Sophie Rouault de Coligny

My name is Sophie. I’m French and I live in Normandy. I have just crossed an atypical experience with Hospital for Special Surgery and I wanted to share it with you.

I had a sport injury six years ago (horse riding). A " simple break of crossed ligaments " was diagnosed at first. But after the first surgery and several weeks of therapy the situation aggravates. Detail the suite of the surgical events would have no interest. In summary I had seven surgeries in France, years of center of rehabilitation separated of my family, without ever noticing an improvement. Why so much stubbornness? We are horse breeders. I made a lot of jumping with my sons.

Since I was a little child sport is my balance of life. Then no way to give up. Until two years ago, no more solution was envisaged by the French doctors. Staying with a brace, sometimes in wheelchair sometimes on crutches. Watching the life passing as a simple spectator: no more sport, no more work, … A situation which could not last any more either for me, or for my family.

The sport was my life preserver. While reading a sports newspaper I discovered an article on a skier who had been seriously injured during a competition. A few months after she made her progressive return in the sport. I said " I want her surgeon ". Hospital for Special Surgery - New York. And I continued my researches on the sport’s accidents.

The following stage was the first appointment in New York. A very professional and very human team welcomed me. Very attentive to my situation and worried of giving me the hope to find an almost normal life. Almost because doctor Andrew Pearle envisaged a complete knee replacement. It was going to oblige me to envisage my sporting career differently. No more jumping but horse riding was not any more banished, to work would not forbidden,… Need for nothing more. So much happiness to share with my husband and my sons.

Return in France. Reflection in family and means of a french surgeon. No more doubt. I took an appointment for the surgery to HSS. Removing material of my leg in France and six weeks after New York here I am!! Even there the welcome making for me was amazing. I stayed three months in New York.

I returned this year to check my knee. The situation was a little complicated because seven surgeries made before the knee replacement left important aftereffects. I stay two months this time. Time to meet HSS Brace Shop. Time to have a new brace produced by Eschen Prosthetics & Orthotics Laboratories. Time to adapt it and to adopt it!!

Andrew Meyers's team and the HSS brace Shop were like a second family for me. Appointment every week for an evaluation of the brace. A permanent contact by phone or by email in case of problem. And the implementation of therapy by Andrew Meyers. The HSS Rehabilitation Center was also fantastic. Therapists worked with me twice to three times by week and gave me most of advices possible before leaving.

The most curious it is that when I left France I always had this small anxiety of the American unknown. By leaving New York I had the anxiety to don’t know how to make without all of HSS… But each of them took care of leaving me their email and phone number; asking me to call up in case of doubt or in case of problem.

I came back at home since three days. Everything goes well. Everybody was able to admire the current progress. I recovered quietly on horseback. The new brace is perfectly adapted and my horse seems accept it perfectly. My big pain is however not being able now to share this enjoyment with my parents, my brother and my husband. But I am sure that where they are they whisper to me "another won part!!"

Hospital for Special Surgery and all actors of my folder:

- Dr Andrew Pearle and his nurse Kathleen Kane;

- Andrew Meyers, Hary Kafedzic and all the team of HSS Brace Shop;

- Eschen Prosthetics & Orthotics who produce the brace;

- each therapist of HSS Rehabilitation Center who worked with me: Marlene Alcanes, Lauren E Alix, Randall Pifer, and all others whose I don't know the name (sorry for them)

I want to say an immense and sincere thank you.

Words are not sufficient to express you my gratitude for all that you made. You gave a new sense to my life and you offered me a new future. There’s no price for this!! Thanks to all. And see you next year for the annual check.