Patient Testimonials

I had a fairly sudden onset of pain in my buttock radiating down right leg. It was excruciating and I was unable to get relief. After going to TCO urgent care, having an x-ray, receiving pain meds and muscle relaxants, along with a subsequent MRI, I was referred to Dr. Hoel. He explained my problem and gave me 3 options for possible treatment. I chose the discectomy, as it was the least intrusive and had the shortest recovery option. Within a few days I was scheduled for surgery and it was performed under general anesthesia. I was discharged the same day and the leg pain was gone.

I had a bout of nausea and vomiting the day after surgery and called Dr. Hoel’s assistant, who ordered anti-nausea medication. Dr. Hoel called me the next day to see if I was doing better. I was amazed that he took the time to check in with me. The medication worked well and I felt fine. Subsequently, I quickly was only taking Tylenol for pain. Five days after surgery, I received another call from Dr. Hoel to see how I was doing. I was happy to report that all was going well.

I just had my 6 week post-op appointment and I have had no further leg or nerve pain. I have been quite active and can return to golf, tennis, and pickleball in 6 weeks. My only physical therapy has been walking. I have a little low back stiffness, but considering I am 78 and have a lot of arthritis, I think I am doing great! I was very impressed with Dr. Hoel and would highly recommend him.

I slipped and broke my elbow in the last spring snowfall. I fell after business hours, so I waited to visit TCO Orthopedic Urgent Care until the following morning, in hopes of seeing someone who would really know what I needed. Then came Dr. Nemanich and his wonderful PA, Joshua Bennington! They went above and beyond to take care of me. Dr. Nemanich is capable, compassionate, knowledgeable, gentle, and kind. It doesn’t surprise me one bit that he’s been recognized as a top orthopedic surgeon, but I found him to be so much more than that. He’s a man of integrity.

My daughter fell down the stairs I took her to the emergency room and found out her left foot was broken! That’s no fun for a kid in the summer. Dr. Ridley was amazing! He is so professional and caring. My daughter was very scared and he was amazing with her. He made her feel very confident that he was going to make sure things were okay. He made her relax about everything and I will definitely go back to him! If anyone is looking for an Orthopedic surgeon, he is the man!! He is very thorough and put all our worries and concerns to the side. You are in good hands with this doctor for sure!

In May of 2020, our six year old son, Finn, fell and injured his arm while playing at our neighbor’s house. It was obvious that something was wrong as it appeared to our untrained eye that he dislocated his elbow. We rushed him over to the ER at M Health Ridges where he was diagnosed with a break above the elbow that would require surgery and two pins. It was obviously a traumatic experience for him and us, which was exacerbated by the fact that only one parent was allowed to be with him due to COVID protocols.

Finn’s mom was introduced to Dr. Edward Szalapski, who was on call that evening. His calming presence and confidence was reassuring – that he could fix the problem and get Finn back to being a normal, active boy. The surgery happened that evening and Finn was home the same night. The follow up care from Dr. Szalapski and his associates at TCO Edina-Crosstown was fantastic. They walked us through what to expect as Finn’s recovery progressed. Most importantly, they put Finn’s mind at ease every step of the way, from putting on the hard cast, to removing the pins and then getting back to regular activities. Today, Finn’s arm is doing great. He was back to playing baseball by August of 2020, as well as swimming, soccer and wrestling with his brother. Thanks TCO and Dr. Szalapski!

I had a long term injury that ended up tearing two weeks after giving birth. I went into TCO Urgent Care and was seen within a half hour! The staff were super helpful and urgent care was a breeze. I was also able to schedule my surgery with Dr. Szalapski within two weeks of being seen initially! I was in and out of the surgery room within just a couple of hours and walking the next day. I highly recommend TCO’s specialties and Orthopedic Urgent Care. The entire process was easy and stress-free, which was much needed while having a newborn at home!

What I thought was just an ankle sprain, turned into a life threatening emergency. After the swelling went down on my foot, I thought everything was good. Turns out, I had broken my foot and was unaware the bone had become infected. As the infection became worse, I started to feel extremely sick and ended up in the emergency room. Thanks to TCO’s Dr. TJ Ridley, they found the issue and immediately prepped me for surgery. I remember Dr. Ridley looking at the MRI and saying, “This surgery has gone from trying to save your foot, to saving your life.”

Due to the severe infection, I needed a below the knee amputation. It was a shock, but considering the alternative, there was nothing else to do. I spent 6 days in the hospital, and it took two surgeries to make sure I was clear of the infection. Dr. Ridley assured me I would be up and walking before too long, and after a few weeks of recovery at home, I was able to get the staples removed. Things were progressing nicely and Dr. Ridley referred me to some amazing people who fitted for my prosthetic leg.

By the time I had a follow up appointment with Dr. Ridley, I was able to walk into his office without aid of crutches or a cane. My goal was to be able to walk on my own by Christmas and I’m proud to say I accomplished just that. I have now finished up my physical therapy, and my life is pretty much back to normal. Dr. Ridley and his staff were excellent to work with, always available to answer any questions I had, and helped me maintain a positive attitude, which I believe helped my recovery. I can’t say thank you enough. You literally saved my life.

Watch Bill’s Story Here: https://streamable.com/getje6

My injury happened at the start of summer, by falling on some slippery grass. I was brought by ambulance to Fairview Ridges Hospital. Along with my spirit being shattered, my ankle was too. Dr. Szalapski put me back together with 10 screws and a plate. He is an amazing doctor with great bedside manner. I love his sense of humor. He has great supporting staff and I received wonderful care from everybody at TCO. If I ever need that specialty again, I would not hesitate to go back to Dr. Szalapski and his staff.

I want to thank Dr. Harris so much for taking care of me and getting me back on my feet. When it looked like it may be days before a spot was open for surgery, it felt like he moved mountains and went above and beyond to make things happen and got me into surgery first thing the next day. That was the care and relief I needed. He has an incredible team working with him that got results. I would like to thank them as well, as I know they also went out of their way to provide me with great care in such a short time. Dr. Harris is an absolute miracle worker, the relief from pain due to the herniated disc was immediate and such a huge relief. He is a GREAT surgeon, great man, and hero to me.

I was 70 years old at the time of my injury and I was on my way to work. I stopped at Panera to get coffee for my co-worker and myself. I fell on my way back to my car and landed directly on my knee on the cement. I was brought to Fariview Southdale Hospital, where it was determined that I had shattered my knee cap. Dr. Corey Wulf was the Orthopedic Surgeon on call that day and said to my daughter, “it is a really bad break.” I was in surgery the same day and spent 5 days in the hospital and was then sent to Masonic Home for rehab. Dr. Wulf had to literally put my knee cap back together like a puzzle and then used heavy duty stitches and other hardware to hold it all together. It was undetermined if I would be able to walk without an assistive device any longer.

Dr. Wulf was caring and compassionate throughout the entire process and I could not have asked for a better surgeon and team. I am happy to say that I am walking independently without an assistive device today and have returned to doing most things I was doing before the accident. I thank Dr. Wulf and his team for the wonderful care that he provided me and my family.

During early September 2018 I awoke one day with severe neck pain. I went to the TCO Orthopedic Urgent Care and was treated. Within two days I was back at the TCO Orthopedic Urgent Care because the pain had now radiated into my right arm. They referred me to Dr. Deal and physical therapy. From the first time I met Dr. Deal, I knew that I was being listened to and that I could trust him. An MRI showed I had a large herniated disc with nerve root involvement. Within a few weeks after I met Dr. Deal I started loosing strength in my right arm and was noticing that I was having difficulty brushing my hair. The pain was not getting better. I was having difficulty with keyboarding as well, which was impacting my ability to work.

On October 9 2018, I underwent a cervical disc arthroplasty. Prior to the surgery my quality of daily life was declining and I was feeling frustrated and becoming depressed. When I awoke from the anesthesia my nerve pain was gone for the first time in one month. It was a relief.

Dr. Deal gave me back my quality of life. Post-operatively I attended physical therapy and regained my neck strength and almost my entire full range of motion.

I am grateful for Dr. Deal and blessed that I had wonderful staff at TCO and Minnesota Valley Surgery Center.