“Hi everyone, my name is Jimmy and I’m from Spring Hill. My story starts a long time ago when I was a young man and I had a very specific varicose vein in my left leg that I noticed during martial arts. I had been in the martial arts since I was nine years old. It was a little bit unsightly so I was always self-conscious of it.

As I grew older, I was always in the business world so I always had long pants on. But I always remember, as a young kid, the kids in the neighborhood pointing at my leg and making a little bit of fun so it was a little uncomfortable back then.

As I got into different fields, I was in long pants for many many years but I could always feel it. I always had that sense of that heavy leg and the burden of having to feel that all the time.

As I got older, I got a little more free time to myself and I started to wear shorts more and I found that every time I was out and about, I would always have my hand on my leg, or I would cross my leg, always covering up those huge varicose veins on my leg that had gotten bigger and bigger. To say the least, it was very embarrassing and very unsightly.

I didn’t have much pain with it but my vanity kind of took over and I was really interested in finding out something.

The field I’m in now is the Chiropractic field and I meet a lot of people in the communities and one day not too long ago, I came across some people from The Vein and Vascular Institute of Spring Hill, and as they say, the rest is history. But it took me awhile, I was afraid of it. I was afraid of the whole procedure. I didn’t want to go through all the pain and all the stuff that I thought would happen. Later, to come find out it was nothing like what I thought.

The receptionist here, Jackie and I attended some events together in our community and finally she said “Jimmy, it’s time to come in.” So I made my appointment hesitantly and I did come in. I came in and I had my consultation with vascular surgeon Dr. Valentin. It was different because I was so uncomfortable but she put me so at ease. It was almost surreal because I was not afraid anymore.

I was willing to show her the leg that had pained me and that I was so vain about for so many years. Little by little she took her little measurements and told me what was going to happen, and instead of being self-conscious about it, I was actually starting to get excited about getting the laser vein treatment procedure done, which I did.

So the first time I came in it was kind of interesting, they did the first ultrasounds to make sure I was okay.

Then I came in for the varicose vein laser surgery. Of course I was scared because there was quite a lot…if you see my before and after pictures you will be amazed.”

“There was quite a lot to do and she did the top part of one leg. It was a long procedure, it was a couple of hours, but for me anything is long. At the end of it, when I was all wrapped up and I left there was a little pain, but no pain like I imagined. In my mind I thought it was going to be the end of the world and it was not. I actually walked right out of the vein clinic. I got a ride home.

My leg was immobile for a couple of days, and then it happened. For the first time, I got to take those bandages off and I was shocked because that thing that had traveled with me my whole life, that big varicose vein was gone. There was a lot of bruising and wasn’t the easiest thing to go through but all in all, the amazement of not having that anymore was interesting.

Then I came back and had another laser vein removal procedure. After those two vein removal procedures I get to this point where I sit before you now. It’s funny, every time I come here and I talk to them and I talk to them it feels like they are my family now because they have taken me from this horrible leg to where I’m okay.

The funny part is that, not so long ago, I went to a baseball game and I wore shorts and I found myself not sitting with my hands over my leg anymore. I could see that it was healed. I still have a little bit of bruising but now I feel like a man, I feel like I’m whole again. I feel like I can walk out into public with shorts on and that is all because of the Spring Hill Vein and Vascular Institute, vascular surgeon Dr. Valentin and the fine staff here. They took the time to take me through the process. They did it. They promised what was going to happen and it did happen.

So I sit before you today, Jimmy, right here in Spring Hill, telling you that this is the answer for me and I would recommend it to anyone. In fact if they want to call this office and give them my personal number, I will do that. I will take your call and tell you what I really went through. With that being said, try it. Do what you have to do, but this is the place. For me, this was nothing less than a miracle. Dr. Valentin…amazing. The staff…I can’t say enough. The facility…perfect.

So, if you’re thinking about it, if you even want to try it, do it, just go. Come here and see it. They take all insurances, everything was made so easy for me to come through this process. They were more worried about me getting better, feeling better than the other part of it.

I sit here a total believer today because of what’s happened here. So I sit here with total confidence. I’m telling you, if you’re thinking about it, by all means, try it.

One thing I did find out when I got here that was important, although I thought I knew everything (you only know what you know). When I got here I had all the answers, I thought it would be a simple surgery but when Dr. Valentin sat me down and we talked about the ramifications of putting something like this off. Most people say, “Oh, I’ll do it tomorrow, I’ll do it tomorrow.” And I did more tomorrows than I should have and I didn’t realize that I had put myself at risk.

I was very happy that I got here when I did because varicose veins can lead to blood clots, blood clots…you know what can lead to…that can take a trip to your heart or to your brain and that can be fatal. So, as much as I am so glad that I did get the endovenous laser ablation procedure done, which I can’t tell you how glad I am, it was also an awakening to you and other people that watch this to come in and do this. It’s something you don’t put off. The older we get, the more susceptible we are for that blood clot to travel.

Being in the medical business, I’ve seen what can happen from that and it’s terrible. With that being said, come in and try this. Come in and see what’s going on. As I first sat there and Dr. Valentin, who was wonderful with me, and she really got that serious look on her face and told me that this, in the future, could have led to my death or worse, I was really shocked and I’m so glad that I got it done because my leg has changed. I can’t even go in to how different I feel and how much better I feel about myself.

Earlier today, we were looking at the before pictures of myself and I was so shocked that I was actually saying, “Oh my gosh that’s horrible!” And I had met a young lady here that just knows me the way I am and had never seen my leg and she said “Wow, that’s crazy!” So, please don’t put it off. These vascular diseases can cause blood clots which could end up with your death. So, please, if you have the means, come in.

They can help you with anything you want, from insurances to whatever. They have the answers for everything. They’ll make it so easy for you to come in here and get yourself to where I’ve gotten today…which is a much, much happier man. Thank you.”