Doctor Vikki

Superior Foot & Ankle Care

Volume 11 Fall 2007 Edition

HELLO EVERYONE!! I hope our newsletter finds everyone in pre-holiday festive spirits. If you see a Bruin Blue Flash buzz by you in and around Orange County and Long Beach, that could be your favorite podiatrist in my “new ride.”--a 2007 Infinity G35 Coupe. This car really flies, but always below or at the speed limit :) It’s been an active four months since our last newsletter. One of the highlights was helping my husband, Tom, coordinate a tennis clinic at the Ritz Carlton-Laguna Nigel. It was there I had the honor of meeting tennis great and Long Beach native, Billie Jean King, who was part of 1/2 day tennis clinic for the “Most successful Women of Fortune Magazine.” It’s been over 30 years since she beat Bobby Riggs in that historic “Battle of the Sexes.” Tom and I celebrated 45th Birthday at the Romantic Retreat at Crystal Cove over Labor Day Weekend. Imagine, no phones, tv’s or computers. A slice of heaven. Back to business. We've added a critical piece of new equipment at our Long Beach office. It's the Doppler Machine, which tests arterial circulation to your legs and arms and also measures your body's ability to heal. The Doppler can be an effective screening test to see if you need bypass surgery or should get your arteries cleaned out. As many people know, I’m a die hard UCLA Alum, but after losing to Notre Dame in early October I sold my tickets to the Cal game and looked forward to what should be another terrific basketball season. Despite my frustration, I still peak occasionally and watch the football Bruins on TV. Please enjoy your holidays. Be healthy and take care of those FEET! Sincerely, Dr. Vikki Tom and Dr. Foley celebrating her 45th birthday at Crystal Cove. Dr. Foley and tennis great Billie Jean King Years of Pain Over in 40 Minutes Del Clark thought a little “home doctoring” could hold off dreaded ingrown toenail surgery. Heck, she’d dealt with the problem for decades. “Every six to eight weeks I’d perform self surgery with my scissors, tweezers and a glass of merlot, for courage.” says the retired school teacher from Rossmoor. “My technique was painful and the relief was short-lived.” With a three-day 60- mile Cancer Walk on the horizon Del sought professional advice from Dr. Foley on the best footwear. “Dr. Foley made her recommendations on shoes, socks and general footcare, but the biggest thing she did was convince me to have my ingrown toenail removed,” said Del. “People have heard horror stories about toenail surgery for years, “ said Dr. Foley. “With the many surgical advances, it’s not that complicated. Plus, the recovery time has shortened dramatically.” The actual surgery took less than 40 minutes. “If I’d known that removing my ingrown toenail was as painless as it was under the steady hand of Dr. Foley, I would have had the procedure years ago, “ Del said. With no post-op complications, Del was back quickly training for the big Cancer Walk November 9-10-11. “I never had one bit of trouble during my recovery and was taking long walks miles shortly after surgery, “ Del said. Del adds she’s now 100% pain free, but has to make up another excuse for the merlot. 60 Seconds To Stamp Out Cancer Foot melanoma is the deadliest cancer, but routine foot self exams can increase early detection and survival. “I tell my patients, the next time they clip their toenails take a look at the rest of their feet.” says Dr. Foley. Routine examinations of the feet are an important way to find skin cancer early when it’s easiest to cure. Half the people who learn they have melanoma of the foot die without five years because the cancer has already spread throughout the body by the time it was diagnosed. Nearly 60,000 people learn they have melanoma every year. Of this number, 8,100 die. “The good news that with early detection there is a 92% survival rate. Routine foot exams increase the likelihood of finding suspicious moles, freckles and other spots, “ Dr. Foley adds. PAD Affects Over 12 Million People The medical community bombards the consumer with the "disease or drug of the month", and at times it’s difficult to keep the information straight. Over the past year PAD (Peripheral Artery Disease) is becoming more common among Dr. Foley patients in their legs and feet. PAD is a condition that occurs when blood vessels in the arteries become narrowed or blocked by a build-up of fatty substances called plaque. PAD is commonly found in legs, toes and feet. Over 150,000 amputations are performed annually and many a result of complications due to PAD. Approximately 75% of people with P A D experience no symptoms. Other symptoms are mistaken for arthritis of aging. If you're experiencing any of the following symptoms, please see Dr. Foley: A. Slow paced walking. You have trouble keeping up B. A dull cramping pain in the hips, thighs or calf muscles during exercise or at rest. C. Changes in skin color or body temperature D. Infections or sores not healing E. Pain, numbness, tingling or burning in the legs, feet or toes. Patients can be screened for PAD with several non-invasive tests such as Ankle Brachial Index (ABI), which determines the blood circulation in a person's leg and feet.The new Doppler Machine, which we talked about in the greeting is used to measure the aforementioned ABI. Please contact Dr. Foley if you suspect you may be suffering from P AD or with additional questions. Turkey Melts with Sweet-N-Sour Slaw and 'Monster' Cheese When you’re tired of eating turkey over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend - jazz it up with this recipe! Ingredients: 1/4 cup cider vinegar 2 tablespoons honey mustard 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup shredded cole slaw mix 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 12 ounces leftover turkey tenderloin, thinly sliced 4 kaiser or submarine rolls 4 thick slices Muenster cheese Preheat broiler. In a medium bowl, whisk together cider vinegar, honey mustard, sugar, and oil. Add slaw mix and parsley and mix well. Arrange turkey slices on bottom half of rolls. Place rolls on a baking sheet. Spoon slaw mixture over turkey and top slaw with Muenster cheese. Place sandwiches until broiler and broil 3 minutes, until cheese melts. Recipe Courtesy of the FOOD NETWORK For all your holiday cooking and baking needs, shop at Cookin’ Stuff in Torrance or visit online @ www.cookinstuff.com