Kathy Maus

Lilly and William and Alyson and Brendan may not fully comprehend it yet, but their grandmother Kathy Maus credits the ACV staff with more precious time she has these days to spend with her beloved foursome.

Kathy, a lifelong native of the Muskegon area, graduated in 1966 from Muskegon Catholic Central, then spent nearly two years in college before joining the work force. She was employed first at a store and then in a factory setting. “A solid, Catholic, blue-collar upbringing,” she says goodheartedly.

She and husband Steve went together for two years before marrying in 1975 and having two children – Andy and Dana – both of whom married and provided two grandkids each. “We’ve been as busy as we can be with them, given COVID-19, and the fact Andy and his family recently moved to North Carolina,” Kathy relates.

The Mauses have enjoyed life’s simple pleasures together most recently from their home in Fruitport Township. But in 2010, a physician’s assistant caring for her discovered “that I wasn’t getting good pulse in my legs,” Kathy says. The culprit: Peripheral artery disease, brought on in part, says Kathy, by a 30-year addiction to cigarettes, which she kicked some 25 years ago.

Kathy’s PA, she says, “had heard of Dr. Mustapha, and I was sent to him as one of his first patients. I know now that had he sent me anywhere else, they would have amputated. But Dr. Mustapha performed a series of procedures on my legs, restroing blood flow and my legs are feeling much better.”

Of Dr. Mustapha and his staff, Kathy says, “I call them my saviors.”

Kathy’s condition changed again in late 2019, when she began experiencing painful sores on her legs and feet. Again, she consulted with Dr. Mustapha and staff, and underwent another series of treatments, and traces those to the likelihood that “I still have my legs.” With help from a wound clinic and Steve as caregiver, the sores are healing.

Kathy and Steve are convinced – and her PA concurs –had Kathy not seen Dr. Mustapha a decade ago, “I would have at least lost part of all of my left leg, which is the one that gives me the most problems,” she says.

Her advice to others who face amputation as a possible outcome: “Make an appointment and go to ACV. I am singing their praises wherever I go. And that’s because they never give up – never, never, never.”

With Dr. Mustapha and his staff, says Kathy, “I’m never a number or just another patient. They make me feel as though I’m family.

“I thank God they’re taking care of me.”