Soul to sole
"I don’t think of my podiatrists as people who are here to treat my feet,” said Brenda, smiling. “I look forward to their visits.”
Brenda’s unexpected journey began in October 2023 when she accidentally injured her toe while reaching for her Zimmer frame.
She said: “I barely felt it at first; it didn’t pierce the skin. But then a blood blister appeared and my carer insisted I go to the hospital. I never imagined I’d be there for six months.”
Brenda, a retired admin clerk, was devastated when the doctors needed to amputate her left toe.
Brenda recalled: “It was a shock but I have diabetes and knew it was a risk. I’ve had a spine issue for years and already struggled to walk. How would I cope?”
Brenda lives in a supported living complex and doesn’t have relatives close by. Despite this, she had a very full life with friends, including going out for meals and walks along her local Whitstable beach. Sadly, over the past few years her health had started to deteriorate.
She remembered: “It was after I lost my husband, Bob in 2017. We had just clocked up 50 years of marriage when he died. It was like time stopped. He left such a huge hole in my life.”
The pair had three bouncing dogs and they loved to enjoy the great outdoors.
Brenda said: “We took our little caravan around the country. Cornwall was our favourite. We loved our quiet moments, often not needing to say a word, just e
njoying each other’s presence.
“Bob was one of the very early paramedics and we met at a first aid course, back in the 1960s. He said to his friend: ‘I am going to marry that girl’ – and he did.”
After her surgery, Brenda faced numerous health challenges, including Covid, pneumonia and flu, which led to a lengthy recovery in isolation.
She said: “I lost myself during those months. I felt institutionalised, staring at four walls, while my friends couldn’t visit.”
Podiatrist Kelly Holness
It was after rehabilitation at Victoria Hospital in Deal that Brenda made it back to her supported living flat in April, to ‘welcome home’ banners.
“My mobility had deteriorated, although I have an electric wheelchair to assist me. Even just taking my own medication was hard, as the hospital had done everything for me.”
When the community podiatrist first visited, Brenda was surprised by the level of care offered.
She remarked: “I thought they’d just trim my toenails. I had no idea how specialised this field is.
“All of my podiatrists take the time to explain everything, they are here not just for my feet, but for calling my GP if I need an appointment or offering up a listening ear if I am worried.
“When I am being treated, my podiatrist always explains in simple terms, so I am part of the conversation and understand everything about my treatment.”
Podiatry Assistant Kelly Holness said: “Brenda’s recovery is a team effort and we love visiting her as she is always smiling and upbeat. We treat her wounds, monitor for improvement and infection and can issue antibiotics. Along with the medical side of things, we are here to listen and reassure.”
Now Brenda is enjoying time with fellow residents and visits from her brother. Recently, she even ventured out for a pub lunch along Whitstable seafront.
She giggled: “We were like a convoy, three of us in electric wheelchairs and more mobile friends. It was a lovely day, with good food and the joy of simply living again."
