Well, for the past thirty-one days, I’ve been struggling with a new foot ulcer. This one has been very strange. For the past several months I’ve had what I can only describe as minor cracks on the top of my left foot. They have been located on my left foot in between my big toe and index toe, and below the knuckle of my index toe. For the past several months I’ve used my red-light daily on it along with Viniferamine Skin Renewal Cream.
The cracks were small scabs that looked like tiny black threads in my skin. They didn’t grow, deepen, or cause any pain. They were just there. My wound doctor suggested the above-mentioned cream to help keep my skin healthy. When I began using the cream and the red light on them, they appeared to start healing. Some of the scabs even began to fall off at the end of April and I was no longer concerned about them breaking open into wounds.
Then, about a week after my hospitalization, and for no apparent reason, the following happened. I woke up one day, May 1st I think, with my left foot in HORRIFIC pain and minor swelling. The pain was so intense that, when I needed to stand, I could only put weight on the heel of my foot. For two days I was in terrible pain.
On day three, the spot where the cracks were in between my toes, they broke open into a foot ulcer. At first it was the size of the head of a Q-tip. However, like most foot ulcers have done in the past, it continued to expand. It seems like, if there is any damaged or weakened skin near a new break out, the wound will engulf that area and beyond. In a week’s time I went from having no wound, to one that was about three inches long and two inches wide. It’s across the top of my foot and up long the inside of my big toe.
In the event of wound outbreaks like this, my wound doctor has been kind enough to leave me with refills of the antibiotic he prescribes. When the wound broke open on day three, I began taking the antibiotic and made an appointment to see my doctor. Thankfully, after the third day, the horrendous pain I first experienced began to diminish.
Due to the wound’s location, I’ve not been able to use Manuka Honey, which is what I prefer using; my wounds appear to heal much faster when I use Manuka Honey. So instead, I began using Silversulfadizine Cream for the first two weeks of my wound care. I also have been using my red light on and around the wounds; I use the red light about five times a day. It really helps with the pain.
After about a week, the wound stopped growing. Around week two, I stopped taking my antibiotic and saw my doctor. He advised me to start using Santyl on the wound to help remove the slough and promote healing. He also said I was right to take the antibotic when I did.
I followed my doctor’s advice and used Santyl. After about a week and a half, I could tell I needed to go back to using the Silversulfadizine Cream. Four years of daily cleaning and managing these horrid wounds, I have developed the ability to know what to use on my wounds and when. This wound is the eighteenth wound I’ve had in five years. Before that, I never had a single one.
Today is a month since this new wound began giving me problems. I feel like the foot ulcer is looking good and already showing signs of improving. Some areas have healed. As for the bulk of the wound, the build up of slough is thinning more and more with each passing day. I’m beginning to see spots of red-flesh through much of the slough; which is of course good progress.
I feel my red light is helping reduce the pain and improve healing time. In the past, my foot ulcer would grow, expand, and remain the same for two months before I saw any healing. Here I am at a month and I’m already seeing signs of healing. That is remarkable. Also, the pain involved in cleaning the wound is not as high as in the past. I also attribute this to the red light.
This new wound has left me a bit discouraged. I had hoped the red light would totally prevent new wounds from forming on my feet. Sadly, this has not been the case. However, it has helped prevent some wounds from forming; it has/does help with the pain; and improve healing time and have other benefits. So that’s something.
The battle wages on.
