Ana’s Story

Back in 1964, I spent more than a month at Sister’s Hospital in Buffalo, NY. I was pregnant and hemorrhaging when Dr. Joseph John Ricotta saved my life. My baby passed away but I know I have an Angel up there. Dr. Joseph John Ricotta treated me like I was his only patient. For over a month, he took care of me and after I was discharged in late March 1964, he would call me to see how I was doing.

Fast-forward 54 years later and his grandson, Dr. Joseph John Ricotta II, treated me in Delray Beach, FL for peripheral arterial disease which causes blockages in the arteries of the legs. Dr. Joseph John Ricotta II, the vascular surgeon I see today in Delray Beach, performed lower extremity angiograms on both legs with stenting and ballooning. Without Dr. Joseph Ricotta I, the grandfather, Dr. Joseph John Ricotta II aka Dr. Joseph Ricotta, the grandson and God, I wouldn’t be here.

Recently, I developed pains in my legs and I went to the doctor and they referred me to Dr. Joseph Ricotta in Delray Beach. I never even thought of the name until I saw Dr. Joseph Ricotta’s features. Dark eyes and a smile, that’s what made think of Dr. Joe (Dr. Joseph John Ricotta I) from Buffalo.

Dr. Joseph Ricotta’s attitude reminded me of his grandfather’s. The first time I saw him, I said if you’re half of good as your grandfather, I’m going to have a friend. He is fantastic. I’m really very happy with him. I love being with him, his office staff is really great. They know me when I come in now. It was so cute because I first met him months ago and the first thing I remember was one of the physician assistants or a nurse in the office was passing by and he opened the door and said, my grandfather took care of this woman.

The staff knew that his grandfather took care of one his patients. He is just so thrilled about that because you’re talking Buffalo, New York, and you’re talking Florida, that’s a long distance. If it was in the same city it would be a different story. I think I was the second person who Dr. Joseph Ricotta ever met who his grandfather took care of. I remember Dr. Joseph Ricotta saying, “Wow! That’s my grandfather!” And I remember the look on his face.

His grandfather to me had a heart of gold. He was there for me all the time and for everything. I liked him as a doctor and a friend. He was there for me all the time. I have his grandson now. I think the cutest thing was when I had the surgery at Delray Medical Center right in the operating room he announces to everybody, my grandfather took care of her. That was 54 years ago. I have always had Dr. Joe from Buffalo in my heart. He was so special to me. All my friends knew about him, my sisters knew about him, my daughter and all my children knew about him. When my daughter was a teenager she had to go see him a couple of times for an ailment and she was OK.

After an initial visit used to discover the extent of artery blockages, at Delray Medical Center in Delray Beach, Dr. Ricotta put two stents in the left leg and one stent in the right leg to open up the blocked artery. My condition improved after the treatment.

For more information, click here to view Dr. Ricotta's website profile.