Couple faces hardship with diabetes

Bill Brandon, 60, was a robust diesel mechanic until he was diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago.

Now he’s living on borrowed time, prayers and the calmness that enveloped him when he said, “Lord forgive me of my sins.”

Bill’s left leg was amputated below the knee in April because of the diabetes. A host of complications followed and he might have to have his other leg amputated.

“Not many weeks had passed when we realized that the amputation wasn’t healing as it should,” said his wife, Linda. “We spent the majority of the next several months in and out of doctors’ offices and hospitals trying to get his leg healed.”

But Oct. 2, doctors had to operate again and remove a little more bone to allow the tissue to close properly around the amputation.

The healing process is continuing as other problems have cropped up.

“Bill began to have problems with his teeth,” Linda said. “Due to the diabetes, his teeth began to break off at the gum line. He has had to deal with the pain and discomfort of this for many months now because Medicare doesn’t pay for any oral surgery dental work.”

There are just certain foods that Bill can eat because he only has four good teeth. The “food” for the most part is Carnation Instant Breakfast.

“This is causing his blood sugar to skyrocket and stay out of control,” Linda said. “This is not a cosmetic problem, it is a health problem. We can’t seem to get anywhere with Medicare, and we just don’t have the funds to do anything ourselves.”

Linda said their medical bills, hospital bills and prescription drug costs are astronomical.

“They have drained every ounce of our savings,” she said. “We live on a day-to-day basis. We don’t know what’s around the next bend.”

And the expenses aside, it’s been rough on Linda.

“I have to do everything for him,” she said. “If he gets up at 4 a.m., I have to get up at 4 a.m. because I have to stay a step ahead of him.”

The ordeal has changed their lives drastically.

“Bill’s been through so much, but he’s keeping his spirit about him,” Linda said. “His family built a wheelchair ramp out back for him. I’m trying to get it covered because cold weather is coming.”

Linda said people don’t know what it’s like to be a caregiver until one is thrown into that role.

“You know what my dream is?” she said. “It is to go to Books-A-Million, have a big cup of coffee, sit down in one of those comfortable chairs and read a book for about two hours. I just don’t have anybody to stay with him.”

Both Bill and Linda have had triple bypass surgery. This makes it dangerous when Bill falls, which he does occasionally when trying to slide from his easy chair to his wheelchair. Linda has to call a neighbor to help her pick Bill up.

Bill takes about 25 medicines a day. His mouth is sore and infected.

“We’ve got to work on trying to get those teeth out,” Linda said. “But we just don’t have the money.”

And Linda said the $4,000 oral surgery bill is $4,000 less than the cheapest prosthesis, which costs around $8,000.

“I don’t look at life as the things I’ve been through,” Bill said. “I’ve always looked at life on the positive side. I put all my faith in the Lord because he’s the one that answers our prayers.

“All I ask him to do is to do things his way. If it’s meant for me to go, then that’s what will happen. I’m going to always try to keep a smile on my face as long as I can. I’ve worked hard all my life. I’ve done a little bit of everything.”

“We have received help from family, friends and our local church, but the bills just keep piling up,” Linda said. “We don’t know what else to do, so we are turning to you, our community.

“Bill needs to have something done with his teeth because it has now poisoned his mouth and entire body with infection from the abscesses along the gum line. And there’s no telling what may happen if his blood sugar continues to fluctuate like it’s doing. We thank you for your prayers and any help you may be able to provide.”

The Brandons can be reached at (843) 393-7950.

— Staff writer Dwight Dana can be reached at (843) 317-7259. Comment on this story at www.scnow.com.