Micheall was always on her feet. She had worked in a drugstore for decades – a job that required her to stand most of the day. When she eventually retired, Micheall continued to stay active. Whether it be cooking, shopping, or spending time with her niece, Micheall was always in motion.
Unfortunately, this active lifestyle began to change when Micheall experienced a slight pain in her left foot. As the pain continued to worsen, it was accompanied by feelings of drowsiness and fatigue that left her tired and listless throughout the day.
After describing her symptoms to a primary care physician, Micheall was told she had lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) in her left leg. She stayed in the hospital for a week to receive a bypass surgery, which, though successful, also involved a slow and painful recovery period and many appointments with a physical therapist.
Unfortunately, all of this progress was undone in an instant. While Micheall was collecting firewood in her backyard, she accidentally dropped a 15 pound log on her foot. The point of impact was the exact spot that had been causing her pain, leaving a nasty wound that would not heal.
Micheall quickly went to the emergency room, where doctors soon referred her to a wound care physician. The doctor could clean the wound and reduce the risk of infection, but without adequate blood supply to her foot the wound would never fully heal.
So, to better get at the root of her problem, Micheall went to see a veteran cardiovascular surgeon in Charlotte, NC, who had years of experience treating patients suffering from PAD. After running some additional diagnostics, the doctor determined that Michaell could be treated with an advanced atherectomy treatment tool which would clean away the arterial plaque that was blocking circulation in her leg. Micheall quickly agreed to this treatment path and an appointment was scheduled shortly thereafter.
Fortunately, the eventual treatment went smoothly, and Micheall was discharged the very same day. With circulation restored to her leg, Micheall is back to her active lifestyle. Whether it be spending time with her friends, taking shorts walks around her neighborhood, or cooking with her niece, Micheall is back to normal.
Click here to learn more about Micheall’s story from Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.