Patient Testimonials

Seven years ago, I slipped down some stairs and broke three metatarsals. The emergency room doctor set me up with an orthopedic surgeon (at another practice) who recommended immediate surgery. Surgery was done and recovery went well until 4 of the 5 screws placed, broke in half. My orthopedic doctor recommended they be removed. I agreed. The removal did not decrease the pain, it was more difficult to walk. This ongoing situation caused me to not be able to join my daughters and husband in Paris, or in Spain, or London or Uruguay, or Portugal.all on separate trips. I couldn’t walk.

I was then referred to Twin Cities Orthopedics by my primary care physician, who is so great by the way. My first appointment with Dr. Tanner was great. He was thorough, professional and very concerned about my expectations for outcomes. He was able to fit my surgery into his schedule. The Blaine Orthopedic Surgery Center is outstanding! As a nurse, I have been in and experienced many but this was extraordinary, from facility to nursing care. Thank you Blaine.

My after care was handled at TCO Blaine. The reception staff is great always gracious and welcoming. There is coffee and a daily paper available, along with wheelchairs out front and umbrellas! The whole facility has easy access and great directional signs telling you where to go.

Now for the most important, follow up and how’s my foot. I had my follow up appointment with Christopher Romanowicz, PA – what a great guy. He’s intelligent, able to communicate clearly the status of the foot, helpful with suggestions for comfort measures, honest about status of foot. He’s a no “BS” guy and I appreciate that. My visits with him every two weeks really helped me make it through this painful surgery.

I’m 3 months out from surgery and want to say, thank you Dr. Tanner, Chris, and the entire staff at the Blaine Surgery Center. Twin Cities Orthopedics has significantly improved my life. Hopefully this year I’m off to the Azores. Thank you.

Last year, I remember summer being a challanging time for myself personally, as I started to think about the father/husband I was becoming. I was active with my family (or maybe too active) and I began to pay the paid the price with horrible knee pain. Fast forward to winter and the pain continued to get worse and worse. I decided to head into the doctor. With each visit, I would lose a little hope in returning to my playful ways with kids and activities with my family. Then I finally made my way to TCO, where Dr. Butterfield said he could help. I was excited and nervous about the surgery, but he made it seem easy. I remember waking up from surgery and instantly the pain was gone. It was unbelievable how great I felt and how my life felt on track again…so soon.

One month later, I was back to normal activities and had a large “pop” in my other knee. Again, I went back to my trusted surgeon, Dr. Butterfield, which turned out to be the best decisions I’ve made for my personal health. I had another surgery and so far, it was another success. This sounds overboard, but Dr. Butterfield and TCO have given me the ability to be a active, fun dad again. The smiles on my kids when we’re chasing through the yard is priceless. Thanks Dr. Butterfield!

A New Year’s resolution centered on healthy habits and a new weight lifting routine came to a screeching halt 9 days into the New Year. Who knew a smoothie could send you on a three month detour and into the OR. There should be a rule that stressful situations and injuries cannot occur before 6:30am but unfortunately at 6:15am, that fateful day, the blade fell out of the blender bucket landing on my finger. Fortunately (and unfortunately) my four year old daughter was there to witness the accident so I was unable to exhibit all of the emotions I felt. She kept telling me to be brave and calm my body down, “Breathe in and out Mama. Be brave.”

Five stitches later and I was thrust into the world of Orthopedic Hand Specialists. I made an appointment with “one of the best” they told me. I was hopeful he would be able to figure out why there was no feeling in my finger. I was blown away to hear a provider not rush to surgery. Mr. Bakker wanted to attempt non-invasive therapy first and I was grateful for that step. I didn’t feel pressured into choosing surgery, as I had at one of the competitors. I know that injury is just part of a TCO employee’s work day, but many of their patients come following a traumatic or stressful event. Although their priority is to help us heal, handling the emotions that are present is a critical step. From the beginning, I felt Dr. Bakker acknowledged those feelings that came from a change to my routine and capabilities. I could no longer pick up my daughter or those heavy weights I was longing to use at the gym. Everything was put on pause and I had to be patient.

Eventually it became evident that surgery would be needed to heal the loss of feeling. The surgery center was efficient and everyone I interacted with was so kind. I even ran into someone I went to school with since Kindergarten! Although there are so many things that “could have been worse” about my injury, the delay in getting started with my intended fitness plan was defeating, to say the least. Being unable to include the weight bearing exercises my new plan included could have been an excuse. But I did my best (cast and all) to get into the gym and do what I could. I’m grateful to say I’m finally at the stage where I can grip the weights and increase them. I’m starting to see the end of the tunnel. Dr. Bakker and my care team knew it would come, but sometimes when you’re in a difficult season, it feels as if there will never be an end to it.

My TCO Champion is my hand therapist, Jodi Chaplin, OTR/L. Jodi not only worked to get my finger functioning at full capacity but provided emotional support through our months working together. She was attentive to my worries about healing and I always left feeling at ease after our appointments together. It took me 34 years to get my first stitches so seeing a scar heal was something I hadn’t experienced. I would come in worried after what I had read on the internet and what my finger looked like and she would rave, “it looks beautiful!” She even welcomed my four year old one day (who had to attend due to a winter snow closing) with open arms. She kept Genevieve entertained and attended to my questions effortlessly. My daughter got to encourage me to be brave and see an example of a “helper.” I’ve told Genevieve, when people need help, there will always be helpers. Look for them. Every day I’m headed to see Jodi, Genevieve says, “Be brave mama, your helper will help you.”

So is there a silver lining in an injury? I suppose mine would be patience and allowing others to help me. My self sufficient nature had to take a back seat and in return I was able to feel supported and encouraged by your team. Now, for the gym date I’ve been waiting for!

It all started at the time of my injury. I had no idea where to go for treatment. I knew my injury was more bone related, or muscular, so I decided to go to an orthopedic specialist instead of my primary physician. Josh Bennington took the time to give me a complete examination. He advised me that if symptoms didn’t improve in 10 days, then I would need an MRI. When there were no improvements, I had my MRI and Josh forwarded my results over to Dr. Holm.

I met with Dr. Holm. He explained the injury and the procedures that he planned to achieve. On the day of surgery, Dr. Holm and his assistant, Aaron Klatt, both talked with me before I went into surgery. In the past two months, I’ve seen Aaron a few times and had numerous visits with Jon, my physical therapist. Jon has been communicating with Dr. Holm on my concerns with returning to work and continues to relay that info back to me. I am lucky to have the best individuals work on my injury and to motivate me to improve my ways. The PA’s, surgeons, and physicial therapists did great work and I plan to continue recovering and changing my habits for a better lifestyle.

Dr. O’Keefe and physical therapist Ron are fantastic. The EXCEL Program was awesome. All knee professionals and billing wasn’t confusing (very simple). Everything scheduled with therapy was very organized. They made me feel comfortable and confident that everything was well planned.

I blew out my ACL and it took my meniscus out with it. When recovering, the biggest thing I worked on was range of motion. 9 months after I was okayed to go skiing.

My worn-out right hip was making my back and neck ache from overcompensating when shifting my weight and force to my left leg. 3 months prior to surgery I was not able to run or climb stairs. Now, 6 weeks after knee replacement surgery with Dr. O’Keefe, I am walking with ease and stairs are no longer a challenge. I’m ready to get into strength training and swimming. I really look forward to riding my horses in another 2 months.

My wife and I are so impressed with Dr. Marek and his team that we have become frequent flyers with him! Dr. Marek is not only an excellent surgeon but a very caring person. I had Carpal Tunnel and Antecubital Tunnel surgery on my left arm on March 9, 2018. Approximately 2 weeks later, my wife noticed blood-tinged drainage from the elbow area, looked at my elbow, said the incision on the elbow opened up, and immediately took me to TCO’s Urgent Care in Waconia, MN. Ben-PA-C took a picture of the incision, sent it to Dr. Marek, who was out of town. I was stitched up and sent home with an antibiotic.
When I saw Dr. Marek and Ryan, PA-C for follow up, I was told they changed how they stitch up the elbow because of that incident. Dr. Marek cares about his patients, how the incision looks, and every aspect of the procedure from beginning through to the end. My wife broke her wrist and had surgery, I had Carpal Tunnel and Antecubital Tunnel surgery on my right arm, my wife had Carpal Tunnel on her right wrist, and is scheduled for Carpal Tunnel on her left wrist. Dr. Marek and his team did all of the surgeries with good outcomes! We would recommend him and his team to anyone.

In August of 2018 I shredded my patellar tendon jumping trying to win a $2 t-shirt for hitting a volleyball. 10 days later, Dr. Lewis was performing the first surgery to repair the damage. After surgery, I was in an immobilizer for around 12 weeks. During this time, I met with Tegan and Hannah to start physical therapy. During this time therapy went fine. I was able to do straight leg raises fairly quickly and progressed as expected.

The next phase is to start to bend the knee. I equate it as the tendon is like a frozen bungee cord, has to stretch it out. Along the way there were many hurdles, swelling in the knee, tightness in the hamstrings and t band slowed progress as well as the knee already being arthritic . At 1 point I was measured at 80 degrees and was stuck there. After a follow-up with Dr. Lewis he said he believed that scar tissue had built up on the repaired tendon and was keeping me from progressing any farther, so back under the knife I went to clean up the scar tissue and knee manipulation. After that we continued PT 3 times a week and made some progress but again because stuck but now at 90 degrees.

Back to Dr. Lewis for another follow-up. Dr. Lewis was not unsure what was keeping me from bending past 90 degrees and proceeded to give me the bad news. He was unsure if I would be able to walk normal again let alone play sports. This was difficult for me to hear as sports and being active have been my life. If I’m not playing a game I’m coaching a game. At this time this is where Tegan shined! Not only did she continue to push me during my therapy, she helped me with my mental and emotional state! And to be honest that was probably the most important therapy she provided. We continued to work hard, bending and pushing until I couldn’t do more. In my next follow-up I’m proud to say Dr. Lewis said in a couple of months you should be able to run and jump again!!!

Tegan stayed with me the whole time, assisting me to trust my knee as I ran, made cuts and jumped! Last week I played volleyball for the first time since August 27th and it was great! Being able to compete again is such a huge accomplishment for me!!! And without Tegan I strongly believe that I would not have been able to accomplish this!

Thank you Tegan, Hannah and of course Dr. Lewis for helping me get right!!!

I have been a bowler all of my adult life. When my knees became too painful, my scoring suffered and I made adaptions to the way I bowled. I had surgery on my first knee, which didn’t change too much. Then the second knee made a big difference. I’m slowly getting back to where I was. It’s no longer embarrassing to bowl because my average has gradually crept back up. Thank you Dr. Meyer.