Ammi Medina Guayaquil, Ecuador

 

Dr. Boettner is my blessing. I'm 29 and I had a car accident on 2011 in my country, which resulted in a left knee injury. I had 3 surgeries there and my knee never recovered. I used crutches for 3 years and then I came to USA and I looked a doctor to see my knee. I visited some doctors from good hospitals and they only gave me two options to treat my knee. One of those was to leave my leg stretched for life or amputate it because my injury was very bad. I was 24 years old, a young woman, and those options were very bad for me. I could not believe that those were my only options, so I didn't gave up. I continued looking for more specialists and hospitals, and I found Hospital for Special Surgery.

I had an appointment with Dr. Fragomen, who he told me that my injury it was a big challenge and he thought that Dr. Boettner was going to take it. So immediately I made an appointment with him. When Dr. Boettner saw me, he didn't doubt to take my case as long as I followed his recommendations. He gave me a better option to treat my knee and he did a total knee replacement. That surgery was a wonderful thing that happened to me. I left the crutches and cane in 2 months when I was using it for 3 years, and I was able to do cycle and walk long distances at that time and I got my life back.

These years have been really good. I know the replacement won't last forever (because I am too young and the knee replacement usually lasts 15-20 years) and I will need some treatment in some years, but Dr. Boettner never made me lost hope. He told me that we don't know how science will advance in a few years and we could save my leg of an amputation. I am keeping that hope, but if that is inevitable, I am going to be fine. This year has been a blessing for me. I cannot play basketball and soccer anymore, but I started to do other things like hiking and skating (something I haven't done since I was a little girl). I also have been working with no problems in my leg.

For all that I am, I am deeply grateful for Dr. Boettner and God, because God put Dr. Boettner in my way. I recommend Dr. Boettner blindly because he is a good human and a passionate doctor with great skills. My surgery was really good and painless with a quick recovery following Dr. Boettner's recommendations and the therapy was very important too. Dr. Boettner did a wonderful job. He did not forgot me and located me 2 years later to check me out again to see how I was going on with the surgery. Now it is 4 years since my surgery, and I am still feeling pretty good with my knee replacement and I am so happy for that. Thank you so much Dr. Boettner, God bless you!