A little history. I played a lot of soccer when I was young although the root of my ankle problem was the severe sprains I had in my late 30s and 40s (I'm now 72). I had Chrisman-Snook surgery in 1999 to stabilize the ankle but by 2006, the pain was back and my surgeon said I needed a fusion. At age 54, I didn't want my foot locked in one position for the rest of my life and ankle replacements at this time were plagued with inconsistencies and failures. I had been able to effectively manage the pain for 17 years with an ankle brace and anti-inflammatory medications. In October 2023, we had some bad weather, and my ankle pain and swelling went to a new (higher) level. The weather passed but the pain stayed. I now needed a cane (along with the brace and pills) to walk, even around the house.
I knew this day would eventually come. My ankle had collapsed, and the deformity was now at 30 degrees of talar tilt. None of my New Jersey doctors would even attempt a replacement. In an online support group for Total Ankle Replacements (TARs), two places came up again and again as being “the best in the world” - HSS and Duke (NC). I was fortunate to find a surgeon with both hospitals on her resume. Dr. Cody did what none of my doctors said was possible. She replaced my ankle and corrected the deformity in one procedure with a positive outcome. Recovery is rarely linear, and some patients do better than others. Mine was fairly textbook with minimal pain and no surprises.
I'm now a year out from my surgery. Mobility without pain is a blessing and I’m forever grateful to Dr. Cody and her team at HSS for giving me a big part of my life back.
Steve D'Gerolamo
Northern NJ
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