New York Police Officer Buys Shoes for Homeless Man

Many of you may have heard about the policeman in New York City that bought a pair of shoes for a homeless man. The reports are saying that the man was out in the freezing cold and had blisters on his feet. What many may not realize is that this small act of kindness may have made all of the difference in the world for this man. As the weather is getting colder, the risk of frostbite is increasing quickly. Frostbite can lead to many complications, but the worst one is amputation. By purchasing shoes for this man, it greatly reduced his risk of frostbite, infection and ulceration of the blisters on his feet.

Frostbite is a condition that sees a sharp increase during this time of year. Many of us start out trying to resist the cold by wearing as little clothing as possible to readjust to the cold weather. For your fingers and toes though, this can be a dangerous game. When your body gets cold, it shuts off the circulation of blood to your fingers and toes. However, it will pulsate on and off allowing blood to come back to your extremities every once in a while to keep them healthy. However, when your body heat drops significantly beneath 98.6 F this system of your body may stop working. When that happens frostbite occurs.

Frostbite is a dangerous condition because you do not know how severe the condition is until your skin thaws out. This is why it is so important that you see a doctor immediately so that your condition can be assessed. Sometimes treating the frostbite involves using a hot water bath or by using antibiotics and bandages if there is blistering. One of the most important things is to make sure you are sufficiently hydrated and to not cool down the area. The body part may feel hot being back in a warm environment but it is important to keep it away from ice and cold air because the thawing and re-cooling cycles do a lot of damage.

So, during the holiday season remember the power that a warm pair of shoes has to protect you from the harsh elements. Also, don't forget the power of a random act of kindness

As we go into this cold winter season, if you or someone you know has an encounter with frostbite, our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Our offices serve the Methuen, Dracut, Reading and Tewksbury, Massachusetts areas. We are also happy to announce our North Andover office. It is located at 451 Andover St. Suite 300, North Andover MA 01845 and we look forward to seeing you there.