“I am grateful for the help they gave me," stated Felix, "everyone was very kind and professional.”

For 18 years, Felix lived with type 2 diabetes. He monitored his condition without any major problems. Then, in 2021, Felix began suffering from an open wound on the big toe of his left foot. His pain was constant and increased when he walked. Over time the ulcer grew and his pain worsened, which made his daily activities both at work and at home difficult. He avoided going on walks and riding his bike because the pain had become debilitating. 

Felix visited Mendocino Coast Clinics and his primary care provider confirmed that he was suffering from a diabetic foot ulcer and referred him to our program. Uninsured and unable to qualify for Medi-Cal, Felix qualified for our program. We matched him with Dr. Joseph Dickinson at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center. During his first consult Felix learned that surgical removal of the ulcer could not occur until the lesion on his foot closed. Felix followed Dr. Dickinson's advice and ceased all activity except what was necessary to try to heal his foot.

In May 2023, Felix's open lesion had finally healed, and Dr. Dickinson removed the ulcer and inserted a plate into his foot to straighten his toe to ensure a healthier gait. Felix recovered well from the surgery, but then in November he accidentally fractured the bone in his big toe and the plate was dislodged. Dr. Sandeep Patel, a colleague of Dr. Dickinson, volunteered to help him. Dr. Patel performed surgery at Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center to remove the plate and straighten Felix's toe a second time.

Felix is recovering from this most recent surgery. Despite facing some unexpected difficulties, he truly appreciates the care he received from Dr. Dickinson, Dr. Patel, and their teams. "I am grateful for the help they gave me," stated Felix, "everyone was very kind and professional."

Story and photo shared with patient’s permission.