Charcot Arthropathy

The current diagnosis of Kyle's foot is that it is not infected.  He has what is called Charcot Arthropathy or Charcot Foot.  I said in my last post I was looking for the blessing in this latest challenge.  I found it in the fact that our doctor last night in the ER was Dr. Stolworthy (who is my favorite of all the ones we see there).  When I said I wasn't sure I wanted him to call in the same podiatrist we have been dealing with.  He immediately said he was glad to hear that because he felt his neighbor was the foot doctor we needed to deal with this. 

When Dr. Francis came in this morning he looked at the foot and didn't think it seemed infected.  He went out and called Dr. Heninger and confered with him.  He was back in about 10 minutes with the idea that after going over the CT scan together they felt it was this Charcot foot thing and not an infection.  I was worried because Dr. Heniger wasn't listed on as being on our insurance.  When he came in at lunch time he said he can bill our insurance as long as we are seen in his Brigham City clinic instead of Logan.  Which is no problem for us, because it's not that much difference by the time you come clear through Logan to here.  So that was another blessing answered.  We were very impressed with him.  He is young and positive and told us he can get Kyle back on his feet.  In reading about the disease on the internet they say it often goes undiagnosed until the foot is completely deformed because not many doctors are aware of it, so we are very grateful to have been led to Dr. Heninger.

This is a complication of diabetes that those with neuropathy can get.  Which is something Kyle has had in his feet for awhile.  There is very little pain because he doesn't have a lot of feeling in his feet.  If he did it would be very painful.  We are looking at no weight bearing on his foot for probably 6 to 9 months.  It can even take 1 to 2 years to totally solve this problem.  The bones in Kyle's foot are breaking down and his muscles aren't supporting the foot as well as they should.  He will be put in a cast as soon as we get the kidneys under control and can get him over to the clinic in Brigham. 

Although this is going to be a long process and Kyle is looking at another summer of no water sports at least we aren't looking at possible amputation due to a bone infection.

Let's hope this is still the prognosis tomorrow and we don't do another 360 degree turn around.  It is hard to look at how long this is going to lay Kyle up and he is having a hard time with it, but at least is isn't an infection.

Thank you all for your love and support.  We have a great support system and we couldn't be luckier.  If any of you have any ideas how to keep Kyle from going crazy for the next year please feel free to let me know.