Our Patients

Dr. Fish performed surgery on my rotator cuff in 1997. It was a huge success, and my shoulder is still great to this day. He was my hero then… however, that was not the end of the story!
I had been very sick since October 2019. My PCP, after three visits, said, “I’m done with you!” and dismissed me. “You have asthma. Go see a pulmonologist,” he said. I had already been to multiple doctors and had several ER visits for four months straight. They all said asthma, bronchitis, COPD, or some variation of all of the above. I was even told I might have Mercer. Of course, all they had to hear was my dad had Mercer, so of course, I got it. They even went so far as to say it was all anxiety. Mind you. I was never tested for any of these things except for the flu, which came up negative!
My symptoms were out of breath, tiredness, and a chronic cough. That was it! By February, I had had enough. Just as all this was coming to a head, someone by accident slammed into me while they were rushing around in the restaurant we were at, and I was in pain. Did it cause me to break something? I didn't know, so I called my trusted surgeon Dr. Fish and made an appointment. When I saw Dr. Fish, he took an x-ray, and it showed nothing. He wasn't going to leave it at that and sent me to get an MRI as well. Before we left the exam room, I did mention how I had been feeling and had seen several doctors since October. He turned to me, sincerely looking at me, and said, "I will find out why you don't feel well." I immediately thought to myself, "he's an orthopaedic doctor, not a PCP. Why would he tell me that?" In retrospect, I was grabbing at straws because none of the other doctors really cared to help me. None of the doctors went the extra mile to really find out what was going on with their patient.
That day I had an MRI done, then they directed me to have a CAT scan with dye because they saw something. Within 10 minutes of walking in from that appointment back home, I got a phone call from Dr. Fish. He told me to go straight to the ER. The scans showed a mass in my pulmonary artery.
I went straight to the ER. Unfortunately, the first thing the doctors at Danbury Hospital said was that they had never seen anything like what I had, and they really didn't know what it was. They also said they couldn't help me.
After much drama and a few weeks, we did find the correct hospital, which was the University of Pennsylvania. What we found out was I had a tumor in my left pulmonary artery called a Leiomyosarcoma, stage III cancer. Now I'm going through chemo and taking care of the real challenge that should have been diagnosed months earlier.
What I love most about Dr. Fish is he listened! He went outside the box of being an orthopaedic surgeon. He did not stop. He treated me as a person and took care of the whole patient in front of him. Oh, and by the way, he also found I had fractured my back, and since time had passed, it healed on its own. Dr. Fish is my hero! I have the highest respect for him, and I owe him my life. It is because of Dr. Fish I am here to tell the story today. Thank you, Dr. Fish, and my family thanks you!

- Deborah F.

On October 1st, 2020, Dr. Gupta and his team performed a total hip replacement of my right hip. Prior to the operation, the pain was almost unbearable. Immediately after the operation, the pain was gone. It is now January 10th, 2021, and life is great. I am able to do everything I used to do. I want to say “Thank You” to Dr. Gupta and his team for a job well done. Also, everyone in the office was kind, courteous, and professional, from the receptionists to the checkout crew. My advice to the Doctors is: don’t lose these people; they make your office run smoothly.

- Joseph C.

Dr. Fish has accomplished a knee arthroscopy (torn meniscus) on both of my knees as well as microfracture surgery (torn cartilage and meniscus) on both of my wife’s knees. Each time we have returned to physical activity stronger and healthier. Dr. Fish is among the most technically skilled Doctors we have encountered. He is clearly one of the best, if not the best Orthopedic Doctor in the Northeast and likely the country. This is evidenced by his role as a gatekeeper for Orthopedic Surgeons seeking Board Certification. It would be in anyone’s best interest to avail themselves of his talent, especially if they want a worry-free outcome. In addition to his skill, Dr. Fish is friendly and dedicated to his patients' comfort and care. Despite a “mill-like” mentality in healthcare these days, Dr. Fish and his staff excel in ensuring their patients are healthy and happy. I hope we never need another orthoscopic surgery, but if we do, Dr. Fish will be our Doctor.

- Jeffrey and Kelley T.

Label me satisfied. 100%.

- Michael M.

Dr. Fish is the best of the best! He has been caring for my family’s orthopedic problems for many years, from simple Cortisone shots to complicated surgeries to repair fractures. The staff, including PT experts, are all great. Would never go any place else for our ortho needs.

- Carol T.

Dr. Gupta performed arthroscopic knee surgery for me on April 26th, 2017. I am so pleased with the GREAT job he did. I only had very slight pain for about a day, and from then on, it just gets better every day. There was a little stiffness in the first few days, which is very quickly going away. I can walk a normal heel to toe with no pain. I did exactly as instructed, which was to not stress the knee too much and to ice it three times a day. I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Gupta. He is a wonderful surgeon, and I would recommend him to anyone. You will be in good hands.

- Gail N.

Dr. Gupta is the very best in knee replacement surgery! Thank you!

- Natalie F.

After a lot of trial and error, I found Dr. Fish he was fantastic. After three specialists, he was the first to take his time and explain to me exactly how MY KNEES worked, not someone else’s. This allowed me to make the best, educated decision on the next steps. You can research all you want, but it’s important to know how you work, as every person is unique.

- Jamie M.

I highly recommend Dr. Paz! In treating my mom, he was exceptional in what matters most in a doctor. He has a big heart and is compassionate & caring. It was great to have a confident doctor dedicated to helping a senior feel her best. He is knowledgeable & thorough in his explanations & takes time to listen. His staff exhibits the same level of professionalism. They are friendly & patient. You leave feeling more like family than a patient.

- Rosanne P.

Dr. Daher took care of me with my meniscus tear this past year! He did a wonderful job with explaining what the surgery involves and did it with care. Thank you Dr. Daher!

- Jennifer F.

Starting with my first call to schedule an appointment, I have received nothing but courteous, friendly, and professional care from everyone in the office. Dr. Daher explained my rotator cuff issue in simple, easy-to-understand terms. He explained everything that I could expect from the pre-surgery testing to the post-surgery follow-up. I recently completed my fourth, and final, post-operative office visit, and the quality of my care has been consistently excellent throughout. I would happily recommend Dr. Daher and his staff to anyone needing orthopedic care.

- Michael O.

I went to two different doctors before seeing Dr. Gupta. I was not happy with the others. They were both a little full of themselves. Dr. Gupta took the time to explain everything I needed to know about the surgery. He made me feel like I was the only patient in the office. The entire staff at Orthopedic Specialists treated me the same way. They are all friendly, professional, and courteous. A special shout-out to the Surgical Coordinator. She never lost her cool as she scheduled my surgery, called back to change the date, then called back and changed it back to the original date, all within two days. Thank you for that. I would highly recommend Orthopedic Specialists.

- David C.

Dr. Gupta is the only physician I’d want for any orthopaedic concern. He not only explained the mechanics of arthritis in my left hip, but he also showed me the x-rays of both hips so that I could clearly see the condition of my arthritic affected hip. He’s exceptional in that he genuinely listened to my questions and concerns and went on to answer in ways I could understand. The Office Staff provided excellent, friendly, and efficient service and made me feel cared for and respected. Everyone in the practice deserves to be commended!

- John D.

Dr. Gupta was my surgeon for both of my hip replacements. My right side was done in December 2015, and my left side was done in October 2016. He and the ENTIRE staff at OSC are FANTASTIC!! I have had other Orthopaedic surgeries (knee & foot) before finding Dr. Gupta. OSC is second to none! Just had my 6-month follow-up and do not need to come back for another two years. I will actually miss my visits to this office. You will NEVER find better doctors, x-ray techs, front desk, check out desk, PAs, nurses, billing staff, etc., anywhere!!!! Thank you, OSC. I am truly grateful to you all!!!!!

- Lori E.

Our daughter is a Division I gymnast who has been treated by Dr. Fish since the age of 7. She had a serious knee injury in 2016, which required two surgeries, and thanks to Dr. Fish, a wonderful person, and an amazing surgeon, she is back eight months later as a competitive gymnast. Could not be where she is without him!

- Kim S.

I have been going to this practice for many years. I used to see Dr. Nipper until he retired, and now I see Dr. Fish, and he is the best! He takes his time with you and explains in detail what the problem is, and gives options on how to treat it. He has excellent bedside manners.

- Dawne K.

I couldn’t walk without pain in both my knees until Dr. Gupta replaced both of them for me. Now, a few years later, I’ve trekked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro…..at 65!

- Michael W.

In the U.S., an estimated twenty percent of baby boomers will develop some form of osteoarthritis. When it develops on the knee as we age, the cartilage and menisci become stiffer and less flexible and become prone to even the slightest injury.
Last spring, sixty-six-year-old Valerie Ward of Redding went on a regular three-mile walk with a friend when suddenly something happened within her right knee, and she was unable to continue. A highly-motived media sales account executive for Cablevision, Ward rested her knee for a few days; however, the swelling and stiffness made it painful to walk or sleep comfortably, so she made an appointment with an orthopedic specialist.
“Upon meeting Dr. Gupta, I felt very much at ease,” said Ward. “I left reassured because he was 95 percent confident that I would be eligible for a minimally-invasive robot-assisted MAKOplasty partial knee replacement procedure instead of total knee replacement surgery.”

New Hips Fuel Passion for Horseback RidingWith her 70th birthday approaching, Patricia Weiner was determined to let nothing interfere with her longtime passion for riding horses – including chronic pain caused by arthritis in both hips. Before having surgery, she tried everything, including Deca steroids alternative, to try and prevent having to go through such a major surgery.

Total Knee and Total Hip Replacement Recipient“Now I’m the fun grandma!” laughs Ruth. “That’s what I want to be – the one who can chase after my grandson and do fun things with him.” But not so long ago, Ruth struggled to even walk.
Ruth had a pronounced limp due to the pain in her hip and knee. She commuted daily from her home in Connecticut into Manhattan for work, and remembers clinging onto the handrails in Grand Central Station to pull herself up the stairs.
“People had to pass me because I was so slow and in agonizing pain. I used to get to work exhausted just from the commute.” When her grandson was born, “I finally said, this is crazy, I can’t even play with my grandson.”
That’s when Ruth’s rheumatologist recommended a hip and knee replacement surgeon. “When I met him, he was very knowledgeable,” Ruth remembers. They scheduled a hip replacement for January 2008 and a knee replacement for exactly six weeks later, in February. She was 56.
“My recovery was amazing. The other patients at rehab told me that I was their inspiration.” Ruth says she and her grandson actually learned to walk together.
“He was just starting to learn, and I was just re-learning how to walk properly – heel, toe, heel, toe. I hadn’t been able to do that in four years.” After about eight weeks, Ruth was walking normally again. People who haven’t seen her in a while are amazed when they see her walking without limping. “It’s been night and day,” she says.
Ruth took an early retirement and is going to care for her grandson during the day until he begins preschool. “Now I can pick up my grandson; I can pull him around the yard; I can chase after the ball with him – I’m the fun grandma! It’s great.”
She and her family have a Disneyworld vacation planned for this December. “There was no way I could have done that before,” says Ruth. Then she laughs and jokes, “You’ve had your two surgeries, and what are you doing now? I’m going to Disneyworld!”

Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System RecipientTom has always led an active life. He’s worked as a delivery driver for 24 years, hopping in and out of trucks and carrying packages. For years he was a runner – he ran the NY marathon twice. And he is a black belt in Tae Kwan Do.
But about 10 years ago, at age 43, Tom broke down at mile 17 of the Hartford Marathon. He powered through to the finish, but he had to walk some.
“Something’s not right,” he thought. An X-ray revealed arthritis in his hip. His doctor said that if Tom were in his 50s or 60s, he’d recommend a hip replacement. But it was too early, at the time.
Over the next ten years, Tom noticed his flexibility slowly decreasing and his Tae Kwan Do kicks getting lower. “When you’re a black belt, and you’re trying to show a child how to do a side kick, and you can’t even do one, that’s frustrating.” Running was a struggle, too, “By the end, I couldn’t even run a quarter of a mile. The two big things I liked to do, I couldn’t really do anymore.”
That’s when a friend who worked at Tom’s doctor’s office mentioned a new doctor at the practice. The doctor was offering a brand new technique called hip resurfacing. Tom remembered reading about resurfacing a few years earlier, before it was approved in the US. “I remember my wife saying, ‘you know, if you can hold on, this sounds like you.”
Then he met a martial artist who had his hip resurfaced. The two “swapped war stories,” and what he heard gave Tom hope that hip resurfacing could help him enjoy his favorite activities again. Tom met with the new doctor and scheduled surgery for August 2007, at age 53.
Tom was practicing Tae Kwan Do again by October 2007, two months after his surgery. He started slowly, at first, just doing light kicks in the air. But he noticed an improvement every month. “At a year, I really saw the difference. Now I’ve got the flexibility back. I can rotate my hips.” He’s also running again. “I go out about three times a week and run two or three miles. And I run on the treadmill at the gym.”
Tom’s physical recovery is remarkable. But he stresses that the surgery has repaired more than just his hip. When he couldn’t do what he wanted to, it was mentally frustrating as well as physically frustrating. To him, “the biggest thing” now is having his quality of life back.

This male patient’s hip deteriorated over time from when he simply felt sore after a game of golf to the point where he couldn’t even put on a sock without great discomfort. His hip caused him to constantly limp while walking, it interfered with his work, and he couldn’t go out with his family.

Fortunately, after what he describes as a wonderful “life-altering procedure” under Dr. Sanjay K. Gupta’s care, he was able to do all the things he missed doing. He was walking the day after his surgery, and after physical therapy was able to walk freely without a cane.