The blackest Friday for one.

D

Disgustedman

Senior Member
So, this afternoon, I got a call from a former "Safe Park" resident. He had gone to the hospital the 11th and two surgeries later, nothing good, so tomorrow morning they'll amputate the lower leg.

On the good side, he's got a firm place to move into, secured and safe, he'll probably qualify shortly for an electric chair. Plus he's near a shopping center.

But the housing authority came through for him, so he'll be safe and warm, I can understand the bitterness he feels, but he's accepted this bump in the road.

I did take him some of his favorite soda, chips and almond candy. I'll be praying for a good outcome from surgery. My problems sure are small when I compare them to others .....
 

I am sorry has to go thru it but it can be managed. If he has medicare or other state coverage I hope they will also let him get a prosthetic.

I went through this our best family friend. He came here to recover, got his prosthetic and was up on his feet in a couple of months. Not a picnic, but if he is willing to try he won't be stuck in that chair!
 
Got back seeing him this Friday, he's in a much better frame of mind, they put him on fentanyl and so they're watching him closely.

His pain had lessened, but then the PT aide came in. I left as I knew he'd be a tad grumpy about moving around.
 
it will take awhile for the pain to ease, but the more he moves around the better he will feel. Even after the leg is healed there will be the phamton pain that every amputee has to get through. My friend did very well here, the PT and a nurse came everyday. They worked with him and taught me things to help him recover. I learned about wound care and how to bandage his leg.

They said to have him move around the best he could, to feed him a protein heavy diet. I did so and he felt good in that second month!! His diabetes got under control, he lost weight, but I fed him good healthy foods that were needed for his condition. He never went hungry, of course there was the 3 meals day, I also made him a snack plate, 2 times a day with just sliced turkey or ham, some cheese, nuts or fruit. I think he felt quite spoiled. He had never married or had a live in girlfriend. I think he was kind of surprised to be truthful. No one had ever taken care of him.

After he got well and went home he would call. He wanted to come watch TV and visit. I knew he missed the home cooking and my dogs. I told him come when you want, just call me and tell me what you want for lunch or dinner LOL!
 
Every now and then, I think about things like your friend is going through, but happening to me. I reflect back to my childhood when everything seemed perfect. I know some of us had a bad childhood, but in my case, things were very good. I had loving parents for 9 years, we lived in a nice home, my mom and dad loved each other, (I only assumed this because I never heard them yell or throw a hissy fit at one another), we had plenty of food and warm clothing. Things were pretty good.

Then my parents were killed and my life was turned upside down for a few years. My point here is that we should always be prepared for the worse in life because we never know when the bug will bite one of us. I hear kids around here talk and say they wish they were 16 so they could get a car and drive. Well, I wish I was 16 and back on the farm with my Gramps and grandma. Life was so much easier.

Life can throw us a curve and we need to be prepared for that time. We never know when it will be our turn up to bat, if you know what I mean. I wish your friend the best of luck. I would imagine that he never saw himself losing a leg when he was 16. None of us would have thought that. Why this happens to only some people and not others, I wish I knew the answer to that.
 
Update, he's moving to the apt in Jan, he's got people who'll shop for him and medical transport all prepped.

I told him let me know when he wants his car moved. Then I'll probably stop and see him once a month.
 
Disgustedman said:
Just also remembered that while talking with him (he's a smoker) that this is the best chance he's had to break the habit.

So I'm encouraging him to keep away from restarting, his veins may thank me later.
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Smoking, it's the most awful habit. I really hope that you succeed in encouraging him to quit, permanently. Back in 1961, I was in hospital recovering from a fractured leg. In the exercise gym I saw many an amputee. The year being 1961, it was only 16 years from the end of WW2. Me being just 15, assumed that the amputees were soldiers who had served during the war.

Some three years later, I was a student at college and had started the habit of smoking, It was then that I heard of, so called, smoker's leg.
Reading up on the condition I learned that smoking can lead to smoker's leg. In this circulatory disease, blood vessels narrow and restrict blood flow to the lower limbs. In people with smoker's leg, blood flow reduction may cause leg pain or cramps when walking. In severe cases it leads to gangrene and amputation. My mind went back to all those amputees I remembered from my stay in hospital.

It took a Herculean effort but by the time I had turned twenty I had quit smoking. Many years later I learned that tobacco companies spray the tobacco with additional addictive chemicals, no wonder it's so hard to quit. Tobacco companies really do have a lot to answer for.
 
@horseless carriage, I was not as lucky as you, I smoked the majority of my life. I quit about a year and a half ago. It has been hard but I have done this for my health, we all tend to ignore things for as long as possible but had a wake up call. It was time, I am proud I have done it but it is still a struggle at this point. Thank you for pointing out that it is hard for smokers to quit(for most people that are not addicts it is difficult to understand) but those who choose to do so will be better off in the long run.
 
I assume you mean the "Safe Park" is for homeless, living in their cars? I got to admit you seem to be handling your situation well in thinking of your buddy. Best of luck to you.

BTW, you did throw me off for a sec, when you said he was getting the "electric chair" :)
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I assume you mean the "Safe Park" is for homeless, living in their cars? I got to admit you seem to be handling your situation well in thinking of your buddy. Best of luck to you.

BTW, you did throw me off for a sec, when you said he was getting the "electric chair" :)
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Yes, this actually was started by the mall since it was during the pandemic. Now it's moved to an unused Transit place. It's easy for me as I've been doing such (with a few interruptions) since 2012.

Right now I'm well suited with propane heat and food. Thanks for your concern
 
Well, an update. Sadly the surgery reinfected. By the time they got it, he lost another 9" of leg. But he's about ready to move into his place, he's planning to sell the car, as driving it, he can't afford to tag it.
 
Disgustedman said:
Well, an update. Sadly the surgery reinfected. By the time they got it, he lost another 9" of leg. But he's about ready to move into his place, he's planning to sell the car, as driving it, he can't afford to tag it.
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Oh that's rough he lost more of his leg. It will be quite an adjustment for him. But he is blessed to have you as a friend! My departed husband had his leg amputated almost up to his knee when I met him. He had a prosthetic leg up to his knee. He did quite well getting around and driving. He had lost his leg from being in the Army.

Anyhow I wish your friend all the best in life. I think he will be okay and it's wonderful you are there for him. Bless you.
 

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