We love our patients and feel so fortunately to be a part of this wonderful South Bay Community. We recently sat down with Mary Jo Gagliardi who is recovering from a long overdue ACL/Meniscus replacement surgery to talk about her healing journey. Here’s what she had to say…

What specific type of injury brought you to seek treatment?

I had an old knee injury I kept putting off on fixing because I “didn’t have time” to begin the recovery process.  After leaving a job in corporate America, coupled with COVID, I finally decided to seek out getting ACL/Meniscus replacement surgery.

What has your PT treatment journey been like?

I began PT 5 days after my surgery.  The surgeon told me the recovery would be at least 3-6 months, but I didn’t believe him.  I’m special and thought I would recover quicker!  But Andrew was always very realistic with me.  My PT happened during football season and all these athletes were being sidelined by ACL injuries.  Andrew made it clear to me that “these are professionals, and they are out for the season”.  That was the reality check that I needed to hit home all the work that was ahead for me.  

What challenges did you face in treatment and how long have you been in PT?

I had some tough weeks where I didn’t do the rehab like I was supposed to which slowed my progress, and that was totally on me.  But Andrew never made me feel like a slacker (even though I was!).  I was so impressed by the knowledge and precision of the PT assistants regarding the exercises I was doing.  I always felt like I was in good hands!

Tell us about your positive experience with Davis and DeRosa…

Davis and DeRosa feels like a big family!  You walk in the door and everyone knows your name (even with your mask on), it’s so welcoming!  Chris and Troy, their furry family and the entire staff really care about their clients and the people who come in and out of their offices every day.  They celebrate your wins and accomplishments, but they also support you when you still have more work to do. 

Working on my treatment with the team during COVID was interesting because it was the only “social outing” I had during the fall/winter months.  With all the uncertainty that was happening in the world during that time – the health, social and political climate was off the charts – spending time at Davis and DeRosa talking with Andrew and the rest of the team provided an outlet that I didn’t even know I needed at that time.

During COVID, they were also very focused on health and safety at the clinic.  They were deemed essential workers which I imagine was not easy, but they always managed to put health and safety first!

Chris and Troy put together a team that is incredibly intelligent and engaging.  They focus on results but also have fun along the way!

Thanks, Mary Jo! We are so happy for you and proud to be a part of your journey to recovery!