Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/244291
More than a mobility thief Leg Disease Can Threaten Life and Limb by Debra Melani As with most victims, Ed Schreiber's peripheral artery disease snatched his ability to walk pain-free just as his lazy, strolling days of retirement lay ahead. But unlike many patients, the computer-software specialist saw his doctor at the first sign of the disease, boosting his chance of enjoying his golden years, limbs intact. He might say he can thank his lucky toe. "It started very suddenly as a severe pain in my toe five years ago," says Schreiber, 70, of Denver. Initial treatment helped for a while, but eventually the pain struck his calf and became disabling. "It's as if I were crippled," Schreiber says. "I couldn't do anything physical anymore, the pain was so severe." Recently, Schreiber opted for a minimally-invasive treatment that had him walking pain-free again almost as soon as he left the operating table. And HealthONE doctors want the 8 million and rising number of Americans with the disease to know: PAD is not a normal sign of aging. It's a life-threatening condition, and the key to a happy ending is early treatment.