Mark Jaffee

At the time of my injury, I was 15 years old and a goaltender for my high school soccer team. I charged out to stop the opposing forward on a breakaway. I deflected the ball away from his foot, and instead of kicking the ball, he kicks my lower leg, breaking both bones. I underwent surgery the next morning to set my leg. When I woke up, everyone noticed that the cast is a bit bowed, but the doctors advised that it is because I am bowlegged, and my leg will emerge in great shape. That did not happen. Being young, I slogged through the sports I loved, even though my leg was obviously crooked. One of the big disappointments was my inability to ice skate or ski from that time on (could not get an edge).

At various times since, I met with doctors to see if anything could be done, but they always warned that the surgery risk outweighed the benefit. Fast forward to 2018. I was having great stress in the ankle and it was impossible to walk without pain. So, I began the research again to find a doctor, and discovered the world-renowned Dr. S. Robert Rozbruch at HSS. Once my wife and I met with him in early 2022, we knew he was "the man”! It was a fairly complex surgery in December 2022. It involved re-breaking the tibia and fibula, straightening them out and also realigning the ankle. Recovery took a few months to include a great local therapy team. Bottom line, one year later, I am doing very well. Walking generally pain-free. We moved into a 4-story house and I don’t mind the stairs at all. I find them therapeutic. My dog loves the fact we can do 2-3 mile walks each day. It has literally changed my life by making an active life, which I so enjoy, a reality once again. My wife Joyce and our daughters love it because I’m not whining in pain all the time anymore! Thanks so much to Dr. Rozbruch and his great team at HSS who have made such a difference in my life.