Since most amputations that occur secondary to diabetes happy late in life, let's talk about what that looks like

From someone whos been the caretaker of not one 70+ year old amputee but TWO- it goes a lot deeper than "stop eating icecream"
I want to educate y'all
#MedTwitter
1/
My grandpa was diagnosed with DM2 in his 50s
He was all around in good health, he used to walk the dog everyday for miles, and his sugars were well under control

Then one day he tripped
He cut his leg
His circulation was compromised
That started a series of YEARS of surgeries
2/
Despite stents, despite grafts, despite months of PT - he lost his right leg above the knee

The loss didn't stop there though
He couldn't find a prosthetic that alleviated his pain
He couldn't drive
He couldn't go on walks
He couldn't be independent

He lost his will to live
3/
He died a little over a year after losing his leg
Not from infection
Not from diabetes
Not from heart failure
Not from a stroke

He died because we don't take care of amputees
He died because he lost his will to live & he gave up
He died because medicine failed him
#MedTwitter
4/
Then we have my grandma, she lost her right leg above the knee due to complications from heart surgery at age 72 (rheumatic heart as a child)

The pain and suffering I watched her live through as she tried leg after leg
Doctor after doctor
It would've killed most people
5/
She didn't give up, she COULDN'T give up - it wasn't in her nature

It took us 5 YEARS to find a prosthetic place that quite literally saved her life

Without the hope, the FREEDOM, and independence they gave her - she probably would've eventually given up and died too
6/
She went on to live independently because of her prosthetic leg
She was re-certified to drive with her left leg
Her condo accommodated her wheel chair when she took her leg off at night

No doctor saved her life
A prosthetic developer did
@POAOrlando saved her

7/
#MedTwitter
Medicine fails amputees every single day
I've seen the pain & suffering first hand

We ignore the systemic failures that lead to amputation
The unaffordable cost of insulin
Systemic food injustices

Then after amputation
We ignore their pain & suffering
8/8
Do better #MedTwitter
You can follow @DrSomedayMaybe.
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