So Doc; is my Toe going to Fall Off?!?

So I have this issue with my toe. I had Becky take a picture and email our friend who is a podiatrist for advice. Below is his very helpful and hilarious response.

“John has a condition I have seen only once in my own practice of podiatric medicine. Its occurrence is more common in men than women at a ratio of 4 to 1. This serious, almost irreversible condition is termed toefalloffeitis. It is a horrible condition that begins with a simple break in the skin followed by purulent drainage from the wound. This then progresses rapidly, less than 48 hours, to the metatarsophalangeal joint and essentially disarticulates spontaneously and auto-amputates the toe.
About 10% of the cases of Toefalloffeitis will heal, leaving the patient with one less toe and the other 90% will progress to a condition called Footfalloffeitis. Footfalloffeitis is a more advanced and more rapid version of Toefalloffeitis. After auto-amputation of the toe, continual purulent drainage occurs following by excruciating pain, rapid edema, a foul odor and erythema of the foot and ankle. This progresses over a 5-7 hour period of time where hemarthrosis occurs at the level of the ankle joint. This is quickly followed by necrosis of the skin and subcutaneous tissue and inevitable auto-amputation of the foot occurs.
Again, 95% of the cases of Footfalloffeitis progress rapidly to a condition called Legfalloffeitis. Similar progression of this disease leads to disarticulation of the acetabulofemoral joint and the patient is literally only standing with one leg. Interestingly enough almost 100% of the cases of Legfalloffeitis progress within 1-2 hours to a bilateral condition resulting in auto-amputation of the contra lateral limb. Essentially the patient is left with no legs. In almost all cases of Legfalloffeitis healing occurs and there is a rapid resolution of symptoms. Rehabilitation, prosthetics and months of physical therapy are implemented and the patient eventually adjusts to a normal lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle as normal as can be with an individual without any legs.
What is further intriguing concerning this rapid progressing condition is a rare occurrence of Legfalloffeitis to a more serious condition or a more life threatening condition. There have been only two cases in the world that have ever been reported to date. This condition is simply called Headfalloffeitis. I don’t need to describe the brutality, horror and the further progression of this horrible condition of Headfalloffeitis. I believe this is the very disease where myths and legends arose concerning the headless horseman. There were only three commonalities that were observed between these two rare cases. They were both white males, over six feet tall and lived in southern California.
Becky if you think that John does, quite possibly, have Toefalloffeitis or if you feel a strong urge to pack your bags and move to anywhere other than Southern California, then well. . . there is nothing we can do. If you think John might possibly have some other condition, such as an abscess with an infection, than give me a call or jet me an e-mail. He probably needs to be on a course of antibiotics as well. Also I would suggest keeping the area clean and dry, application of a small amount of triple antibiotic ointment, covering the area with sterile gauze and securing it with paper tape. This should be changed once a day.”

Dr. XXXXXX

[Name not disclosed to protect the innocent]

Thanks Doc.