A Toe, a Foot, a Leg, a Life. Limb Preservation Program Saves Them

Iris Mullaly thought her varicose veins were killing her.

Back in 2019, the now 72-year-old made an appointment to see Edward Gifford, MD, a vascular surgeon with Hartford HealthCare’s Heart and Vascular Institute, because she thought her varicose veins were causing her extreme pain in her ankles and feet. It had gotten so bad that Iris had difficulty walking, and couldn’t spend time gardening. She had trouble sleeping because of constant charley horses throughout the night.

At their first appointment, Gifford knew the varicose veins were not the culprit. He couldn’t feel a pulse in her foot, and had to use a special machine known as a Doppler to listen for her blood flow.

He suspected her symptoms were instead the result of Peripheral Arterial Disease, in which plaque builds up in the legs’ arteries, restricting blood flow. It is primarily caused by the buildup of cholesterol plaque in the arteries, which is called atherosclerosis. An ultrasound performed during her visit confirmed the diagnosis.

Iris journey was a long and complicated one. Read the rest of her story here, and yes, there's a happy ending.