Footing the Bill

As I drove into work today, I listened to a discussion on NPR about the economy. Understanding the economy is not one of my strong suits, but I did understand that some economists think that it is imperative to act quickly in the current financial situation.

           Part of me balks at the idea of rushing to make a decision that involves so many complex ramifications and so much money. But part of me understands the need for haste when there truly is a quickly-shrinking window of opportunity.

          Let me give you an example. I’ll paraphrase a letter I read in Diabetes Forecast, a publication of the American Diabetes Association.

          “I have diabetes and check my feet carefully and regularly.  One day I noticed a torn toenail and trimmed it very carefully. The tear went into the quick a bit, so I applied an antibiotic-containing bandage.

          The next time I checked, I was surprised to see a “small purple sausage” attached to my foot where the toe used to be. After months of working with my doctor and taking both oral and IV antibiotics, I had to have the toe removed.  Fortunately, we did save my foot. I think many readers may not realize, as I didn’t, how fast an infection can take hold.”

          I still don’t know what to do about the economy, but I absolutely know for sure that if you have diabetes and you see any kind of problem with your feet, the window of opportunity closes quickly.  Don’t wait.  Contact your doctor right away.