After 21 surgeries in three months
following a life-threatening rupture
of his abdominal aorta, James
Morelli left Ohio and came home
to Calvert ready to give up. At
the Center for Wound Care at
CalvertHealth, he found healing
and perhaps, more importantly,
he found hope.
“In the winter of 2022, I was pushed into the wound center in a
wheelchair, attached to drainage tubes, anticipating an early
end to my once active life,” said Morelli. “Six months later, I
walked out on the strength of my own rehabilitated legs, free
from tubes and cords, with a hope for the future that I thought
was permanently lost. They truly helped to save my life.”
The 62-year-old father of three girls was working on a
solar farm construction project in Ohio when the rupture
(which involved many blood vessels in his stomach and
abdomen) occurred. “I was in so much pain all the time, I
pleaded with the doctors there to let me die.” Desperate after
all the surgeries, he called a lifelong friend to drive him home
against medical advice where he planned to die peacefully in
his Chesapeake Bay home.
When you fall in life, your family catches you and stands you back up.
In a very real sense, Morelli said he found family at
CalvertHealth’s wound center. “They provided me with
warmth and caring … a sense of security and comfort …
and the support I needed to get back on my feet. They
treated me like family.”
Wound Team’s Upbeat Spirit Encouraged Recovery
“Greeting our patients with a smiling face, a confident
manner and a calming voice is a critical part of what we do,”
said nurse practitioner Aldene Doyle-Colvin, DNP, WCC,
EDS-C, who directs the wound center. “When they come to
us, they are scared and in pain.
“We do everything we can to make them feel more
comfortable and secure,” she added. “If there is a smile on the
patient’s face when they arrive or I hear laughter coming from
the treatment rooms, I know we have made a difference. This
gives me purpose.”
Morelli clearly recalls his first
visit. “I did not have a positive
outlook and I certainly did not look
good. But from day one, I felt more
encouraged when Dr. Doyle and
Diann put their arms around me
and said: ‘You are our family now.’
“They approached my care with
an intelligence and compassion
that I will never forget. Their
consistently upbeat personalities,
reassuring language and earnest
investment in my care helped
reframe my outlook on possibilities
for a fulfilling life after this medical
nightmare.”
Wound Care Plan Tailored to Patient’s Unique Needs
“Wound care management is
holistic and must be tailored to each
patient,” stressed Dr. Doyle. “Mr.
Morelli’s wound was complex and
required specialized equipment and
coordinated care involving skilled
nursing, home health, physical
therapy and later on, plastic surgery.”
Because of the size and severity
of his wound, Morelli initially had
a wound vac, a negative pressure
device used on patients with chronic
wounds. It helps promote healing
by draining excess fluid, reducing
swelling, increasing blood flow to
the wound and drawing together
wound edges. His treatment involved
a thorough cleaning, debridement
(removal of damaged tissue) and
dressing change twice a week.
“It was a painstaking process,
but they were always so kind and
caring and positive,” said Morelli.
“They would take measurements
and say: ‘It’s getting smaller. It
looks good.’”
When needed, the wound
center connects patients with
nutritional counseling, diabetic
education and financial counselors.
They also provide resources for
diabetic foot care and assistance
with ordering supplies and durable
medical equipment as well as
family and caregiver education.
Morelli went on to add, “The
entire wound care team was very
friendly. They took a genuine
interest in my story and made
lasting connections with visiting
family. They repeatedly recalled
details of my interests and my
loved ones. They laughed with me.”
Today, his wound is closed
and he has been discharged but
Dr. Doyle said, “He knows that the
wound center is here if and when
he needs us.” For his part, Morelli
said he is once again looking
forward to life.
Free Preventive Vascular Screening Offered
The most common forms of vascular
disease are abdominal aortic aneurysm
(AAA), carotid artery disease and peripheral
vascular disease (PAD) – all serious and
life-threatening, often occurring “silently”
without any symptoms. For this reason, early
detection and treatment are crucial.
CalvertHealth offers a free preventive
vascular screening for those 50 and older with
one or more of the following risk factors:
smoking, high blood pressure, obesity,
diabetes, high cholesterol or a family history
of vascular disease.
Three simple tests are performed:
- Carotid Artery Screening – An
ultrasound to evaluate narrowed arteries and
plaque build-up, which can increase the risk
of stroke.
- Abdominal Aorta Aneurysm (AAA)
Screening – An ultrasound to screen for
dilation or enlargement of the abdominal
aorta.
- Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) –
Screening to check for PAD, which may
pose a threat to the health of the legs
and is often a sign of heart disease.
The screening is available to those persons
who are not currently being followed by
a vascular doctor or had any vascular
screening performed. Pre-registration is
required. Please call 410.414.4539 to make
an appointment.