So after a month of being in a total contact cast i saw the ortho surgeon who said i'm NOT a candidate for surgery, which is a big relief. i do however have to wear this cast for another month, at least, to see where the bones go from here. the swelling has gone down,, which is good, and it's not particularly painful, but to see the deformity of the bones now that it's not football sized is, i'll be honest, kind of gross. i'm still looking for a job that requires office skills and no standing, so if anyone knows of anything, please let me send you my resume :) otherwise, i hope anyone reading this is doing well and if you also have diabetes, take care of yourself, check your feet, use a mirror, get a podiatrist to keep track of things and keep your nails trimmed and filed, and keep your chin up, it's not as bad as it seems.