His leg just hung from his body, showing no signs of life, except a pulse. We visited a spinal specialist for an expert opinion. He performed a physical exam and a basic pinprick assessment which also indicated a problem. An orthotic insert was ordered that fit in Avner’s shoe to manage the drop foot. The doctor also ordered an MRI.
Rural Georgia is no place to have a medical emergency on a weekend. The only hospital is small. The emergency staff was sparse and equipment was minimal. The first task after providing insurance information and identification was getting someone to offload Avner from the bus onto a gurney.
It started when Dr. Derikson suggested that my original problem was likely caused, not by the bony growth in my toe, but a bone infection. I had to consider that I was possibly headed towards an amputation of the toe, but there were several things to try first, and so I gave myself over to treatment. In the intervening months, I became an expert in wound care. I learned how