For 3 years, Rob Olewinski had suffered persistent and painful wounds on his left calf. He and his spouse, Jan, lastly discovered assist because of a cutting-edge new remedy. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Well being Beat)
Olewinski’s journey began in 2018, when he began creating small wounds within the decrease a part of his left leg. They had been possible the results of swelling and water retention. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Well being Beat)
When the Olewinskis moved to Gowen, north of Greenville, he discovered concerning the wound clinic at Spectrum Well being United Hospital, the place he met Drue Orwig, DO. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Well being Beat)
By the point he began seeing Dr. Orwig, a Spectrum Well being doctor specializing in wound care, he may barely depart the home, not to mention go fishing. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Well being Beat)
Regardless of conventional therapies, Olewinski’s wounds persevered and his ache worsened. He grew pissed off. “I had had sufficient of it, daily residing with that,” he mentioned. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Well being Beat)
A tissue pattern of Olewinski’s wound was analyzed right down to the DNA stage. A personalized topical remedy specifically formulated for his an infection was created. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Well being Beat)
Olewinski offers credit score to his spouse for caring for him daily. “I couldn’t have made it with out her, that’s for certain,” he mentioned. “She’s one thing particular, that one.” (Chris Clark | Spectrum Well being Beat)
“She by no means gave up,” Olewinski mentioned of Dr. Orwig. “I assumed for certain I used to be finished, and I used to be going to need to stay with that for the remainder of my life.” (Chris Clark | Spectrum Well being Beat)
Robert Olewinski had nearly given up hope of ever getting again to his twice-a-week fishing journeys.
For 3 years, he had suffered persistent and painful wounds on his left calf.
By the point he began seeing Drue Orwig, DO, a Spectrum Well being doctor specializing in wound care, he may barely depart the home, not to mention go fishing.
However this summer season, the bass, bluegill, perch and walleye of Lincoln Lake had higher be careful.
“I simply couldn’t do it final yr. I didn’t have it in me,” Olewinski, 68, mentioned. “This yr, I’m planning to get again on the market and luxuriate in fishing.”
In 2019, Olewinski and his spouse, Jan, turned to Dr. Orwig and her group on the Spectrum Health Wound Healing Clinic at Spectrum Health United Hospital in Greenville, Michigan.
The outcome: His wounds at the moment are healed.
What finally labored? A cutting-edge new remedy that entails sending a tissue pattern of the wound to a specialized lab, the place the micro organism will be analyzed right down to the DNA stage.
That data is then used to create topical antibiotic therapies to struggle the wound.
“That is way more elaborate than what we are able to do in a normal lab in a hospital,” Dr. Orwig mentioned. “Now we have discovered it to achieve success in these sufferers that all the things else had not labored.”
Olewinski’s journey began in 2018, when he began creating small wounds within the decrease a part of his left leg. They had been possible the results of swelling and water retention.
“They might heal up a bit after which worsen,” Olewinski mentioned.
When he and his spouse moved to Gowen, north of Greenville, he discovered concerning the wound clinic at Spectrum Well being United Hospital, the place he met Dr. Orwig.
Dr. Orwig additionally practices on the Spectrum Health Limb Care and Wound Healing Clinic within the Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.
Her group expanded to open a clinic in Greenville, with the objective of bringing specialised superior wound remedy nearer to dwelling for sufferers like Olewinski.
“Within the Greenville clinic, we are able to now do virtually all the things that we are able to do in our Grand Rapids workplace,” she mentioned.
That’s a beneficial service for sufferers who possible want to go to the clinic as soon as every week for wound cleansing and different appointments.
“That turns into so much for sufferers needing to come back to Grand Rapids,” Dr. Orwig mentioned.
In fall 2019, Dr. Orwig began utilizing her many instruments to assist heal Olewinski’s power wounds, which had grown to embody his entire calf.
She tried all the usual therapies accessible—specifically formulated prescription ointments and topical sprays, numerous dressings, compression boots and socks.
The injuries persevered, nonetheless, and Olewinski’s ache worsened.
By the top of 2020, he had grown pissed off.
“I had had sufficient of it, daily residing with that,” he mentioned.
However Dr. Orwig had one final device at her disposal.
She suspected Olewinski’s wounds had developed what’s known as a biofilm, or micro organism residing on the floor. Meaning it may’t be tackled with intravenous antibiotic, making it troublesome to heal.
“What we’ve discovered is that typical cultures on the hospital aren’t capable of catch the total image of what’s occurring,” she mentioned.
In summer season 2021, she despatched a pattern of Olewinski’s wound to a lab in Texas.
Primarily based on success she had throughout a trial a couple of years in the past with a few of the clinic’s hardest sufferers, she had hope on this promising remedy, however it wasn’t a certain factor.
Dr. Orwig despatched the outcomes of the evaluation to the pharmacy, the place they created a personalized topical remedy specifically formulated for Olewinski’s an infection.
Slowly however absolutely, it labored.
“It was type of a miracle,” mentioned Olewinski, a retired engineer.
“She by no means gave up,” he mentioned of Dr. Orwig. “I assumed for certain I used to be finished, and I used to be going to need to stay with that for the remainder of my life.”
He added: “She wants an enormous star by her title.”
He additionally credit his spouse, who did the painstaking day by day work of administering therapies and altering dressings for years.
“She was the one who did it daily. She needed to stay with me,” he mentioned. “I couldn’t have made it with out her, that’s for certain. She’s one thing particular, that one.”
They celebrated their forty eighth wedding ceremony anniversary on June 29. And so they’re making some lengthy overdue plans for gardening, yardwork, odd jobs round the home, touring to see pals and, in fact, fishing.
“I’m very elated that’s behind us,” he mentioned.
