Christine Mertzelos is trying to avoid having her leg amputated.
Twice a week, a hospital van carries her from her home in Wrigleyville to the wound clinic at Humboldt Park Health, where a diabetic ulcer on her ankle is cleaned, treated and dressed. At one point, the ulcer wrapped nearly all the way around her lower leg – a situation that can lead to amputation if not controlled. The ulcer, however, has shrunk significantly.
“This place has been a lifesaver for me,” said Mertzelos, 61. “Without this clinic I don’t know what I would do.”…