Patient Testimonials

I went into my junior year of basketball unprepared, anxious, and quite honestly, a mess. However, I feel as though I have come so far and as many issues as my knee has caused, I wouldn’t take it back as it has made me the person I am today. During a fall league game of basketball, I was tripped and landed directly on my knee and when I tried to get up and run again I felt pops and like my lower leg was loose from my thigh. I went to the doctor that weekend and was told I had a bone bruise and a sprained hamstring. About two weeks later, I returned to basketball tryouts and was very cautious the first days and still felt unstable. I decided to put a brace on and if I didn’t feel better after practice the next day I would return to the doctor. I made it through the first half of practice, however, when we began to work on defensive drills, I shifted my weight onto my right leg and collapsed. I went to a TCO clinic and got an MRI shortly after. I was told I tore my PCL, had no idea what that was. But it wasn’t season ending so I was happy. I did some therapy and once I was able to return to basketball decided I wanted to make a major comeback for my senior year, so after practice every day I went to the gym and did cardio and was able to lose 50 pounds by the time the next season began. I went to every summer camp and event I was able to and began my senior season as a captain with many new skills, and I was actually able to run as required. Practice felt amazing and I was so ready to begin the season. We traveled to Chisago Lakes for our first game of the season, and seven minutes in I was guarding a girl on the three-point line, she drove on me slamming into my right thigh, forcing me to plant my foot sideways, then she wrapped her leg around me to continue moving forward which pulled my leg the opposite way. I felt the pop. I knew it was bad, but I got up and tried to run again to be sure and when I did it gave. My amazing teammates helped me to the locker room and I remember feeling my leg give out with every step. It hit me pretty hard over the weekend, and I got into a TCO as soon as I could and was told I likely dislocated my kneecap and it popped back in and that I possibly tore my MCL, then I got an MRI a few days later.

I came home from watching practice and my parents were sitting on the couch waiting for me. They just looked at me and said it’s bad. I thought they were joking with me but my dad said that along with the dislocation, I had torn my ACL, PCL and meniscus and would need surgery. I was devastated. But what killed me more was not being able to be there on the court for my team. Telling them I was done was horrible. One of my teammates broke down crying and it just destroyed me. I told them I loved them and that I was still a captain and would be there to support them no matter what. I was injured November 24th and had surgery December 5th, which I though was very fast. I had to stay home for a week because I did not react well with the drugs, but was able to leave the house to make it to our game that Saturday (my surgery was that Wednesday, three days earlier) which everyone told me was a stupid idea but I needed to see my team. They beat a team we have never been able to and it really picked me up. I worked hard at therapy with my amazing physical therapists Emily and Lee, and they helped me get ahead of schedule. I now wake up at 4:30 every morning before school to go to the gym to get back in shape and work my leg a few days a week. I am now five months out and feel great. I’m still cautious as I’m still in that vulnerable stage, but will be participating in the ACE rehabilitation program this June to get be back to full athletic ability. I’m doing everything I can to get to where I need to be physically, as I will be going to University of North Dakota this fall to pursue a degree in nursing and will be joining the Air Force ROTC program so I am able to use my skills as a nurse to serve others. Of course I wish I was able to play basketball and be in track and field this year, but I have grown so much closer to my teammates and have been able to overcome so many issues other than my knee. I had dealt with pretty extreme anxiety most of my life and was able to get that under control with the help of my doctors and my teammates. I was also able to get in the best shape of my life as my leg pushed me to be better, and although I lost some of my progress after surgery, I am working even harder to get to where I was and to exceed it. I am grateful for all of my experiences even though they were not what I had originally planned, as they have shaped who I am today and helped me strengthen many of my friendships and my own mindset which has made me a completely different person and will help me greatly in the future.

My husband and I both had surgery with Dr. Meyer, at TCO. I was first to have surgery with a partial knee replacement in December of 2017 at Two Twelve Surgery Center. I’m so happy I did it, as now I can walk pain-free and enjoy doing things that I wasn’t able to do before. Two weeks later, Al fell and tore his achilles tendon. On January 2nd, I had my check-up with Dr. Meyer and he stated how great I was walking. After some discussion, he learned of Al’s injury and he showed me how to test to see if it was torn. After checking, we called Dr. Meyer’s team and and Al went to see Dr. Meyer on January 3rd. His pre-op appointment was on January 4th and he had surgery on January 5th. We can’t say enough about how impressed we were that he got in that fast! Four months later, Al was weed whipping and fell on his left shoulder. He went back to Dr. Meyer and had surgery to fix his rotator cuff and torn sub scapular. For both of us, this was a huge set back as we are both Harley riders and, due to the shoulder injury, were not able to ride until September of 2018. Needless to say, we are so thankful for Dr. Meyer and all that he’s done for both of us.

I was knocked out of doing my normal activities, including golfing and skiing. Thanks to Dr. Kelly and his team, the surgery put me back into being able to do everything again.

I know that most “stories” about recovery after orthopedic surgery will focus on the miracles that have changed people’s lives and created amazing physical outcomes, but I got ordinary results- and I couldn’t be happier! I had a total knee replacement in early January 2019. I came to this decision after many years of enduring knee pain and reaching the end of all of my non-surgical options. Therefore, on January 2nd, 2019, in the skilled hands of Dr. Andrea Saterbak, I had a total knee replacement. I was enrolled in the EXCEL Program and had great surgical and post-operative outcomes.

I am an average guy who is not training for a big athletic event or career, but who values the ability to participate in every day activities, like getting out in nature and riding my bike for hours, going for walks with my wife, and traveling around the world. The months of recovery since the surgery have been a challenge and I worried that I would be unable to return to the physical activities that I treasure so much. I must admit to my own impatience in this healing process, but I know that the knowledge and skill of Dr. Saterbak’s team has helped me to move forward and resume more and more daily activities. I have begun riding my bike again and took my first outdoor bike ride during the recent nice weather! I am looking forward to many hours of riding my bike this summer and have several vacations planned with my wife later this year. I know that I will continue to build my strength and endurance, but am glad that my knee will no longer be a problem in my daily life. I appreciate that Dr. Saterbak and her team really listened to me and helped alleviate my concerns and encouraged me to pursue the everyday activities that I value so much. Bring on the nice weather- I’m ready for it!

Three years ago I came to see Dr. Bakker because the tip of my right third finger was numb. At that first visit, he told me I had bilateral carpal tunnel and needed surgery. I had no idea what a journey that would lead to. Over the course of the next three years, I would have ten surgeries with him. The final one (hopefully) being this February. He is the reason I am still able to work.

While I am grateful to him for his surgical skills, he did so much more than that. I had given up ever finding out what was going on with me when I first saw him. I figured I was just going to have to live with all my symptoms. He encouraged me to keep pushing for a diagnosis and reinforced for that something is truly wrong. Now, I do not have a definitive diagnosis. However, I have a team of doctors in place that believe in me. I am currently exploring genetic causes with Mayo Clinic. Dr. Bakker was the catalyst that helped me keep going. I owe him so much.

Once I decided to finally address the pain in my knee, I was getting injections. Decided to go all the way (tired of injection shots) and get my knee replaced. Dr. O’Keefe was open with me, informing me on what to expect. All went as he had told me it would and now the knee feels much better. Will be great to be able to do activities without pain.

I have had knee pain for several years. It got to the point that I could not take it anymore. I played hockey when I was younger and I have been a police officer for close to 28 years. I have been involved in several incidents throughout my career which have resulted in further pain. Each time I noticed the pain was getting worse. I kept putting it off and thought I could live with it. My wife convinced me to see a doctor. Our oldest daughter was getting married in August and I thought about me and her walking down the aisle. I saw Dr. Hunt and he went through all my options. What a wonderful man. He showed me compassion and was straight forward with me. I had a partial knee replacement in April of 2018. The surgery went well. I stayed over night in Plymouth and received excellent care from your nurses. My physical therapy was at your Burnsville location. They pushed me and helped in my recovery.

I walked my daughter down on her wedding day. I will also be retiring in May of 2019 as a police officer. I saw Dr. Hunt today for my one year check-up. I was again impressed by his bed side manner. You should be proud on how he and his staff represent TCO.

Thank you for the great care,
Gregg

Dr. Mark Fischer saw me quickly and scheduled surgery in 2 days. I had a horribly fractured wrist that needed 2 plates and 10 screws to repair. He was a wonderful technician with great bedside manner. I healed with no infection or complications. Therapy has helped get me close to normal. It has been 7 weeks. I would recommend him highly.

I suffered my injury last summer on a vacation weekend to the Upper Pennisula. We were visiting family and enjoying a little “heaven on earth”, as my brother lives on a beautiful piece of property right on the shores of Lake Michigan / Big Bay De Noc. Early on the Sunday morning we planned to head for home, I decided I wanted to swim one last time in the lake. It had been such a pleasant, enjoyable day in the water the day before, so I just wanted that one last swim. The lake bottom is really rocky and you have to pick your way carefully in before you get out to sandy bottom. I never got out that far. I was wearing water shoes and thought I was being cautious enough, but before I knew even what happened, I was down in the water and instantly felt excruciating pain in my left wrist. As I recovered from the initial shock and tried to sort out what had happened, I picked my left arm up. I remember looking at it and seeing how oddly deformed it was, the pain registering in my brain and realizing that “something ain’t right here.” I had to crawl back in to shore, on my knees and using my elbows. Let’s just say that my entourage and I packed up our stuff and headed back for home a little earlier than we had planned. I decided that I would wait until I got back home and to a healthcare facility I was comfortable with. That was a loooonnnnngggg 6 hour car ride back home.

Now, enter TCO. When we got back to my hometown of Stillwater, MN, I went immediately to the ER at Lakeview Hospital. I was informed that, indeed, I had broken bones and suffered a “Colles” fracture of the wrist; a common injury that occurs when you extend your arm to break your fall. The ER doctor did the best he could for me that day and then gave me the referral to TCO. He informed me that I might need surgery to repair my wrist if TCO thought they couldn’t reset the bones properly. I was scared. I had never broken any bones before and to think I might need surgery? Yes, I was frightened at the thought and whether or not I would regain complete function of my hand and wrist again.

I was fortunate to get into TCO within a week of my injury and saw Dr. Ryan Karlstad. He specializes in the hand and wrist. He immediately put me at ease, he was so kind and soft spoken and yet honest. He gave me a few options and surgery was a definate part of any of the options. Of course he had to inform me of the risks of surgery and the possibilities of not recovering full mobility or function of my hand and wrist afterwards. I opted to have him do an ORIF (open reduction and internal fixation) using a plate and screws. He informed me this would be the optimal route to go for best and long lasting positive results. Within a week of my injury, I was in the High Pointe surgical suites getting my fracture repaired!

I started occupational therapy very soon after with Bonnie VanDeMark OTR/L, CHT. I loved Bonnie. She is about the same age as me and shared the same sense of humor as me. I related so well to her that I actually enjoyed going to my sessions with her. I was almost sad when we were all done! Aside from her having a such a wonderful personality, she really knows her stuff! She gave me new and progressive exercises each time I saw her and measured my progress every time. Now, I am a really good patient, too, and always did my exercises religiously since I obviously wanted to get back to “normal” mobility and activity. I had to do my part.

I enjoy walking, hiking, yoga, Pilates, and my newest and latest passion, pickleball. You don’t realize until you can’t do things, how frustrating it is to have to require help to make a bed, fold clothes, put on a shirt, open a jar, or carry a laundry basket downstairs. Nope, I was going to do everything in my power to recover completely because I am fiercely independent (and am quite particular in how things ought to be done, my family will tell you I am a little OCD that way).

Even with my fractured wrist, though, and splint on, I went to my 3 x week Pilates classes faithfully. And there was no reason not to continue my daily walks, I didn’t break a leg, after all. I figured I would do as much as I could physically without the use of one arm, as there was no reason not to, right? I remember my Pilates instructor and the usual Pilates groupies marveling at my one armed planks, three point push ups, and “off balance” roll downs. Within a few short weeks, I was doing full planks, pushups and weight bearing yoga and Pilates exercises with no pain. That’s incredible and I just can’t believe that I am “back to normal” activity and mobility again, pain free!

I thank the huge role my caregivers and therapist from TCO did for me in this whole recovery process. I would probably not be considered a success otherwise. I guess my point also would be to emphasize to not count yourself out. Be in the mindset that if you do all that is requested of you from your TCO care team, you too, can be a successful “Comeback Story” like this 60 year old, retired, ordinary Grandma… ME! Thank you TCO!

After a bad experience with 2 knee replacements and years of pain from another physician, I went to Dr. Arntson with hopes he could help me. He has done a great job revising both knees and making them pain free. I would recommend to any patients to see Dr. Arntson!