Reporter's Notebook: One More Chance

Let me say something about the healthcare system: It works when you work with it. 

That has been my lesson these past 27 years. 

In 1998, I was received the diagnosis of my Type-Two Diabetes. It is something I didn’t want to deal with. I had my ups and downs with dealing with self-care, putting career and ambition above daily care. I’ve avoided insulin needles for years, relying on pills top manage it. 

When you do not care about yourself and put everything else ahead of your health, you have to face the consequences. 

Since 2021, my left foot was beginning to disintegrate. I was losing toes and eventually a metatarsal bone. I was able to recover from these procedures, rehabilitation stints, and simple care for one’s own safety with a smaller footprint than before. 

This past fall, this klutz knocked over of a glass jar led to a piece of glass entering into my left heel. A trip to an Urgent Care outside of my usual network only put a “band-aid” on it. My regular podiatrist was the one that discovered the piece of glass at a visit a week or so later. 

That led to a series of care on my left foot that has turned into a series of procedures and the installation of wound vac on it. It was not healing the way we wanted it, but something had to be done. 

For those of you who might not be familiar with one, a wound vac is placed as a receptacle at the injury site to work to rebuild the lost tissue. The site is connected through a tube running up my leg into an external pump that is portable. In order for this to work I must not bear any weight on the affected foot. My care team said this would take six-to-eight weeks. 

Keeping in mind that this is being installed during the wintertime, it is probably a smart thing to stay off my foot and not navigate Minnesota’s elements. It has already turned very cold with plenty of snow and ice on the ground. 

As for mobility, we discussed getting a set of stabilizing crutches and knee scooters aside from the walker and rollator that I currently use. Based on prior attempts, we determined that they would not help effectively for me. A wheelchair is practical, but I would require a scond person to handle its weight in loading and unloading a vehicle. The ones that are usually covered under health insurance are very heavy. Although a light-weight carbon fiber one without the arms would be rather cool – but even think of having any health insurance company to cover that. 

The wound vac is now considered my final shot to retaining my left foot. If all is lost…well, I’d rather go down that road. 

However, I am given this chance to save my left foot and continue to work fully in this chosen and rewarding field. In the meantime, I am bowing out of all invited holiday festivities. Since the timeframe incudes the Twin Cities Auto Show, I am also bowing out of that event, as well. I must adhere to my amended care routine in order to meet my goal of working at the Chicago Auto Show this coming February – and, hopefully, handing off #VOTY2025 to Volkswagen. 

As for Victory & Reseda, we have taken a pause in reviewing vehicles until I am cleared to use my left foot again. It was a difficult decision to make, but not to worry. We have plenty of video content to release during this time, along with the usual columns and perspectives that will be published on this website. 

Being honest, I am not one to ask for anything. That’s due to my inherent stubbornness and self-pride. If you do care, keep V&R in your thoughts. I will keep on going regardless, albeit in an amended fashion.