Jim spent decades making sure others felt at home. After a long and rewarding career in hospitality management, he knows better than most what it means to take care of people; anticipating needs, solving problems, making the experience seamless. When he retired nearly four years ago, he and his wife turned their attention to the life they had always looked forward to: travel, exploration, and the simple pleasure of a long walk together.
Living on Cape Cod, they found themselves richly situated for that last pursuit. The Cape Cod Canal runs practically in their backyard, with a paved walking and biking path stretching the full length of both sides of the waterway. Rain or shine, they made it their daily routine, a ritual that was as much about connection and fresh air as it was about the miles.
Until the miles started to fight back.
When Every Walk Became a Struggle
Gradually, Jim noticed that his right lower leg was making itself known. What started as occasional discomfort grew into something he could no longer ignore. He couldn’t get far before the pain forced him to stop and rest. Then he’d start again, and the cycle would repeat.
He kept showing up for their walks. His wife, patient and quietly worried, kept pace with him through every slow stretch and every unplanned stop. But Jim knew something was wrong. The man who had spent a career keeping everything running smoothly was struggling to make it down the street.
He decided it was time to find answers.
The Right Referral
Jim first reached out to a podiatrist, hoping to get to the bottom of the leg pain. The podiatrist checked the pulse in both of Jim’s feet and found something concerning; the pulse in his right foot was notably weak. He recommended Jim see a vascular specialist and pointed him toward Dr. Daniel Gorin at The Vascular Care Group in Hyannis.
That referral, made in February 2025, changed everything.
Dr. Gorin confirmed what the podiatrist had suspected. Jim was started on a statin and aspirin to help manage the condition, and the team began monitoring him closely with follow-up appointments. Over time, additional screening pointed to the source of the problem, and an angiogram was performed to get a definitive look. The images told a stark story, a 99% occlusion of the right common femoral artery and a 100% occlusion of the proximal right deep femoral artery, a near-total and total blockage of the two critical vessels responsible for delivering blood flow to Jim’s leg.
It was a serious finding. But it was also a solvable one.
A Procedure That Opened New Doors
In February 2026, Dr. Gorin performed the procedure at The Vascular Care Group’s state-of-the-art facility in Hyannis. First, an atherectomy was carried out, a technique that uses a specialized rotational device to grind down the hardened, calcified plaque that had built up inside the artery walls. This was followed by balloon angioplasty to widen the vessel and restore healthy blood flow. The procedure took a few hours to complete, required no open surgery, and when it was done, there was no evidence of residual stenosis. The arteries were open.
Jim was awake for the entire thing.
He was given medication to help him relax and stay comfortable, and from the moment he walked in until the moment he walked out, he had a dedicated companion by his side, Nurse Jackie, whose attentiveness and warmth made the experience far easier than he had anticipated. He never felt pain. The entire team was professional, courteous, and reassuring throughout.
And then there was the monitor.
“I was able to watch the whole procedure,” Jim says. “It was fascinating.” He notes, with some amusement, that most patients simply sleep through it. Not Jim. That was never really his style.
The Recovery That Surprised Him Most
Jim was instructed to rest on the first day following the procedure. No pain, no discomfort. On the second day, he moved gently around the house, still nothing. By day three, he and his wife stepped outside together for a short walk. He felt no pain at all.
Just before the procedure, he had barely been able to make it to the end of his own driveway.
Now, he and his wife walk up to four miles a day and he says he feels like he could do more.
“I was amazed at how quickly I recovered,” Jim says. “I truly thought this was the end of walking normally for me.”
It was, instead, a beginning.
Care That Makes the Difference
Jim’s story is a reminder that the symptoms of peripheral artery disease, leg pain, or cramping during activity that eases with rest, can quietly worsen over time, gradually shrinking the boundaries of a person’s life. For Jim, it took a perceptive podiatrist, a trusted referral, and the expertise of Dr. Gorin and the team at The Vascular Care Group to get those boundaries back.
He and his wife are back on the Canal path, walking side by side, taking in the water and the open sky. The miles are his again.
Don’t Let Leg Pain Shorten Your Stride
Peripheral artery disease is more common than many people realize, and its hallmark symptom, pain or cramping in the legs during walking that improves with rest, is often mistaken for normal aging or a musculoskeletal problem. Left untreated, it can progressively limit your ability to do the things you love.
At The Vascular Care Group, Dr. Daniel Gorin and the team at the Hyannis office specialize in minimally invasive treatments, performed in a comfortable outpatient setting. Most patients experience rapid improvement and a swift return to their normal activities.
If leg pain is slowing you down, take the first step toward getting back on track. Schedule a consultation with The Vascular Care Group today.