Tragic Home Pedicure Ends in Amputation for Nigerian Man Unaware of His Diabetes Condition

 

A relaxing evening routine turned into a life-altering medical emergency for Olubiyi Jibowu, a 57-year-old Nigerian man living in London. What began as a harmless home pedicure quickly spiraled into a devastating ordeal that cost him his left leg.

Olubiyi, a support worker and father-of-one, had prepared a warm foot bath to soothe his feet after a long day. He added Himalayan salt and settled in, unaware that the water temperature was dangerously high. By the time he pulled his feet out, he was horrified to see large blisters forming across his soles.

Despite the clear signs of a serious burn, Olubiyi didn’t seek medical attention. Relying on traditional remedies passed down from his mother, he turned to Dettol, hoping the antiseptic would accelerate the healing. Instead of applying it sparingly, he poured it directly onto the burns, day after day. The damage only worsened.

He explained, “I thought they were just blisters and that they would heal if I kept them clean. I didn’t want an infection, so I kept pouring Dettol on the wounds. My mum always said a few drops could fix anything.”

His condition quickly deteriorated. The skin peeled away in sheets, exposing raw flesh. Over time, the wound began to turn black. The pain was excruciating, but Olubiyi continued to downplay the severity of his injury, not knowing he was living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. The illness had already dulled the nerves in his feet, masking the true extent of the burns.

Each day, he walked three miles to work, unaware that infection had set in and was spreading rapidly. The untreated wound had developed into sepsis, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when the body’s response to infection starts to damage its own tissues and organs.

It wasn’t until he showed his boss the state of his foot that anyone realized how dire the situation had become. Alarmed by what she saw, his manager insisted he go home immediately and seek urgent medical attention. When he finally contacted his sister, the desperation in his voice told her all she needed to know. She rushed to his aid.

At King’s College Hospital in London, doctors wasted no time. They were shocked by the progression of the infection and moved quickly to start intravenous antibiotics. Despite their efforts, the damage was beyond repair. The tissue had necrotized, and the infection showed no signs of subsiding.

Olubiyi said, “The moment I arrived, I could tell this was serious. They wrapped the foot, pumped me full of antibiotics, but it just wasn’t healing. They wheeled me from one department to another. It was clear I wasn’t going home any time soon.”

Eventually, doctors gave him an ultimatum. The infection was spreading fast, and if they didn’t amputate, it could reach his organs and kill him. The news came as a crushing blow.

“I was shocked. I didn’t want to hear the word ‘amputation’,” Olubiyi recalled. “I thought, surely there’s something else they can try. I kept asking, ‘Isn’t there a plan B?’ But they said there wasn’t.”

On August 8, 2023, just a month after his initial burn injury, surgeons amputated Olubiyi’s left leg below the knee. While the operation successfully halted the spread of sepsis and ended his constant pain, it ushered in a new chapter filled with physical and emotional challenges.

Adjusting to life with a prosthetic limb has not been easy. He now faces the daunting task of learning to walk again and reclaiming his independence. But despite everything, Olubiyi is choosing to remain optimistic.

“The amputation ended the pain, but I’m still coming to terms with the change. Acceptance is hard,” he admitted. “But I want to be rational and positive. It’s not the end of life; it’s just different now.”

He has since started raising funds to purchase a lightweight titanium prosthetic that will allow him to move more freely and comfortably. The standard NHS prosthetic, while functional, limits his mobility and adds unnecessary strain.

Reflecting on his journey, Olubiyi hopes his experience serves as a wake-up call for others. He stresses the importance of early diagnosis, especially for conditions like diabetes, and urges people not to ignore open wounds or assume traditional remedies are always enough.

“If I had known I was diabetic, I would’ve taken better precautions. If I had just gone to the hospital sooner, this might have been avoided.”

Now focused on recovery, Olubiyi is determined to rebuild his life, step by step, and raise awareness so others don’t suffer the same fate.