Nancy Tompkins

Becoming non-weight bearing on one foot for three months due to an ankle fusion is a real kicker. Imagine how I felt after rolling around on a scooter, using crutches and a stair-lift to discover it went way wrong. I had my first surgeon (in NH) inform me after 18 painful months that it was a ‘non-union’ and my choices were either to have it redone, heading backward to square one, or wear a metal brace indefinitely (That meant forever because I asked). I tried to be brave about it but my cheeks were like a waterfall.

My only real choice was the first option, but this time I did my research and picked the best hospital, HSS. As soon as I met Dr. Demetracopoulos, my anxiety about going through all of that again switched into confidence that we had come to the right place. Dr. ‘D’ with his mild demeanor, dark hair, tall sturdy stature, and aptitude reminded me of Superman--he proved it when he performed my second operation. He removed extraneous bone that had grown, and replaced the remaining two broken and loose staples with a more secure plate and screws.

It has been eight months since my second fusion, and it is actually healing... I can easily go up and down the numerous steps in our old New England Victorian, take daily walks in the Florida sunshine when we are there, but best of all, I can wear normal shoes again that I’d pushed to the back of my closet for two years while my ankle was the size of a cantaloupe. My daughter-in-law was so impressed with the difference Dr. Demetracopoulos made for me that she is coming from Dallas to have him work on her problem ankle this summer. There is a reason HSS is the best. They pick the right doctors and I was lucky enough to find mine. To me, he just happens to look like Clark Kent.