For a decade, Adda Heffernan of Massillon has trusted Aultman Wound Care Services for treatment of painful skin ulcers.

“An ulcer developed on my left leg, and I didn’t know where to go for help,” she said. “All I knew was that it hurt.”

She mentioned the ulcer to her doctor, who scheduled an appointment for Adda with Aultman Wound Care Services. The team of specially trained physicians and nurses offers everything from compression therapy to hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat hard-to-heal wounds.

Once you have had a leg ulcer, you are more likely to develop another one. That happened to Adda in 2015, as she discovered a new ulcer on the same leg. She returned to the wound center for treatment by podiatrist Steven Gross, DPM. “The ulcer was so small, but you can’t believe how painful it was,” she shared. “It hurt to wear the compression hose I had been using. An ulcer heals from the inside, so you can’t put anything on the outside. Dr. Gross took very good care of me.”

When a new ulcer formed on her right leg that didn’t respond well to traditional treatment, podiatrist Gary Greger, DMP, performed multiple skin grafts on Adda’s leg. “I didn’t know what a skin graft would be like,” she recalled. “Would the procedure hurt? Would they be using my own skin?”

Adda learned the skin for her graft would be harvested from a deceased person who donated organs and/or tissue. “Dr. Greger didn’t have to use my own skin because some wonderful person signed up to be a tissue donor,” she said. “I’m happy to report the skin grafts didn’t hurt a bit. They only took about 45 minutes each, and they were performed right in the wound center. Dr. Greger was very gentle.”

Today, 81-year-old Adda uses lymphedema pumps on her legs to combat swelling and prevent more ulcers. “I wear the pumps for an hour a day, 2-3 times a day. I take that time to relax with a cup of coffee,” she said. “I’m thankful to my insurance company, PrimeTime Health Plan, for covering the pumps. I appreciate their support.”

Adda is hopeful the skin grafts and lymphedema pumps will keep her legs healthy. But if a new ulcer arises, she knows whom to call. “The wound care doctors and nurses are so nice and kind – I highly recommend them,” she said. “I’ve been an Aultman patient for 42 years since my family moved to Stark County. Aultman Wound Care Services is a really good facility, and I feel comfortable going there.”