As the owner of an East End boatyard, Fred Pickering was on his feet all day. But the arthritis in his right ankle was making that more and more difficult.
“It was bone on bone for years,” said Pickering, 68, owner of Ship Ashore Marina in Sag Harbor. “I literally was almost in a wheelchair. That’s how bad the pain was. The pain on some days was easily a 9 or10. Sometimes if I stepped down the wrong way the leg would fold, and I would just fall.”
He began researching orthopedic surgeons, even traveling to facilities in New York and around Long Island but was not satisfied with what he had found.
“I came back to Sag Harbor and went to my physical therapist. She said that she met orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Yu in Southampton, and he seemed to be a very well-educated surgeon,” he said. “I scheduled an appointment, and when I went to the office visit, he came in with his Physician Assistant, an office nurse, and a radiologist. They’d taken X-rays. I had an in-depth interview with the team, and I recognized that this was the place that was going to do my surgery. I just felt extremely comfortable. It was a no-brainer.”
Dr. Yu showed him the type of prosthetics used in ankle replacement surgery. “They explained the procedure, the preparation and the post-op.”
Mr. Pickering had total ankle replacement surgery on January 9, 2023. His rehabilitation involved “strengthening my muscles which had atrophied after not being used for years. Basically, my right leg was useless, as well as regaining my balance. Balance has been the most challenging thing. Now I can stand on my right foot without much difficulty. Also, improving my joint mobility, which is going extremely well.”
Mr. Pickering said he can now walk without a limp and continues to make progress. “Dr. Yu said don’t be surprised if it takes six months or more. But every day it feels better and better and never at any time do I feel like I’ve gone backwards.”
He had his surgery at Mather Hospital, an experience he said was “absolutely incredible.”
“I’ve been in hospitals many times for emergencies and elective procedures. I’ve never been to a hospital like Mather,” he said. “From pre-op testing to getting ready for surgery to the post-op, everything went incredibly smoothly. I can’t say enough good stuff about Mather.”