On my last visit, I told my doctor that I was experiencing numbness, cold and shooting pains in my feet. I'm the world's worst diabetic, so I thought I was looking at the onset of diabetic neuropathy. Not so, says Dr. G; my diabetes isn't bad enough and hasn't been around long enough for that to be the case. Instead, he says that this lovely new symptom is caused by scar tissue that continues to develop and cause all kinds of hell some four years after the trauma. Nerve damage is also responsible for the persistent burning sensation in my shins that's been around since I was in the hospital.
And here I thought that scar tissue stopped a few months after I got out of the hospital.
I can't stress the importance of knowing the full story of your condition(s). What your doctor tells you is only the beginning. Start by asking him or her questions, then take to the web or even the library to seek out the details. Search online forums and other resources for fellow sufferers. Ask every question you can think of and keep asking until you get the answers that satisfy you.
It's easy to take our health issues for granted, even when the news isn't good. But understanding what's going on in our bodies can be half the battle when it comes to getting well...or at least coping with what can't be fixed.
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