A Masterpiece of Healing
Compassionate care by a skilled team results in a happy ending for Keyport resident

When Clinical Coordinator Bonnie Schwartz, R.N., B.S.N. first met Elizabeth Stultz at the Bayshore Wound Care Center® at Bayshore Community Hospital in Holmdel, NJ, “she presented as someone very sad, discouraged, and in intense pain.”

Mrs. Stultz’ left leg was covered with ulcers (venous stasis) and, in combination with her diabetes, the 94-year old Keyport resident felt as if she had “hit rock bottom,” recalled Schwartz, “and that she was beyond help.”

Bayshore Community Hospital was not Mrs. Stultz’ first stop to seek treatment. After losing her balance and falling at home, Mrs. Stultz did not wish to go to a hospital, so her injury was initially cared for by her family. When the wounds didn’t appear to be healing, Mrs. Stultz reluctantly went to an area hospital, which treated her as an outpatient and eventually admitted her for a six-day period as her wounds worsened.

Returning home, Mrs. Stultz was cared for by visiting nurses, but her wounds still weren’t healing. Finally a family friend recommended the Bayshore Wound Care Center® at Bayshore Community Hospital.

“Bayshore is right in my back yard,” said Mrs. Stultz’ son Mel. “We didn’t have to travel, and people were very nice to us from the time we walked through the door.”

Schwartz and the Wound Care team recognized that Mrs. Stultz’ wound had the potential to heal. Guided by podiatrist Sharon I. Monter, D.P.M., the Wound Care staff rotated medications and provided Mrs. Stultz with treatments to help her wounds heal. “We used a combination of clinical products plus a specialized compression boot to reduce swelling,” said Dr. Monter. “Weekly debridement treatments to remove unhealthy tissue also enhanced the healing process.”

“I really care about my mom,” said Mel, “and I was really upset with the results we had been getting everyplace else. I brought her to Bayshore and all of the staff just started fussing over her. We came in twice each week for treatment from January through March. Now her leg is totally healed and my mom is doing one hundred percent better. The care she received was just wonderful.”

“We watched Mrs. Stultz get better week by week,” recalled Dr. Monter. “It was phenomenal to see both her physical improvement and her sense of well being restored. Seeing Mrs. Stultz heal so well was very rewarding for our whole team.”

“As a registered nurse and the clinical coordinator here at the Bayshore Wound Care Center®, my attitude is that, when a skillful team works together, I expect nothing less than a masterpiece of healing as a result. My staff created an atmosphere which consisted of only positive attitude, commitment to patient care, and taking the high road to healing,” said Schwartz. “I am absolutely thrilled with Mrs. Stultz’ results.”

The Stultz family is happy to have their mother back on her feet. “My mom now gets around as well as ever, sometimes even without the walker she had used before her injury. She’s back cooking in her kitchen, which makes her really happy,” said Mel. “I’ve already referred four people to the Bayshore Wound Care Center®. The care at Bayshore is fantastic, right down to the food, which is always great.”

Dr. Monter urges anyone with wounds that won’t heal to consult the Bayshore Wound Care Center®. “People need to know we are here for them. When someone is frustrated by their condition, we can provide a solution. We have many products and treatments available to us. You owe it to yourself or your family member to come here and let us help.”

For more information on the Bayshore Wound Care Center® at Bayshore Community Hospital, call 723-497-1611.


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