Bob Schlosser finally finds relief from debilitating leg pain.

Bob Schlosser of Leroy dealt with pain in his legs for over a year. It was a nuisance, but he managed to live with it. His doctor attributed the pain to arthritis, but when the pain steadily increased to the point that Bob could barely walk 200 feet without needing rest, he and his wife, Ana, knew something more than arthritis was going on.

“The doctors kept telling us it was this or that, but it didn’t add up,” says Ana. “They were just guessing and putting drugs in him, but they weren’t helping him.”

At Ana’s insistence, Bob’s doctor ordered an ultrasound and determined that clogged arteries in Bob’s legs were causing his debilitating pain. He was suffering from peripheral vascular disease, a plaque build-up on the inner walls of blood vessels that causes a narrowing of the walls and restricts blood flow. This restriction limits needed oxygen and nutrients the body’s cells need to survive and thrive, effectively causing them to slowly die.

Bob was referred to MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland, where he was scheduled to have a “Roto-Rooter” procedure to improve blood flow in his legs and ease his pain. However, the cardiologist scheduled to perform the procedure informed the Schlosser’s that the blockage was too severe for him to address, but he would put them in contact with a vascular specialist who could help them.

This, however, was not good enough for Ana. She wanted Bob’s problem addressed that day and wasn’t leaving the hospital until Bob was cared for. Less than an hour later, Dr. Omar P. Haqqani, Chief of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Vascular Health Clinics was shaking the Schlosser’s hands and asking how he could help them.

“Dr. Haqqani took over and it was like my goodness, he just moved mountains out of the way,” says Ana.

Over the next several weeks, Dr. Haqqani performed a series of noninvasive revascularization procedures at the clinic to improve blood flow in Bob’s legs. These included angioplasty, stenting, and laser atherectomy. Bob was able to leave the clinic within a few hours following each procedure.

“I didn’t hardly notice he was doing anything when he was working on my legs and I felt almost instantly better after each procedure” says Bob.

Dr. Haqqani also performed an arterial bypass on Bob’s right leg at MidMichigan Medical Center – Gratiot. This procedure was a little more involved and required that Bob recover in hospital for a few days.

“I’ve never met a doctor with so much compassion,” says Ana. “We’ve had several procedures and he’s been with us through it all.”

Before meeting Dr. Haqqani, Bob could barely walk to the mailbox to get the mail, now he and Anna are once again enjoying their daily walks and Bob continues to build up his stamina daily.

“I feel a twinge in my left leg sometimes, but that’s part of the healing process. Part of getting better,” says Bob. “The doctor told me to walk, walk, walk. That gets the blood flowing and promotes healing, so that’s what we do”

Ana looks out across their deck toward the lake in the distance and adds, “Nothing gives me more joy than seeing him be able to walk. We are walking every day. It’s good having that back. Something we lost.”