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Thursdays are usually days for procedures in Urology Division.
Procedures like catheterization, biopsies and cystoscopies are done on this day.
So Thursdays are usually very busy for me and when I wake up on a Thursday, I need extra motivation to be functional.
I am usually in the catheterization section. This section has to deal with changing catheters for people who use catheters.
The majority of the people who require a change of catheter are aged above 50.
The most common use of catheters is to help people who have difficulty in urinating pass urine.
Difficulty in urinating is mainly due to either prostate problems or urethral strictures.
I had seen different old men and I had changed all their catheters.
Then I called a name... And I saw a mother and I saw a mother walk in with her boy.
I asked him my usual jovial question
"What brings you to the hospital?"
And he said" I am here to remove my catheter"
I had not looked into his case note yet because the record officers had not retrieved it.
I was kind of confused because
- He was not in the age group of the usual population
- Catheters are not just changed like that. You have to go through the process of bladder training before eventually removing it finally.
I then called on the records officer that I needed his case not before I attend to him.
When I saw his case note, I saw the most disheartening thing in 7 months of practice.
He was a 23-year-old boy who had a small wound about 3weeks ago on his fourth left toe. He looked at it as a minor thing and left it.
The wound grew in size and affected his third toe.
He then started vomiting after committing for so long, he developed an inability to pass urine.
He had diabetes. This was not the regular type 2 Diabetes that was associated with obesity and the likes.
He had type 1 diabetes.
The vomiting titled him to acute kidney injury.
The wound eventually led to the death of the 3rd and 4th toes.
The toes were later amputated.
Coupled with all these problems, he had peripheral artery disease, neurogenic bladder and worst of all erectile dysfunction.
Erectile dysfunction was the main reason why he was brought to the urology clinic.
This was a sad moment for me.
Moral of the story.
Our health should never be ignored in any way.
A little latitude could cause previous changes in our lives.
If he took his wound seriously, he would have been able to salvage his toe.
It is only wise that if you experience symptoms that are persisting longer than usual, you should seek a professional's opinion.
I am also guilty of not going to the hospital but we all have to improve our health-seeking behaviour to have a better quality of life.
Diabetes is a terrible disease and the best way to live with diabetes is to make sure that your glucose control game is on point.
Many people with diabetes suffer serious complications because they are not able to stick to the plan of having their blood glucose controlled.
A diabetic foot ulcer is one of the serious complications of diabetes that can lead to amputation of a full limb.
In as much as it is difficult to stick to the plan, the best thing to do as a person living with diabetes is to make sure you check your blood glucose regularly and visit an endocrinologist at least once in 3 months.
I will end by saying that,
Spending money or enjoying wealth is for healthy people. Pursuing money and disregarding your health will only endanger you the more.
Thank you for reading.