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I lost my big toe..


Two weeks after my final test for my kidney transplant, I received a call from my oncologist. He was reporting to me that the PET Scan test came back and everything looked as he had expected. However, he wanted to know what was going on with my right foot, more specifically my right big toe. Without disclosing this to the doctors or testing staff, I felt as though I had an ingrown toe nail and that I was going to go to a pediatrist when I returned home. I laughed and told my oncologist the situation. He prescribed an antibiotic to help with the infection, and I told him I would go see my doctor. I was able to get with my doctor a few days later and had him look at it. It was determined that we stay the course with the prescribed medication and the he wanted to look at it in a week.

A week had passed and the toe felt the same. My doctor wanted to try one other type of antibiotics to see if they would help, and if not, he would get me in with a Pediatrist. Needless to say, his prescribed medication did not work either and I was quickly sent to see a foot specialist. This specialist found that I did have an ingrown toe nail and was able to get it out. However, he wanted an MRI done to make sure that the infection wasn’t in the bone, and he felt that he had taken care of the problem.

Later that evening, I received a call and was told that unfortunately the infection was in the bone. I was given 2 options.
1.     Endure 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics and hope that it takes care of the infection. And if not, the toe would need to be amputated.
2.     Go straight to the amputation.
I had been dealt with problems like this in the past 2 years with my physical wellbeing and I knew the direction that I needed to go. I opted for the amputation. I didn’t want to deal with all the logistics of doing a 6-week run of antibiotics just to have the toe amputated anyway. Let’s just get is over and done with. So, I could just focus on getting my kidney transplant.

As I write this, I am looking at a bit of a nub where my big toe use to be. I feel like the soreness that I am experiencing is my body realizing that there is something missing. I have a sharp pain where my toe should be it lasts for a few seconds and it goes away. I’ve mentally dealt with the fact my toe is gone, I guess my body now needs to catch up and realize it is gone and it is for the best. It is difficult to know that I am going to have to stay off of my foot for a couple of weeks, and just let it heal.

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