Clinic helps save sore soles

Surgeons, medical students and other volunteers gave tender care Saturday to the feet of 108 homeless men and women at Siena-Francis House.

The orthopedic surgeons, all five of whom specialize in foot and ankle care, held and examined feet, trimmed and filed toenails and gave foot care advice to the patients, who then received free shoes.

Some of those patients were diabetics, who are at special risk of infection and amputation because of numbness and poor circulation in the feet.

“Right now, your skin looks pretty good,” Dr. Scott McMullen said as he inspected the feet of RaDonna Smith.

Smith, 40, said she is in a drug and alcohol rehab program at Siena-Francis House, a shelter for men, women and children at 17th and Nicholas Streets.

Smith’s toenails featured well-worn red polish. McMullen went to work trimming the nails.

“This is so embarrassing,” Smith said of exposing her feet to him.

“This is the best thing for you to do,” he responded, referring to her attendance at the clinic.

McMullen’s clipper made a loud click each time he snapped off a shard of toenail. Toenail flecks dotted McMullen’s black pants.

Smith said she couldn’t be in foot care. “I’m a neat freak,” she told McMullen. “I like to smell roses.”

When McMullen was done, Smith held her hand out and shook his with gratitude.

Smith’s diabetes has caused neuropathy, or numbness and pain in her feet. “It feels like barbed wire wrapped around my feet,” she said.

Smith said she was a certified nursing assistant in Sioux City, Iowa, before her addiction took hold. She raved about her drug rehab program. “It is going awesome.”

Seven Creighton University medical students assisted in the annual foot care project, which is a nationwide effort that got its start early this decade in Pittsburgh.

Numerous other volunteers Saturday in Omaha work for prescription footwear firms. They sized the homeless patients’ feet and gave them all-purpose shoes, boots or walking shoes.

This is the second year for the Omaha foot clinic, which is overseen by Dr. Tim Fitzgibbons and Creighton med students. The foot clinic is held in the Siena-Francis House Magis Clinic, which is open for primary care Saturday afternoons to the homeless and uninsured.

Charles Barber, also a diabetic, told Fitzgibbons that he used to be a trucker but now has a hard time walking and sleeping because of the neuropathy in his feet.

“Hop up on the table,” Fitzgibbons told him. “I’m gonna take a look at it.”

He held Barber’s foot in his right hand. He told Barber to use an emery board, or small wooden filing device, to work on his toenails. A sharp instrument can gouge and wound the foot, which could have bad consequences for a diabetic.

Fitzgibbons finished the examination and told Barber to go to another room to select his free shoes.

“Well, thank you, Doctor,” Barber said.

Just outside the exam room, the clinic was packed with homeless people and volunteers.

Contact the writer:

444-1123, rick.ruggles@owh.com

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