Chad, a 30 year-old man from California who
had his ankle replaced in November, 2000:
" How am I doing?
I couldn’t be better! I have a whole new lease on life
thanks to my new pain-free ankle. I’ve lost 30 pounds
and have resumed by bodybuilding activities, I have gone on
vacations to Hawaii and California, I’ve bought a new
mountain bike and I go to the hills for hours at a time. I
now go to sporting events and I can park far away (just because
I can walk now!) and I can climb the stairs to the “cheap
seats”. I am able to go out for lunch and walk anywhere.
I’ve even danced the night away in San Francisco several
times! The list goes on and on. Things that most people take
for granted are big milestones for me. Each morning I still
wake up and take the first step and cringe in anticipation
of pain…then I realize that “I’m fixed”
and laugh at my virtually pain-free life!"
Barbara, a 60 year-old woman from West Virginia:
"Prior to surgery,
I could not stand long enough to prepare a simple meal due
to ankle pain. Now I am beginning to walk and stand with no
pain. I’ve found that massaging the ankle helps to keep
scar tissue to a minimum. I also exercise my legs and back
to keep muscle tone and strength."
Jean, a 44 year-old woman from Pennsylvania
came to South Mountain Orthopaedic Associates in New Jersey
to undergo a Buechel-Pappas Total Ankle Replacement:
" I want to let you
know how great my right ankle is doing 20 months after my
total ankle replacement. I am back to walking 2-3 miles, 3
or 4 times a week, and I am able to go dancing with my husband
again. Best of all, I am able to drive again. We just returned
from a cruise, which before my surgery I would have never
attempted to do. I walked on the beaches and danced every
night. I was a bit skeptical before the surgery. I had been
told by so many other doctors that they only help for me would
be to fuse the ankle. That just seemed too final to me. The
surgery has returned me back to a normal life again. No crutches,
canes, braces, and wheelchairs. Thank you so much for all
of your help and expertise. Who knows where I would be without
you!"
