Adam Gelles

Sometime in early 1997 when I was around 30 years old doing a local theatre production of The Taming of the Shrew, I was closing around with another actor and jumped off the second step of some stairs (about 2 feet). I heard the pop in my left knee and felt pain that was off the charts. That was the start of what was to become a long process of various repairs by 2-3 different local orthopedists including meniscus tears, a lateral release, 2 replaced ACLs, and a staph infection from one of the procedures that nearly cost me my life. I was a volunteer firefighter in North Jersey and was active with my kids. However, I was growing more limited over time. My gait was off and I felt terrible with being limited in my movements.

I saw doctor in NYC around 2003 (before going to HSS) who said I was too young for a knee replacement but was baldly bone-on-bone. He said I was young enough to do a high tibial osteotomy (HTO). That procedure bought me about 12 years where my pain was a bit more manageable but I was still limited in how much activity I could do and the intensity (or lack thereof) I could do. I now had 2 plates and 4 screws holding my knee in such a way that I was not as much bone-on-bone. Being a volunteer fireman was now in my rear view mirror. I wasn’t going into house fires or getting down on my knees let alone be able to support much weight. I relegated to accepting this was my life, regrettably.

The doctor caring for me said, “The time has come to get your knee replaced.” He wasn’t doing knee replacements anymore so I looked locally in Jersey close to home. Or I could have gone to another facility in New York. No one locally would touch me with the hardware I had in.

Then I knew of HSS. I reached out and was referred to Dr. Peter Sculco. My biggest fear was not as much making my knee better. Rather it was my immense fear that the staph infection, which still lives in you a bit I was told, would flare up and I truly feared given the significance of my previous encounter with it. Dr. Sculco really listened and put me at ease that I was going to be OK. I said to him, "Can you do this because no one wants to touch it?" He said, “It is complex, but we can do this.” Dr. Sculco and his team were on top of things and had me on a prophylactic regimen of antibiotics, skin cleaning, and such. He and his team took me through the process. The HSS site and app had me tuned in to information to help me understand and prepare.

Saturday April 2, 2022 was the day I believe. I was nervous but at the same time, all I could think about was being able to be more active again in the theatre, with family and friends and I had an unwavering trust in Dr. Sculco. His team, including Nicole who facilitated all the appointments and tolerated my questions, and Lauren, his NP, was beyond amazing. She put everything at ease with her knowledge and amazing care and others who I wish I could remember better. The anesthesiologist had me laughing with his humor and boy did he ensure I felt nothing giving how nervous I was.

They got me up that night. I stood up a bit groggy. Next morning, they had me walking! Walking down a long hall. BOTH MY FEET WERE POINTING STRAIGHT OUT. Not out to each side. I had no pain doing the walk. After they put me in the room I just paused and cried a bit because all I knew was pain and some defeat.

I’m 54 now and today I saw Dr. Sculco for my one year follow-up. In the exam room I was doing jumps, I could run in place, I could do juke-like moves, and EVEN a light jog. I walk my dogs at least 2-3 miles a day and I could do more. On my very recent 9 day trip to Universal and Disney, we walked 47 miles in those days. I gave Dr. Sculco a hug because his empathy, his competence, and his astonishing talent took me from hope to the mountaintop. I am indebted to him and his team. I am a better man for having met him and his team and would never go anywhere else than HSS because of him and this experience. Thank you, thank you, thank you all.

If you ever have doubts, fears, apprehensions, come talk to me and I’m sure many others who will be glad to tell you why you will be in amazing hands at HSS and my hero, Dr. Peter Sculco and his band of heroes. Thank you for helping me get back to what is most important, my family.