People in Marion’s neighbourhood in Hull, UK, recognise her for two things: her dog, Archie and her pink hair. In fact, perfect strangers stop her to compliment her on it. Marion credits her parents for giving her a positive outlook on life, “My mum and dad told me never to give up. So, I’m the sort of person that gets on with anything life throws at me. I just manage.”

Marion's wound

The surgical wound on Marion’s foot healed slowly. She was in a lot of pain and experienced considerable neuropathic pain. It felt like needles were going into her skin. To help the wound heal, medical staff would debride the wound, but that only increased Marion’s pain and discomfort. And she wasn’t a big fan of the scalpel. The wound also started to smell, and Marion would worry that others could smell it as well.

The turning point came after Marion was reassessed at a local podiatry clinic. The staff discovered that her pain was due to an infection. They used Biatain® Silicone Ag, which provided a combination of silver to manage the infection, and a flexible dressing that could conform to the wound, was easy to handle and more comfortable for Marion to wear. The staff also prepared her wound using Alprep® Pad, which increased her comfort level and helped keep the wound clean.

Now the infection has been managed, the wound is healing better, and Marion is in a far better frame of mind. “I thought I’d have that gaping wound forever, but it’s really closing up now. And I’m pleased; I’m just really happy to be honest.” She’s determined to take care of herself, keep her diabetes under control and, hopefully, move into a bungalow. With Archie, of course.