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The Bionic Fisherman
Nothing’s going to come between this avid fisherman and his favorite pastime —
not shoulder surgeries, not cardiac procedures, and not his latest challenge:
a total knee replacement at Jersey Shore.
George Spodak has lived in
Manalapan for the past 40 years
and now splits his time between Jupiter,
Florida, in the winter and New Jersey
for much of the remainder of the year.
But his whereabouts don’t interest
him nearly as much as his passion.
That passion is fishing, and he’s quick
to thank a number of experts at Jersey
Shore University Medical Center for
ensuring that none of his medical
issues have hindered this pursuit.
He’s also quick to share his love
of the sport. With the enthusiasm
of a gifted storyteller, he relates the
intricacies of the thrill of the catch:
the twisting and turning, the strength
and flexibility, the real skill involved
in reeling in a 250-pound bluefin
tuna or an 8-foot swordfish once
it’s taken hold.
A Snag in the Line
But George’s rigorous activity has
precipitated a few injuries over the
years, like a fall on some black ice,
and when you add this to the physical
strain of working in the meat-packing
industry for many years, well, suffice
it to say that George’s body has seen
no small amount of wear and tear.
In addition to having had two
shoulder surgeries in the past, he
has high blood pressure, so he’s
been under the care of Jersey Shore
cardiologist Marc Colmer, M.D.,
for years. Interestingly enough,
it was during a visit about his knee
pain that his physician detected a
cardiac problem that would have
to be attended to first.
George recounts how things
unfolded: "With any major medical
question, I go straight to
Dr. Colmer. For my knee,
I wanted to get surgery three
years ago, but my pre-tests
highlighted some potential
heart issues. That trip led to a
catheterization and three stents
at Jersey Shore, followed by
three months of rehab."
So it wasn’t until last
November that George was
ready to address his knee pain.
That’s when he consulted with
Roy Mittman, M.D., a 30-year
veteran orthopedic surgeon at
Jersey Shore. He and his
partner, Arthur Mark, M.D.,
promptly initiated a treatment
plan for George.
Staying the Course
"We initially treated George
with anti-inflammatory medication
and injections," Dr. Mittman states,
"but that only partially alleviated his
pain. George did not qualify for a
less extensive, unicompartmental knee
replacement because he had significant
arthritis in his patellofemoral joint
as well as considerable mechanical
malalignment of his knee joint. As a
result, we had to realign his knee and
perform a total knee replacement."
George’s number one concern,
his doctors knew, was to have his
pain alleviated. But his dream
was to resume his active lifestyle,
which he was able to do following
Dr. Mittman’s successful surgery.
Trusting in the Teams
Reflecting on his experiences at
Jersey Shore, George says, "I look
at these teams they have, and they’re
excellent. The nurses are tops; they
watch over everything you do. And the
doctors are the best — not only their
expertise, but the personal relationship
I have with each of them. I trust them.
Since my knee replacement, I walk
around like nothing happened. My
whole body is really pain-free for
about the first time in 20 years."
On a final note, George recognizes
the connection between his hobby
and his health: "My friends call me
the bionic fisherman, and that’s what
I like to do. If something is wrong,
I go straight to Jersey Shore. They can
take care of anything, and I wouldn’t
go anywhere else."
 – Ryan Younger
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