Patient Testimonials

Dr. Bakker was able to successfully remove my tumor hidden in my shoulder. I’ve had extreme pain on and off for two decades and we weren’t sure it could be successfully removed, but it was! From the beginning of the check-in process to the end of the discharge, everything was so smooth and nice. Lindsey was the nurse who inserted the hand IV and did the best job I’ve experienced. Usually my hand ends up being poked and prodded a few times and it turns out swollen and bruised, but Lindsey inserted the hand IV seamlessly with little to no discomfort. Thank you for all your hard work and for changing my life for the better forever!

During my first appointment with Dr. Kelly, I asked him to fix me or amputate my arm. The pain was negatively impacting my quality of life and my mood. Since the surgery, I have returned to doing what I love to do and have minimal to no pain on most days. I am getting ready to start back up with my personal trainer and looking forward to once again being the ‘old lady who can’!

Following rotator cuff repair by Dr. Kelly, I have been able to return to the golf course without pain. I have started to work out again at the gym. Best of all – I can sleep longer without waking up from pain.

On May 28, I hurt my right arm and shoulder while pulling too many weeds in the garden. When Alleve plus constant alternating of cold and hot packs provided no relief, I was fortunate to get an appointment with Dr. David Anderson. Dr. David Anderson was friendly, compassionate, patient and quite helpful in reassuring me after X-rays that my problem was from normal age-related wear and tear. A cortisone shot gave me the relief I needed within the next week. I’m now delighted to take my future orthopedic problems to Dr. David Anderson!

I want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Wulf and his team for the excellent care I received a little over a year ago. Several years ago I had a TIA (mini-stroke) and fell directly onto my right shoulder resulting in a torn rotator cuff. It went undiagnosed until my visit with Dr. Wulf. Just by manipulating and feeling my shoulder on the first visit, he told me I had a very large tear and it had been there for a long time. I was thrilled to learn the surgery could be done arthroscopically. It has been a little over a year since my operation, and as a 73-year old, I cannot believe how normal and strong my shoulder feels. The results were far beyond my expectations. I just finished washing all the windows in my house and had no pain during or after such strenuous activity. One thing special about Dr. Wulf is his positive and caring bedside manner. He always looked me directly in the eye when communicating and took my concerns seriously. His skill and expertise as a surgeon are beyond compare. I would recommend him to anyone.

I had a torn ligament in my left shoulder that was causing me a lot of pain. I was losing strength in my arm and couldn’t sleep due to the constant pain. I was worried the injury would require surgery. I began physical therapy with Mike Stay. Mike identified my physical limitations and started me on physical therapy that increased my strength and range of motion. He knew how far to proceed with stretching and strengthening exercises so that I could work through the pain and regain the strength in my shoulder and arm. It took a few visits but everything Mike had me practice worked very well. I regained my full strength and range of motion. The exercises Mike had me do are something I can continue to do to improve my strength and endurance. I very much appreciate what he helped me work through and I would highly recommend him to people in need of physical therapy to get their lives back to normal.

I’m a longtime patient of TCO and have been since 2016. Dr. Jay Johnson did my total knee in April 2017 and my shoulder procedure was done by Dr. Edward W. Szalapski, MD in late January 2020. From day 1 to now, I couldn’t be happier with the competence, knowledge, professionalism and character of these two men, as well as the staff and physical therapists involved. All are VERY professional, courteous and prompt. I have a recurring back injury that I may have them look at next and I’ll put my trust in their capable hands yet again. Thank you for all you’ve done for me.

I was having extreme pain in my left shoulder a year ago so I met Dr. Asp for a consultation. He took x-rays and they showed bone on bone in my left shoulder. I scheduled surgery with Dr. Asp for a shoulder replacement on May 2, 2019. The care and expertise I experienced with Dr. Asp and his staff was exceptional! Dr. Asp did a fantastic job on my shoulder! Today I had my one year follow-up with Dr. Asp and I am happy to report that my implant looks perfect and more importantly I am pain free! I would highly recommend Dr. Asp!

After two years of continued pain in my left shoulder, my family doctor set me up with an appointment with Dr. Norberg. He found I needed a reverse shoulder replacement. His thoroughness in all aspects was noticeable from the start. When I asked him how long the operation would take, his comment was “As long as it takes to be perfect”. That’s when I knew I was having the right person do the surgery. He takes the time to answer all your questions and is very good at explaining in layman’s terms what’s going on. If the time comes when I need my right shoulder replaced, I’ll have him do that one too.

Visited TCO in late November 2019 and saw Dr. Hunt for a sore shoulder. I thought it was related to an old rotor cuff repair but instead was a wore out joint. I had the shoulder replacement done 12/11/19 and was home in one day. Other than the surgical block I needed no other pain meds. Dr. Hunt and the EXCEL Program were great.