Thriving with Peripheral Arterial Disease: My Story

How I Was Finally Able to Defeat Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and Take My Life Back
5 min read
Rodney McKinley has an inspirational story to share. He discovered he had peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in 2011, when excruciating pain consumed his once enjoyable walks. “When I would lay down in bed to sleep, it felt like someone had a blowtorch under my toes,” he says.
McKinley underwent a bypass surgery in his groin and two additional bypasses in both lower legs, with 32 staples. His pain subsided for a year, but then returned with a vengeance. In his own words, “I ate more painkillers than I did food.” After trying numerous treatments, as well as being told amputation was the only solution, McKinley chose to have one leg amputated.
Following his surgery and rehabilitation, McKinley made strides in his recovery with the help and support of his ex-wife. Together, they focused on physical therapy and McKinley took his first steps without his wheelchair or walker in January 2020 – nearly 9 years after being diagnosed with PAD.
“She was so instrumental in my being able to walk again,” McKinley says. Now, he can walk anywhere, sometimes even without his cane. “The main thing that keeps me going is trying to stay positive.”
Kay Smith, a nurse practitioner from west Scotland, also faced a similar struggle with PAD. After a long period of suffering and being in a very dark place, Smith found solace with high-technology solutions, specifically virtual reality (VR) for chronic pain. This technology has helped her significantly in managing her illness.
For more on similar stories and recovery methods, click here to read more about how others have overcome PAD challenges.