(Editor’s Note: Tri-Lakes Medical Center Emergency Room physician David Berry answers your questions.)

What is the strangest thing you have seen in the ER?

Wow! This is a broad and wide question that can be broken into several categories. 

One case that comes to mind graphically underscores the damage to nerves wrought by high blood pressure and diabetes. It involved a pleasant lady who came to the ER late one night complaining she was sleeping in her recliner and when she woke up, her foot was missing.

Sure enough, her foot was gone! Completely. Not a few toes but the entire foot was missing from the ankle down. It had been cleanly cut off as if someone with a sharp knife had cleanly severed it. The odd thing was she wasn’t hurting as much as one might think.

Upon further questioning it turned out the lady was a severe diabetic that was unable to keep her blood sugar well-controlled.Apparently while she slumbered her dog wanted a mid night snack and began eating her foot. The lady woke up to see the dog devouring the last of the foot. She was kind enough to let me take a picture as I was sure no one would believe me. 

This is a good example of why we need to take diabetes seriously and keep that blood sugar in the normal range. Over years of having high blood sugar our nerves become damaged or, in this case, die. Diabetics, see your doctor regularly!

Ask Dr. Berry a question about the ER. 

If you have any questions about the ER that you wish Dr. Berry to answer please send them to The Panolian, P. O. Box 1616, Batesville, MS 38606 or p