Matthew Neer

I am in the 8th grade and am active in basketball and baseball. During the fall of 2014, a teacher in my school noticed my left leg was bowling outward. After meeting with Dr. Emily Dodwell at HSS, it was discovered that I had a growth plate injury in my left upper knee that resulted in the plate closing, which resulted in my knee bending out. This was something that had to be corrected or my condition could worsen, causing much larger issues down the road. I was scheduled for surgery in December. My surgery involved having my femur sawed through and realigned, and then having a steel plate inserted for support. I also had to have the growth plates in my right leg sealed so that both my legs would grow at the same pace. The recovery was very painful, but with Dr. Dodwell, the therapists, the nurses, and all of the staff at HSS helping me through it, I was able to eventually walk on my own. The staff really took a personal care in my recovery, and I will never forgot them. It was one of the toughest events of my life. In the spring of 2015, I was able to return to play baseball for my school and town, and had one of the best seasons of my young career. I look forward to playing in high school and feel that I am stronger than ever. I just want to thank Dr. Dodwell and the staff at HSS for taking such great care of me!