Gary Hoehn
Like a lot of recreational golfers, Gary Hoehn doesn’t worry about carding a great score as much as he does just getting out to enjoy the game.
But over the last two years, circulation problems in Gary’s feet have kept him off the course – and also limited the amount of time he can spend woodworking, and alongside his wife Carroll tending the lawn and garden of the home they keep in Fairmont, Minnesota, near the Iowa-Minnesota border.
His medical issue first surfaced about three years ago and eventually progressed to the point where he was recently diagnosed with critical limb ischemia, a severe blockage in the arteries of the lower extremities which markedly restricts blood flow.
During the spring of 2020, Gary, 72, and Carroll, 70, – a retired banker and nurse, respectively – were wrapping up a stay in Arizona when things became critical, and Gary reached out to his physician at the Mayo Clinic back in their home state of Minnesota.
Even against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, Gary was able to arrange a visit upon their return, and it’s then that his doctor mentioned amputation as an eventual alternative. The doctor hastened to add, however, that he’d attended an educational seminar hosted by Dr. Jihad Mustapha of ACV Centers, and recommended Gary reach out to him.
“We got in within a week of the referral,” said Carroll. “We were there for two days, May 7 and 8, and Dr. Mustapha addressed the ischemia in Gary’s left leg. We’re going back for the right leg in a month. Our reaction? Fantastic!”
“Dr. Mustapha and his entire staff were absolutely fabulous,” said Gary. “They made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. And during the procedure, the nurse was back and forth to my wife several times, updating her on the progress. Afterward, Dr. Mustapha himself visited with us several times, which we found refreshingly unusual.”
The Hoehns recall that when Gary was first diagnosed, he endured treatments that included ultrasounds and casts, but according to Carroll, “Nobody back then recommended we do anything about the circulation. It was like, ‘let a sleeping dog lie.’”
Since returning from their first visit with Dr. Mustapha, the Hoehns say they’re facing the future with a new perspective: “We were just so impressed with our experience,” said Gary, “and not only with what he did, but how he explained it. We have total confidence in him.”
Added Carroll, “We’re already spreading the word. Anyone with circulation problems – and especially anyone facing a possible amputation – we’re recommending they get in touch with ACV Centers. Because we know they’ll be seen and cared for.”
