Heart of the Valley: Brownsville man loses his toes to diabetes
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Diabetes affects several people, and those who don't properly manage their sugar levels could suffer severe complications — such as losing toes or limbs.
Daniel Treviño, 63, was diagnosed with diabetes more than 20 years ago.
All of his toes were amputated within the las three years as a result.
“I was getting frustrated just sitting,” Treviño said. “I'm doing much better, I got off the wheelchair and started [using] my walker.”
McAllen Medical Center trauma surgeon Carlos H. Palacio said diabetes can lead to amputations because blood is not reaching limbs, and not giving them the oxygen needed for the tissue to live.
For a look at free glucose screenings throughout the Valley during the month of April, visit our Heart of the Valley page.
“Then you're going to start receiving some discoloration on your skin, that's how everything starts,” Palacios said. “You're going to start having numbness because the nerves are not receiving great blood flow so they start dying."
Poor circulation to limbs also makes it harder for cuts, sores and ulcers to heal.
“That's when everything starts going downhill, because they will get infected,” Palacios said. “You won't be able to provide healing, then we'll have to start amputating."
Treviño said he can mostly take care of himself, but he still gets help from his daughter in law and son.
“It was tough, every day I would get tired,” Treviño recalled. “I would get anxious and my blood pressure would go up.”
Treviño added he could have taken better care of himself in the past so that he wouldn't have to get to this point.
“As a person who has diabetes, you have to control your symptoms because unfortunately, eventually you're going to develop the complications and you're just going to go downhill,” Treviño said. “And it's not fair to you and to you family."
Amputations are costly, Palacios added.
“You have to start thinking about the medical equipment that you have to buy, “Palacios said. “You have to get a wheelchair, you have to get crutches, “Palacios said. “Sometimes you have to get special ramps that you have to put around your home."
Treviño does have health insurance to help pay for some equipment, but he pays around $400 for medication. He added he's taking better care of his health now
“You can live like that, but if you don't start to take care of yourself, you’re gonna start all over again,” Treviño said.
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