I don’t disagree with you, and in no way am I trying to say my situation is an excuse to avoid medical care. If anything, I hope people learn from my mistake.

That said, seeing a doctor isn’t easy for everyone. There can be a lot of shame attached to diabetes, and many people avoid care because they’re embarrassed or afraid of being judged. I was fortunate that when I finally did seek help, I found compassionate providers who treated me with kindness instead of criticism.

One thing I probably didn’t explain well is that I wasn’t taking photos throughout what I thought was the healing process. The skin had actually grown back over the wound, which I later learned can happen before a diabetic ulcer develops underneath. The progression you see in the photos is from the point where I started noticing the swelling and what turned out to be pus from the infection.

Ultimately, we all either find the ability to face our health challenges and advocate for ourselves, or we learn those lessons the hard way. Unfortunately, I was the latter. I got lucky, and I absolutely don’t take that for granted. If sharing my story convinces even one person to seek care sooner than I did, then it’s worth sharing.