loss of the other bones and your bones literally break.

Hi and welcome, I hope your brother's operation goes well and wishing him a speedy recovery, take care.

I hope the op goes well for him!

My understanding is that healing is usually longer for people with diabetes, so expect a slow recovery, and he may well need extra care himself during that time.

During his post operative recovery period he will be assessed, and support offered, as appropriate. However, you may need to get other teams involved to arrange specific care for your mother, since the post op assessments will focus on your brother, not your mother.

I would suggest that the earlier you start this, the better. And please be aware that you if you feel you are not being listened to, or need someone to speak for you, that you can request an Advocate to attend any meetings.

A friend of mine recently went through this with her father, who was hospitalised for an infection, but his mental health (Alzheimers) took a massive step downwards, due to the change of scene and stress. It became very clear that the hospital just had one priority - freeing the bed for the next patient - and she had a great deal of difficulty in achieving a result that was actually in her father's best interest! Obviously, that is a very different situation from your brother and your mother, but it is worth remembering that each professional and team that you deal with is working within the priorities of their team, not necessarily with the overall benefit to the patient in mind.