Peripheral Artery Disease Almost Made Hilda Broussard Give Up on Life 

Pain inflicted by Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is often both physical and emotional. 83-year-old Hilda Broussard from Ragley, Louisiana, explains, “My leg would swell so bad, my skin would burst. The sores on my leg and foot ulcers were unbearable and getting worse. When I tried to walk, I fell. I felt worthless.”

The thought of losing her leg to amputation, which doctors told her would be inevitable, led her into a year-long funk from which she thought she might not ever escape.

PAD is a common circulatory problem in which plaque builds up inside the arteries and obstructs blood flow to the lower limbs and feet.

PAD: No Reason to Smile

Like many PAD sufferers, Hilda experienced escalating leg pain that made it harder and harder for her to walk. The pain occurs and ulcers form because the peripheral arteries are not able to deliver enough blood flow to the surrounding muscles.

Hilda’s daughter and caretaker Cheryl became gravely concerned when she noticed her mom, typically effervescent, had stopped smiling as she drifted into a deep depression for more than a year. “I knew if my mom lost her leg that she would give up on life, and I didn’t want that to happen. She might be 83, but she is my world.”

Hilda visited doctors three times a week for excruciating wound-scrubbing care and ultrasounds that determined she had hardly any blood flow below the knee. She lost feeling below the knee. Even her toe nails stopped growing.

Losing a Leg Means Losing Freedom

Not being able to walk meant she couldn’t do some of her favorite activities like shopping for groceries and clothes with her daughter Cheryl, something she truly looked forward to and enjoyed. When she couldn’t do that anymore, Hilda became distraught. 

She tried using a motorized chair but found it too cumbersome and frustrating. “You can’t go everywhere you want, and you can’t see everything you want to see.”

Cheryl felt helpless. “Mom was understandably grouchy and sad all the time. It hurt to see her like that.”

Hilda’s doctors explained that when she could no longer tolerate the pain, Hilda should schedule an amputation.

A News Story That Saved the Day

Luckily, before that happened, Hilda’s son saw a news clip on TV that changed everything.

Vascular surgeon Dr. Glen Schwartzenberg in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was featured in a segment discussing a new, less invasive technology called Pantheris Lumivascular atherectomy system.

In the news show, Dr. Schwartzenberg explained that the Pantheris tool removes plaque from the artery, and the lumivascular procedure allows the doctor to see a three-dimensional view inside the artery, a breakthrough technology that greatly reduces the risk of injuring the vessel wall.

During her initial consult with Dr. Schwartzenberg, Cheryl said the doctor explained the process thoroughly and addressed their concerns, which gave them hope.

“He told us how he would have a camera that would help him see his way in. This tool would allow him to stay in the center of the artery and just drill through all of that without touching the outer walls,” Cheryl said.

When they walked out of his office, Hilda looked at Cheryl and said, “Oh, I love him. He is gonna save my leg, I can feel it. I know it.”

The Thrill of Walking Again…Pain Free

Hilda had the Lumivascular procedure the next day. Immediately following surgery, Hilda was able to walk a short distance with a walker. After a short while, she started walking independently and hasn’t used a walker ever since.

“This was the most wonderful gift God ever gave,” Cheryl said. “She smiled as soon as she woke up after the procedure, the biggest smile, which I hadn’t seen on her face in more than a year. Her face was glowing when she told me, ‘I can feel my legs, Cheryl! I can feel my toes.’”

I can feel my legs! I can feel my toes!” 

Now, that she’s walking again, she’s shopping again, too, and enjoys eating out with her daughter.

Cheryl encourages anyone suffering from PAD to seek out a specialist to see if the Lumivacular procedure is an option for you. “There is help out there. Don’t give up.”

Hilda couldn’t agree more. “I’m so grateful we found someone who can do this procedure. When you save a person’s leg, you save a life.”

If you are suffering from symptoms of peripheral artery disease, or if you have been told you need an amputation, a minimally invasive Lumivascular procedure can help establish blood flow to your legs and feet. To find a Lumivascular doctor near you, click here to find a doctor.

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