As a longtime mechanic, Dan Holdren knows when things aren’t working. So when the topical ointment he was using to treat a cut on his toe wasn’t healing it, he went to Mount Carmel. Good thing he did. It turned out the toe was infected – badly enough that a portion of it needed to be removed.
That was the bad news. The good news was he met Dr. Richard Schilling of the Mount Carmel Limb Preservation Team – a group of physician specialists who work together to save patient limbs so they can live long, full lives. And when the team can intervene early enough, that’s just what they do. Dr. Schilling did that for Holdren and became a pivotal person in his life as a result.
“They say God puts people in your life for a reason,” Holdren said. “Dr. Schilling is one of those people for me. I was pretty down about the whole thing, but he was so positive, personable, and reassuring. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”
Thankfully, he wouldn’t have to find out. When the pinky toe on the same foot became infected a few years later, Holdren knew right where to go.
“It was a busy time with my kids in a lot of activities,” he recalled. "Dr. Schilling stayed with me until I felt comfortable so my wife could be with the kids. He got to know my whole family by name. After the procedure, he called over to the hospital to make sure I was doing all right. He even gave me his home phone number in case I had any questions or concerns. You couldn’t ask for a better doctor or a better person.”
Having a lasting and personal relationship with Dr. Schilling has been incredibly important for Holdren, who continues to struggle with foot issues, including a diabetic ulcer he’s having treated right now. After a procedure in August to eliminate the infection, he recently had a bone removed and skin graft applied to cover the wound and complete the treatment. That treatment has included advanced techniques like hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO), which delivers pure oxygen to the tissue to promote healing and reduce the risk of infection.
At some point soon he’ll have a (hopefully) final surgery to “flatten” his foot again, but for now he’s taking things one step at a time. “I’m not running any marathons yet,” Holdren laughed, “but the healing is ahead of schedule and I’m already doing some limited walking. I feel very happy with the result so far and couldn’t have gotten better care.”
For that he gives full credit to Dr. Schilling and the Limb Preservation Team.
“Someone else might have just taken my foot,” he added. “But Dr. Schilling listened and understood my goals. He knew how important it was for me to be able to walk my daughter down the aisle. He’s used all the care and technology they have to help me get better and keep my foot. There’s nobody else I’d rather have on my side.”