My name is Lawerence Matt; I go by Larry Matt. My partner and I run a restaurant here in St. Joe and we have for 32 years: The Cabbage Roll, a german restaurant. Very good, excellent food. I cook all the time and Andy helps me cook.
What were your symptoms? How did they affect your daily life?
I could hardly walk. I started with a cane, walking with a cane. Then I went to a walker, then I went to a wheel chair. I just couldn’t get around, period. And so I went to the hospital here in St. Joe, they sent us to Kansas City, then they sent us to Mayo [Clinic] in Rochester [MN]. They told me ‘The only thing you can do is go home and do physical therapy’. And I did physical therapy for like a month, which it helped a little bit, but I still couldn’t get around the way I knew I should be able to get around.
How did you hear about Alsara Vein Clinic?
So, then Bill and Sharon Luce told me about the doctor, [Dr.] Gupta, and said ‘They’ve done wonders with my legs. Why don’t you go try them?’ So I did, and this is the first place that ever did anything. It just was wonderful.
How did you feel during and after your treatment?
The first time he worked on my legs… I never could walk [before]. I had to go and use the scooters in stores and that, and after he did the first treatment, we went to Sam’s Club – I walked the whole store; went to Walmart – I walked the whole store. Of course, I was exhausted, but at least I could do it! And that was wonderful.
What was your first impression of Alsara Vein Clinic?
Out here was really the first time anybody actually said something was wrong. Nobody ever told me anything was wrong [before], and I knew something was. After the first consultation, it was just wonderful, you know, he’s so personable. He’s really a nice guy.
How did you feel during and after your treatment?
Well, during the procedure, I was skeptical to say the least. And then I said ‘Well, what are you going to do? How exactly are you going to do these veins in my legs’? And, so, he told me and, you know, I thought ‘well, that’s kinda goofy what you have to do to ‘em’ [laughs]! But it was great. I mean, he put some glue [VenaSeal™] in some of them, and put… [laughing] he had this can of stuff [Varithena®], foam stuff, and I said ‘hell, that foam stuff, I can go to Lowe’s and get a can of that stuff you spray for your house for cracks, ha ha ha!’
I had some pain, but not much. It was really, really kinda painless almost compared to some of the other stuff [other] people wanted to do, but it was fine. There wasn’t a lot that had to be done, really, for after-treatment care. I mean, I’d just… I’d come back here and they’d check me over [with ultrasound] and everything was fine. Yeah, after it was finished, we went to… and I walked the whole store – I didn’t need to use a cane, a walker, or my wheelchairs. It was really wonderful just walkin’ around, not having to… I mean, I love the scooters, though; they’re fun… but I didn’t have to use any of them, that was the best part. If I needed to, I had them all, but I didn’t have to use them.
How would you describe Dr. Gupta?
Dr. Gupta’s very professional and he knows what he’s doing. He explains everything to you; with a lot of doctors, they really don’t do that anymore. But, yeah, he’d stand there or sit there and he would explain to me what he was going to do, which I like that, and he had monitors that you could watch what he was doing. It was really, really nice.
What was your impression of the staff at Alsara Vein Clinic?
Oh, your staff is wonderful. They treat you like family. They’re really great. Kati, she’s kinda goofy, ha ha ha, but she’s good, ha ha ha! But, yeah, your staff is wonderful.
How did you feel after your treatment?
This is the only place that they’ve actually helped me, was here with Dr. Gupta at your vein clinic. I mean, nobody else really helped me do something with my legs except Dr. Gupta. I finally got answers as to why this is going on with my legs, so that was great, too.
How have the treatments changed your life?
The treatments have changed my life. I’m able to walk and do things I couldn’t do over a year ago. I can walk, I can do… I can’t dance yet, but I never could dance, so [laughs] that didn’t help much! But, ah, no, it was great.
How was your insurance coverage?
I never had a single problem with insurance coverage, not a bit. They just take care of it. Well, because I have a primary which is Medicare, and then I have my supplement, And, no, there have never been any questions with the insurance at all. So that’s wonderful, too [laughs].
Would you recommend Alsara Vein Clinic to family or friends?
Oh, yes, I’ve mentioned it to everybody that has something wrong with their legs to come out here. At least get a [free] consultation, you know. But I know they can do wonders for you.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
The best thing about Dr. Gupta is that he explains everything to you. Not like some doctors that don’t do that. And he said ‘Your veins in your legs are just like highways, where you have some that have off-ramps’ – all kinds of stuff like that – ‘and we’re going to block it off, and in this vein, we’re going to put stuff in [VenaSeal™] so that it starts coming out this vein.’ The way he explained it ‘like a highway’ you can understand what he means, and that was great that way. He explains everything to you – I like that. And he knew right away what the heck was wrong [with my legs]. Well, how come one doctor knows that, and none of these other doctors know anything about it? So, I came out here [to Alsara Vein Clinic] and been out here ever since – not going to anybody else, ha ha ha ha ha!
I was at the doctor’s office and I’d seen something about “veins,” and you’re like ‘Really? Veins can have a… ?” You know, you just don’t think that there’s an issue. And the more I read, then I asked my doctor, and she sent me here to you guys [Alsara Vein Clinic].
My name is Katrina Brown. I enjoy spending time with my family. I enjoy walking - even more so now that I’ve had treatment on my legs.
I am a Dietary Manager. I work a lot of hours. I’m on my feet constantly, all day long. I have a couple of daughters.
