More Patient Stories
Pat O'Connor
Ankle Sprain
Pat O'Connor, a firefighter based in Chelsea, Massachusetts, is no stranger to physical challenge. He says his ability to stay on the job, despite injuries, is a testament to the care he has received at New England Baptist Hospital.
In 2001, Mr. O'Connor suffered a severe ankle sprain while responding to an alarm. Physical therapy at the Baptist put him back on his feet just before he was dispatched to the World Trade Center, where he spent several days at ground zero as part of Boston's 120-member FEMA team. "We were working on rough terrain, but my ankle was fine," he says.
Fighting fires back in Boston, he tore his rotator cuff on two different occasions, and he returned to the Baptist. "I have faith in them," he says. Geoffrey Van Flandern, MD, performed each of the surgical repairs-the last one in time for Mr. O'Connor to participate in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Today his health is fine, which means he can enjoy playing with his three active children. He is grateful to the Baptist. "I can't say enough about those people," he says. "The physical therapy staff encouraged me, and they pushed me. Dr. Van Flandern has been wonderful. They are the best."