World War II hero finds healing after 60 years
Acie Shaffer, Lynn, is one of the greatest generation.
On April 18,1945, shortly before the end of World War II in Europe, Shaffer got hit with a blast of shrapnel, that took his thumb, finger, elbow and parts of his leg, arm and foot. He spent until 1947 in military and Veterans hospital, and his foot wound gave him trouble for the next 60 years.
Then Shaffer decided to go to Reid’s Wound Healing Services.
“When he came to us, Acie had pretty much given up hope that the wound could ever be healed,” said Claudia Anderson, an RN and manager. “His attitude was that he’d give us a chance and then get on with his life regardless. It was obvious that has been his mind-set since he first tallied up the damage, all those years ago. We were dealing with a hero.”
Shaffer had come on his own without a doctor’s referral, which is how about two-thirds of the program’s patients arrive. Most wound healing services are covered for Medicare patients.
His treatment began under William Black, M.D., and internal medicine specialist who practices with the Pediatric & Internal Medicine Center. Dr. Black is a member of the Wound Healing medical board. Using hyperbaric oxygen therapy, advanced antibiotics and debridement – removal of dead tissue from the wound – Dr. Black was able to achieve what could not have been accomplished in 1947.
The wound, however, was not yet completely healed, so a surgeon from the wound center’s medical panel joined the team as underlying bone was suspected as the problem.
“Infection in bone generally responds poorly to antibiotics because of low circulation,” said Michael Buckmaster, M.D., of General Surgeons, Inc. and medical director of the wound center. “Infected bone shows up in x-rays, it looks kind of ‘moth-eaten,’ and the bone in Acie’s foot had that look.”
After Dr. Buckmaster removed the infected bone, the wound healing staff treated Shaffer with more antibiotics and hyperbaric oxygen, and a Wound VAC (vacuum Assisted Closure), a suction device to close wounds.
“We wanted to throw everything we had at it,” Dr. Buckmaster said. “That’s what it usually takes in a wound like this.”
At the end of his treatment regimen, which included follow-up visits, Dr. Black was able to diagnose success – a success enabled by technologies unknown in 1947. Some of those technologies have been available only in the past five years.
“The wound is completely healed,” Dr. Black said. “We can be clear on that.”
Dr. Buckmaster noted that Shaffer had much in common with patients he’d met during his training in Veterans Administration hospitals. “They’ve been through it, and things just don’t faze them. Acie doesn’t allow himself to worry much, and he doesn’t feel he has to talk a lot.”
“This is a good guy, a good family and a good outcome,” said Dr. Buckmaster.
