Below is a letter from James, who traveled from Canada to have a hip replacement with Dr. Owen O’Neill through the EXCEL Program at Twin Cities Orthopedics.
It’s funny how life works; how small the world seems to be, and how sometimes things just happen to go just right. This is where my story begins. After several months of enduring hip pain, it became apparent that it was time for a total hip replacement (THR). One of the keys for me, and what I think was important at my age (72), was the length of recovery after the surgery. I am an avid golfer both in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and in Marco Island, Florida; an outdoor cottage guy during the Canadian summers; and a guy that you could say just can’t sit still for five minutes. I was introduced to Dr. Owen O’Neill and Twin Cities Orthopedics from a close friend here in Toronto. After a short conversation with Dr. O’Neill and a brief discussion over an X-ray I had sent him, I knew this was the perfect fit for me. The THR being performed at Excel would have me back to my life of mobility in a third of the time of other THR procedures up here in Toronto. From the moment I arrived in Minneapolis, it was evident that the Excel team provides patients with coordinated care as advertised. I experienced outstanding care from all administration, all the dedicated nurses, and especially from Dr. Owen O’Neill himself. All questions about the surgery – and more importantly for me, about my recovery – were answered. After the surgery, the first thing I uttered to my son and daughter was, “What time is my tee time?” I just felt great – recovering for a few days in the private orthopedic suite getting nothing but the best care from all the excellent nurses on staff. I can’t thank them enough for making me feel so comfortable after the surgery. After a few more days recovering in a hotel suite provided by Excel and another examination/X-ray with Dr. O’Neill, I was on my way back home to Toronto. I had my surgery on a Monday morning and I was on a plane back to Toronto on Friday afternoon, and that is all due to the expertise of Dr. O’Neill and his team. Now, a few weeks after the surgery, family and friends can’t believe how quickly I’m recovering after having had a total hip replacement. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to my follow-up X-ray in about three weeks and a discussion via phone with Dr. O’Neill to discuss when I can make it back to the first tee to shave a few strokes off the scorecard. Most sincerely, James M.- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
