In the last year at Roosevelt Health Center, our largest community clinic, we have seen over 3,600 patients. One of those patients, Horatio (name changed for anonymity), hadn’t seen a physician in over 20 years, and was distressed by his severe symptoms- he was urinating more than five times a night, and having “accidents” an additional 3-4 times a night- something he was deeply embarrassed to admit. We ordered the appropriate labs on his first visit, and his results were very concerning. We diagnosed him with Diabetes, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), High Cholesterol, and Hypertension. When we told him the news, he didn’t have a reaction at all. Our Clinic Director, Dr. Lauren Salisbury wasn’t sure if he understood how serious it was, but also thought he could be in shock.
Due to his CKD, we were extremely limited on what interventions we could offer him, so he started the lowest amount of medication that he could, monitored his glucose and blood pressure levels at home, and focused mostly on lifestyle modifications. Dr. Salisbury was very worried about him- she had never managed or seen a case with an A1c as elevated as his and wasn’t sure if everything we were doing would be enough.
Horatio surprised us.
At every two-week follow up, his logs improved more dramatically than the previous ones. His initial A1c, an average of his blood glucose (sugar) over the last three months, was greater than 15.5%- a normal A1c is less than 5.7%. When we drew his labs after only three months his A1c was 7%! Most medications can only drop the A1c by maybe 1-2 points in that time frame, not greater than 8 points! After six months, his A1c is now a 5.8%- bringing him into the prediabetic range. He was so excited to see such improvement, and we are now in the process of weaning him off his medications entirely.
His medical student, Nikki, had this to say about working with him:
“This experience underscored the transformative potential of lifestyle changes and our ability to empower patients, without financial strain. Witnessing Horatio’s journey towards a better quality of life was profoundly impactful. It reinforced the value of my education and highlighted the impact I can have on patients’ lives through personalized care and guidance. It was the naturopathic principle of Docere that allowed Horatio to make these changes and iterated the importance of this experience in my own education.”
Horatio was expressed his gratitude for the care he’s received at Roosevelt Health Center:
“I am very grateful to the staff from Roosevelt. I was referred by a family member since I was having a medical problem. Once there the staff was very nice and understanding and explained that the problem, I was having was due to a bigger problem. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and being diabetic. The doctor helped me understand that my numbers were very high and she gave me prescriptions to help me lower my levels. She also provided me with a way to change my lifestyle to better my health. I changed the way I ate and took all the medication they prescribed and suggest that I take. With all the support from the clinic and staff I no longer have to worry as much about high blood pressure and my sugar levels are controlled with the diet I have. The staff has given me the encouragement and support that I need to know that I am making a change to my health.”
We are only able to provide such quality care to patients like Horatio thanks to generous donations through the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit. Your gift provides lab testing and supplies, nutritional support, supplements, and other medical needs for patients at each of our 7 community clinics. Thanks to the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit, you’ll receive your donation back dollar-for-dollar as a credit on your Arizona taxes.