“[They’re] a really great team, really great people. They took care of me and I really enjoyed the people there. Always smiling and trying to encourage me,” says Monique.
Monique connected with one of the health care teams in Terrace in early 2018 because of a persistent wound on her foot. It refused to heal and continually became infected, significantly impacting her quality of life.
In spring 2019, Monique suffered another wound to the toe of the same foot. She received wound debridement (removal of unhealthy tissue from the wound) several times with no success.
The health care team was determined to find the root cause of her wound issue. Using excellent critical thinking and assessment skills, they were finally able to find the cause: a piece of glass that remained in the wound and Type 2 diabetes.
Monique lives in Jackpine Flats, about 20 minutes away from Terrace, but her wound made it hard to drive or walk. When the team found out, they didn’t hesitate to drive to Monique’s house to provide care, and they continued to travel to Monique’s through the winter months until she recovered. To ensure she received proper wound care throughout the entire process, they also worked closely with Northern Health’s regional wound care clinician, Elaine Veldman.
The team’s advocacy for Monique resulted in her receiving surgery in September 2019 to heal the wound. It was a success and she has had no issues since.
“Now I can do my housework and some cooking and, you know, my regular routine,” says Monique.
This is a great example of how health care teams, like the one in Terrace, work together with doctors in the community to improve patient care. The health care team supported Monique through this very long and challenging journey and was in constant communication with her family doctor; they also dug deeper to determine the underlying cause. The consistent nursing care and advocacy Monique received from the team ultimately led to her successful recovery!
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