The Amputation Journey
This all started in 2000 - when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto Syndrome.  6 months later I had my first surgery that would turn out to be related to DISH (diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis).  A nasty bugger that has proven to be hyper aggressive in my system and led to 43 procedures and over 36 surgeries in 22 years. 
In 2019 started the hyper cascade as I call it - 3 abdominal surgeries, 2 knee surgeries and 4 additional surgeries to the left ankle.
This is is the one that "blew it all up".
No one can say - which of the total of 12 surgeries to that poor foot and ankle allowed the spores of the osteomyelitis to setup shop - (yeah there were 8 before the 12 in 2020) , but leave it to say - that the DISH presented the perfect storm .  
Some of those surgeries were lumbar spinal surgeries. 
One that went horribly sideways - where I was bleeding from the bones - profusely - to where they stopped the surgery without finishing - fusing only 2 level - setting up a scoliosis caused by nerve impingement that not only deformed the lumbar spine, but caused muscle contractions and excruciating pain and spasms down the entire leg into the foot.    This is where the overlaid problems started. 
THIS   is where the overlapping of symptoms started and why the infection went unseen for so long I believe.
I'll add the images of the "Chinese foot binding" that the contractions caused - the CT scans of the bone spurring - the unexplained "eating away" of the bones in the foot and ankle. 
3 Spinal surgeries later - the spine was finally free - the EMG showed that what was happening in the lower leg and foot, was no longer being caused by the the nerves in the spine.
Holy moldy hell, what?!
Those 4 ankle surgeries in 2020 - followed by 4 months of IV antibiotics, the follow on tests - showed we had beaten the osteomyelitis .   The blood cultures had come back clean.   Well yes - and NO.  It was no longer in my blood - true.
It had taken up residence in the one location that we could not reach.  The bones of the foot and ankle - and it was devouring them at a very rapid pace.   MRI and CT images of the Foot in May of 2022 did not show the deep infiltration of level of degradation that showed up in August of 2022 just 4 months later.
In June I consulted with one of the leading surgeons in wsteomyelitis in Mexico/USA , Dr Jose Delgado, partnered with Dr. Edjuardo Rodriguez of the www.CFAAS.com Chicago Foot and Ankle Deformity Corrective Center.  OMG I know if I'd not been guided back (back) to these healers, my story would have a very different ending.  They are my DREAM TEAM and I am so honored to be part of their family now.
Now, back to it.  I saw Dr. Delgado in June.  Based on the May studies, the plan was to go in and clean the spurs and other calcification, have a new talus created (3D printing - magic), and reconstruct the foot.   Okay.  Plan 1.  Great.
In August 2022, we did a quick trip to the USA - I did an update of the MRI and CT before we left.
Not long after we left, I get a whatsapp message from Dr Delgado - along the lines of "hey hows the trip.  I reviewed the studies. 
Dr: Um, the infection. it's really bad.  we need to talk when you get home.".
Me: OKay - will do . 
Being who I am, I read this to my husband.  I then said "if I take this to the ultimate possibility that I need to prepare for, then I need to be ready for the potential of an amputation". 
And set my mind to the task of being prepared for the "what if".