Patti has worked and volunteered with the local special needs community for several years. She helps run various athletic events throughout the year. She has worked very hard in her rehabilitation, and with the help of a computerized prosthetic knee, she is able to remain independent in her daily routines.
Chad’s journey began in May 2017 when they discovered blood clots in his legs. Through a long and arduous battle with infections, multiple surgeries and revisions, he was still able to work from home and in October 2017 was able to return working at his office part-time with the help of adaptive Hand Controls in his vehicle. He had his final revision surgery on his right below-knee amputation that December, and when he finally healed up, he was fitted and walked for the first time using his prosthesis in January 2018. He was able to complete a rigorous outpatient rehabilitation program, and he’s back to work full-time. Chad is an outstanding example of success and what can happen through daily efforts of working hard and never giving up.
Through his personal experiences, Chad quickly recognized the need of having a person, an example, who has “been through it” who could be made available to help answer questions and guide others through this difficult process. He believed in it so much that in June 2018 he joined the VSA Prosthetics team as a Peer Advisor / Advocate, assists with the fabrication of prosthetic limbs, and participates in the Amputee Care Group meetings throughout the year.
Chad has worked in the sheet metal industry for over 35 years. He’s married with two children and two grandchildren. He remains very active in his grandkids’ lives, enjoys swimming in his pool, playing golf, going to the beach, and going on cruises.
Some years ago I had an accident that damaged my right leg severely. After a 4-year circulation battle, at the age of 70, I lost it above the knee. In my working life, I had been a tool and die maker for 25+ years and had pretty much given up being able to stand in front of my machines again and work as I had.
Through the help and patience of Eric Chen, along with his staff, I am able to do practically all of the operations I did before and my “standing time” at the machines and projects increases all the time. Beyond just trials and fittings with the leg, Eric helped me in many practical ways with using my new leg and inspired me not to give up and helped me set the goals to “get back.”
For all of this, I am truly thankful.
After 3 years of not walking and dealing with pain from a diabetic foot wound, VSA gave me hope through my surgery and got me back on my feet faster than expected. Now I am doing everything I once did, mowing my lawn, working out, jogging – things I once thought impossible.
I became a below-the-knee amputee in July of 2017, and I honestly thought I was going to be condemned to a wheelchair for ever. Eric visited me in the hospital and explained thoroughly the process of the prosthetic process and began to give me faith that I’d be walking again. I received my new leg shortly thereafter. Eric, Kara, and his incredible staff worked diligently with insurance, making it stress-free for me and easier for me to focus on healing. I spent Halloween that year using a cane, but by Christmas I walked virtually unassisted. There were many obstacles but Eric kept reassuring me and made sure my prosthesis was above-par. I celebrated my 1 year anniversary walking several miles through Manhattan and the 9/11 Memorial thanks to these awesome people.
Endovenous thermal ablation, known also as endovenous ablation, is a fancy, multiple-word term for a specific type of varicose vein treatment which, in laymen’s terms, is laser therapy.
Patients who suffer from varicose veins have a plethora of options available to treat each case. Endovenous thermal ablation is one of the more modern techniques that employs a laser (or high-frequency radio waves) to create concentrated local heat in the varicose vein. Which helps to “fix” the vein.
The use of these radio waves from lasers helps to cauterize and close the varicose veins in the legs. It’s not limited to legs, though, and can work in other extremities.
Some reasons patients prefer endovenous thermal ablation over other kinds of treatments are listed below. The procedure offers a variety of benefits rendering it the most convenient choice available.
Endovenous thermal ablation is less invasive than other kinds of treatments used to deal with varicose veins. Unlike other treatments, laser therapy leaves little evidence of scarring.
Patients who have pain stemming from varicose veins will find that endovenous thermal ablation can relieve the discomfort of disease-ridden veins.
Endovenous thermal ablation will also dramatically reduce aesthetic blemishes and leave patients with virtually no scarring.
Laser therapy is an incredibly quick treatment that can be performed in an outpatient setting solely with a local anesthetic. It treats varicose veins by destroying the walls of the bad veins, shrinking them, and sealing them off so that blood won’t flow through the faulty vein.
An ultrasound is used to map the veins. A local anesthetic is given afterward and a skinny fiber is inserted through a microscopic entry point. The laser is then delivered to treat the diseased vein.
It’s recommended to have a relative or friend drive the patient home after the treatment, though the recovery time is brief. It’s best for patients to walk directly after the procedure to assist in resuming daily activities.
Some patients may experience temporary soreness and slight bruising, but those can be treated with over-the-counter, NSAIDs.
A staggering number of men will experience some form of vein issues at some point. Studies have shown around 45% of men will be diagnosed with varicose veins, and that number is on the rise. It should be noted that the main cause of varicose veins in both genders is heredity. If your mom and/or grandmother has varicose veins, chances are you will have them. Outside factors also play a role in varicose and spider veins.
Jobs that require standing for long periods are almost a surefire source. This includes people in medical professions, factory work, bartending, and waiting tables. Also more likely to get varicose veins are frequent travelers who spend long hours flying or driving, or if you sitting for long periods of time. Varicose veins can also be the side effect of previous leg injuries. Varicose veins can affect men of all ages. However, the risk increases as we get older because of muscle and tissue loss. This can also contribute to collapsing venous walls in the veins.
One tell-tale symptom of varicose veins is restless legs. Just because you have restless legs doesn’t mean you have varicose veins, though. If taking a walk with your significant other or playing with your kids or grandkids seems more like a chore, you might be suffering from varicose veins. Typically, men experience similar symptoms to women: achiness, heaviness, soreness, tiredness, swelling, and leg cramps. But overall, men are less likely to seek medical treatment, usually until it’s too late. It’s important that you schedule a consultation if any of these symptoms are part of your day-to-day.
Just like cavities, high cholesterol, and other medical conditions, varicose veins will worsen if treatment isn’t sought. Varicose veins tend to be quite painful, so it’s important to get treatment so that you can keep an active lifestyle. Severe varicose veins can lead to complications that include skin issues and sometimes even blood clots.
Treatments that are available for men are exactly the same as for females and are equally as effective. Options for treatment are Closurefast, VenaSeal, VenaCure EVLT, and ambulatory phlebectomy. After some of these treatments, some men may still require sclerotherapy.
The good news is that most patients are able to return to work almost immediately following treatment and eventually can resume those activities they have been avoiding for so long.
Whether you’re hanging out at the neighborhood pool or booking a beach trip to the Bahamas, summer isn’t the time of the year that you want to start dealing with unsightly varicose veins.
So now, while you’re still wearing long pants and skirts, is the best time of the year to get started reducing the damage varicose veins have done to your legs.
By scheduling a screening now, we can determine the extent to which you have vascular issues. We can also begin to create a customized treatment plan to deal with those issues.
Each patient’s needs are unique, and their individual situation is different. Spider veins vary slightly from varicose veins. The extent of the damage differs from one patient to another, and not all treatments are guaranteed to work in exactly the same way on each treatment.
Depending on the severity of varicose or spider veins, some treatment strategies may take multiple visits to the specialist before the patient begins to see visible signs of relief.
But generally speaking, depending on the severity of the patient’s individual case and the treatment necessary, patients may need several weeks before they begin to see the cosmetic benefits of varicose and spider veins fading.
Whether you are experiencing pain or just want to make sure that your legs are rocking when you’re hanging out by the pool, you would be well advised to make an appointment now for an initial screening.
Once the screening is complete, a doctor can work with you to find the treatment that will have the greatest impact on your specific condition and give you a better idea of how many treatments will be necessary for you to be able to begin to see improvement in both the way your legs look and in the way your legs feel.
