Patient Testimonials

I have been a teacher and boy’s high school hockey coach for almost 50 years. I am 70 years old and still coaching in Albert Lea. This past year my right hip was becoming so painful that I did all my coaching from the bench and didn’t skate at all. I went to Florida for stem cell therapy in hope that would rectify my condition. Part of the therapy included having a PRP treatment 6-8 weeks after the initial stem cell transplant. Dr. O’Neill offered this treatment. We met and I had an x-ray and then a conference. He explained that it was bone-on-bone and there was no evidence of improvement. He did give me the treatment and I came back in 6 weeks. No improvement. I then had a cortisone shot and it had no effect. I knew I was at the end of the line and so I asked Dr. O’Neill if he would do an anterior total hip replacement. We went over the procedure and on June 3rd I had the operation at St. Francis Hospital in Shakopee, MN.

Wow! What a pain-free experience. I had no pain from day one, and didn’t take one pain pill after being released from the hospital. I walked without any assistance. I didn’t need a walker, crutches, or a cane!

The staff at St. Francis was terrific! In fact, the x-ray tech was one of my former hockey players and the anesthetist was a former student of mine. Everyone was very professional, but very friendly and extremely caring. I left the hospital the day after my surgery.

Since the surgery I have been back for a 2 week and a 6 week checkup at which time I met with Dr. O’Neill and his assistant, Jessie. I have made steady progress throughout my recovery period. Five weeks after my surgery I skated for the first time and it felt great to be back on the ice again. I am looking forward to the coming hockey season. I couldn’t have had a better team of professionals, but moreover, great people with such an interest in my well-being and recovery. Their great personalities actually made this an enjoyable experience. My wife and I are also very grateful to Rebecca who in the pre and post-operative periods answered all of our calls and was so very pleasant and helpful.

I definitely would suggest this treatment to others. The people in Albert Lea have been amazed at my progress. I have recommended and given Dr. O’Neill’s name to many interested and prospective hip surgery candidates. I can only say “Thank You!” to Dr. O’Neill and his staff for their great work and for taking such good care of me!

Hi Dr. Larson and care team, and Emily Beyers!

I have been thanking you all every day since the surgery was performed, but these past weeks I felt the need to reach out and send you some photos of some of my most recent activities out here in Oregon to share my joy and my awe at being here. Just today I hiked 6 miles and 1400 ft elevation on one of the local mountain trails. I am going to the Desolation Wilderness in Calif in Mid July and am “training” to climb Mt McLaughlin with new friends in August- its about 9600 ft. The photos enclosed show my first few hikes here in Oregon, which I took in the first week of June- they seem pretty easy now!

I can’t thank-you all enough, but I’m trying… every hike I carry you all with me. I’m working on the internal and external rotation, plus basic core strengthening and continued pelvic stability exercises. My PT says I’m doing great- my new goal was to hike 10 miles, and I’m already at 7, so I changed the goal to hiking Mt McLaughlin.Ha ha!

I hope you are all well and getting some great summer time in, and if you EVER wondered about your vocation, please take a look at these photos and accept the gratitude and joy I send you.

I had left hip replacement 2006 and right hip March 2013 by Dr. O’Neill. Both hips were bone on bone and I was taking too many drugs to keep playing tennis and other fun stuff. Both results provided a like new hip with no pain nor problems. Recovery at home after three nights and two nights in the hospital was very uneventful and was off all pain medications by week 3 1/2. Working with Dr. O’Neill and staff was always a positive experience and I have referred three people to him so far and will continue to do so. The minimally invasive hip replacement procedure hospital stay and recovery seemed less than I anticipated each time. I am cleared to play senior tennis doubles eight weeks after surgery and am very happy with the result.

Julie A. has taught horseback riding and trained horses for a living for over 25 years in Saline, Michigan. After she began to experience hip pain, she was diagnosed with Femoralacetabular Impingement (FAI). Following an unsuccessful arthroscopic surgery with a local surgeon, she learned that Dr. Christopher Larson of Twin Cities Orthopedics specializes in treating FAI.Julie traveled from Michigan to Minnesota through a winter snowstorm to have surgery with Dr. Larson and couldn’t be happier with the results. “From the pre-operative nursing staff and OR team at Fairview Southdale Hospital to Dr. Larson’s staff, I can only give praise for the wonderful care I received before, during and after surgery,” said Julie. Two years after her second surgery, Julie is pleased to report that she has been able to continue her career “with minimal pain and a greater range of motion.”

Abbey nervously waited for her appointment with Dr. Andrea Saterbak at St. Croix Orthopedics. She had injured her knee in a high school basketball game and knew that her upcoming track and field season hinged on what the doctor had to say. As a senior at Ellsworth High School, she didn’t want to miss the rest of basketball season. More importantly, she was the favorite to win the Wisconsin state discus championship and track and field season was just months away.  She had missed the state title by only inches the year before, and she wanted one last shot to claim the championship. As the nurse called Abbey’s name, she knew her dreams and goals hung in the balance.

Click here to watch Abbey’s story

Larry was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease at the age of twenty-five and has severe spinal stenosis. He has been living with damaged discs in his lower back for the last forty years. When the pain kept him from doing the thing he loved most – riding his motorcycle– Larry turned to Dr. Christian DuBois at Twin Cities Orthopedics for treatment.

Click here to watch Larry’s story

I found out about Lakeview Hospital’s orthopedic surgery from advertisements in my local paper. After a little research online and speaking to a few others on the Iron Range who have had work done at Lakeview, I made my first appointment.

I was very impressed with the facility, and the care I got from Dr. Panek was outstanding. He was very informative and caring, and the rest of the hospital staff was wonderful. I’d like to give a big thanks to Dr. Panek and all the others for taking such good care of me.

I am very pleased with my recovery and results. I would recommend Lakeview Hospital to anyone needing orthopedic surgery. I am going to need my other knee done in the future and would like to come back to Lakeview.

I had a bad knee. It hurt, I was limited in what I could do, and I was frustrated with myself. I went to Dr. O’Neill to get his opinion, and after a thorough examination and a conservative approach to relieving the pain, he recommended a knee replacement. It was not his first option, which I appreciated.

The information he provided to me before I decided to proceed with the replacement was exceptional. The pre-surgery information was exceptional both at his clinic and at Fairview Southdale Hospital. The recovery wasn’t fun, but on the 20th day following surgery I was walking through Lindbergh Terminal to a plane to travel to Phoenix for meetings. Within 3 months I was in Mexico, going down a zip line and repelling down from a very tall tree.

A year after surgery I remain extremely pleased with the surgery, the outcome, and the ability to live a much more active life. Dr. O’Neill is good at what he does.

Jack R. said that his hip surgery “changed his life,” and couldn’t have been happier with the excellent care he received from Scott Anseth, MD. Before surgery, hip pain kept Jack awake at night and prevented him from enjoying his favorite outdoor activities, such as hunting and fishing. “After surgery, the dull aching pain that I was experiencing was gone,” he said. “It was amazing.”Shortly thereafter his flexibility returned and simple tasks such as putting on socks became easy again. Four weeks after surgery Jack was traveling again for work and felt great. “I can now enjoy outdoor activities again,” he said. “My sons are having trouble keeping up with me when pheasant and deer hunting!”

“You’re so young!” That was the overwhelming response Joni C. received from almost everyone when discussing her hip issues. “All of those concerns were put to rest after my first visit to Twin Cities Orthopedics and Dr. Anseth. The staff took the time to listen to me and then to explain all of my options,” she said (pictured left to right: Dr. Anseth, Joni, Heidi Bolgren, PA-C, Patti D., Clinical Assistant, Matt V., Athletic Trainer). Dr. Anseth and his staff explained all treatment options to Joni and addressed her concerns about overall quality of life. “I left that day with all of the information I needed to make an informed decision,” she said. A few weeks later, Joni decided to proceed with a hip replacement. “From that day everything moved smoothly and without a hitch, unlike my hip,” she said.While her recovery exercises were a challenge, Joni is glad she put in the effort to complete them. “I have diligently done all of my exercises, even when they were a bit tough, and have had wonderful results so far,” she said. She is looking forward to spending her next birthday in Florida, “walking on the beach, pain free.”