{"id":7783,"date":"2025-09-12T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7783"},"modified":"2025-09-12T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T14:30:00","slug":"wound-care-at-sheridan-va-gives-95-year-old-veteran-a-second-chance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7783","title":{"rendered":"Wound care at Sheridan VA gives 95-year-old Veteran a second chance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2025-09-12T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

When 95-year-old Air Force Veteran Roy Clifton arrived at Sheridan VA Medical Center <\/a>(SVAMC) in March 2025, he thought he didn\u2019t have much time left.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a bone infection in both feet and could barely walk,\u201d he said. \u201cThen I had a fall that caused a bleed in my brain. That\u2019s when I decided to call it quits and go to hospice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clifton was living in a community nursing home in Thermopolis, Wyoming, and had been seeing a community doctor when he chose hospice. He turned to the Sheridan VA Health Care System because they would cover the costs, and he knew he would be cared for with dignity.<\/p>\n

Treatment saved his life<\/h2>\n

Community doctors told Clifton he had only two options: amputate both legs or let the infections take their course.\u00a0However, a wound care<\/a> specialist Marta Ostler wasn\u2019t convinced; she examined Clifton and ran a Doppler test, using sound waves to check how well his blood was flowing through his arteries and veins.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had great blood flow,\u201d she said. \u201cThat told me we weren\u2019t dealing with wounds caused by poor blood flow.\u201d<\/p>\n

What she did find was severe Stage 4 pressure ulcers on both of his heels.<\/p>\n

Stage 4 pressure ulcers are the most serious kind of bedsores. They happen when someone stays in one position too long, and the pressure cuts off blood flow to the skin and tissue.<\/p>\n

Over time, the skin breaks down, and the wound can become so deep it exposes muscle, tendon or bone. These kinds of wounds can be painful, hard to heal and can become life-threatening if not treated properly.<\/p>\n

Over time, Ostler removed damaged tissue from Clifton\u2019s feet to facilitate healing and coordinated with nurses to keep pressure off his heels. A VA podiatrist removed exposed bone, while nutrition staff provided meals to support his recovery.<\/p>\n

Although both feet had exposed bones, and the injuries looked and smelled bad, Clifton\u2019s body was healing. His only job was to rest, eat and let the SVAMC staff do their work.<\/p>\n

Clifton\u2019s condition improved so much, he was taken off hospice care.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt made me feel great to survive hospice,\u201d he said, smiling. \u201cThey\u2019re all great. The staff took good care of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not giving up; you aren\u2019t either<\/h2>\n

As he healed, Clifton began showing up for meals, talking with staff and spending more time in his wheelchair. He smiled more and asked for updates on his progress.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne day, we didn\u2019t put a dressing on his left heel, and he asked why,\u201d said Ostler. \u201cI said, because it\u2019s healed. He couldn\u2019t believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n

A second chance<\/h2>\n

Today, Clifton says he is focused on what matters most to him. He\u2019s preparing to move to a local community nursing facility, one where his spouse recently received care. The nursing home is working on a room for them to share.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very excited about seeing her,\u201d Clifton said. \u201cWe met in college on a blind date and have been together ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s grateful for the care he received and happy he gets to go back to the woman he\u2019s loved for 73 years.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After being told he was dying, Roy Clifton chose Sheridan VA for hospice care. Thanks to expert wound care, he recovered and will reunite with his spouse of 73 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":136,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-health-care"],"yoast_head":"\nWound care at Sheridan VA gives 95-year-old Veteran a second chance - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"After being told he was dying, Roy Clifton chose Sheridan VA for hospice care. 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