For the past few years, Judith Busa Shelton has experienced one health issue after another. It all began when she broke her left leg in three places (including her ankle) and needed surgery which involved a doctor putting pins in place to help her leg heal. Unfortunately, not long after the surgery those pins broke and caused her leg to bow, which required yet a second surgery with new pins.
Judith was only supposed to be in the hospital for a week, but she ended up staying one month. “My doctor didn’t want to take any chances there might be any infection,” she says.
But there was one saving grace. A few weeks after her second surgery, when she returned home and was strong enough to be weight-bearing, VNA Home Health nurses began to visit. “They’re exceptional and any time anyone mentions home care in the hospital I immediately say VNA,” says Judith, who also worked at the non-profit as a nurse for 20 years, from 1988 – 2008.
Unfortunately, Judith eventually had to have yet a third surgery because there were problems with the new pins. After that, she thought she was done with surgery forever, but her bad luck continued when she developed an infection in her problematic leg that prompted a fourth surgery.
By that point, it was challenging to stay positive, but thankfully, there was still one light at the end of the proverbial tunnel for her – knowing that VNA would once again be there to help her heal whenever she returned from the hospital.
To date, Judith’s VNA services have included a physical therapist who visits her three times a week and does strength exercises with her, including leg-lifts and hip exercises, and another nurse who visits once a week and checks her vitals and performs wound care. As a former nurse, Judith is a quick-learn. “They do it once and I can do it the rest of the day,” she says, adding that she’s also grateful for feedback she receives. “My nurse said the wound is looking a lot better and that’s nice to hear. I’m a much happier camper because she said it looks better,” says Judith with a smile.
