Patient Testimonials

I continually made excuses on why it wouldn’t make sense to have the robotic-assisted knee replacement done until I could retire. My quality of life had gotten worse to the point where I was having trouble with simple day to day activities. My family were constantly asking me to go get my knee fixed. They could tell I was in a lot of pain most of the time. I was struggling to sleep; I had no end in sight. Finally, I decided to go to TCO to have Dr. Bircher look at it. He recommended to have surgery because he felt he could help me have a better quality of life. He suggested the EXCEL Program, he felt it was a good fit for me because of my age 56. He was very honest, and said it wasn’t going to be easy, but if I worked hard and followed the plan, I should have good results. The day of the surgery I was extremely nervous, I started to doubt my decision to do it. Then walked in Dr. Bircher, smile on his face as usual. He went through everything that was going to happen, and what to expect going forward. Then to my surprise he asked if he could pray with me. The nervousness went away, I knew I was in good hands. When I awoke, I felt good. They brought me to my room at the Plymouth Orthopedic Surgery Center. This is where my recovery began, and Dr. Bircher checked on me a few times while I was there. He said if I need anything to let him know. The pain I had post-surgery was nothing compared to what I had been dealing with for years. I worked hard and followed the plan set for me, everyday seemed to get better and better. Now, here I am 4 months after surgery and I got my life back. I wish I would have had surgery years ago; I will never put anything like this off again. A huge Thank You goes out to Dr. Bircher and his incredible team at TCO.

I asked to go to TCO Eagan for my physical therapy and am blessed that I chose this location. Physical therapists Julia Black and Danielle pushed me just enough to make sure I made great progress, but not too much so I didn’t think they cared. I was off the walker and using only a cane within a week and a half of my total knee replacement. I was not even using my cane around the house within two and a half weeks after surgery. I haven’t used my crutches since August and that was sparingly. I am amazed at the recovery I have had, and it all comes down to Dr. Jozef Murar, his team, and TCO’s amazing physical therapists. If you are thinking about any surgery that has to do with your knee, go to TCO!

I’m not sure anything can prepare you for the moment you hear the news that you’ve torn your ACL and severed your meniscus after a blindside in a football game. Everything I planned for my sophomore year was instantly replaced by a completely unplanned journey. I learned this new journey wouldn’t include football, basketball, or track. It would instead include surgery and crutches, relearning to walk and run, and require regaining the strength to lift any kind of weight with my left leg. I knew it was going to be hard, and I knew the only way to do it was to go through it and ultimately get through it.

My TCO team made up of Dr. Charles Eggert, Jessica, Katelyn, Kyle, Jeff, and Natalie got me through surgery, all my post-op check ins, physical therapy, and an extra 7 months of ACE training to help get me ready to compete again. Throughout my recovery we had a goal of getting me “back by football”. In a very unplanned and intense 10 months of reconstruction and recovery work, on the first day of the 2024 season I was cleared to play football without restriction.

I’m thankful for my body’s ability to be repaired and rehabbed in the way it was. It’s been great to be back out on the field with my teammates this season. As I look back on this last year, I’m thankful for my family, my friends, my Belle Plaine community support, and my TCO team that helped me get to this point in my recovery!

This spring I met with Dr. Bircher to discuss a possible robotic-assisted knee replacement. He was patient, knowledgeable, warm and encouraging. The entire team took time to answer questions when they arose, check in on status, and encourage continued recovery. As anyone having knee replacement knows, it is not a fun surgery or recovery process, but the team was amazing. Since a second knee replacement is in my future (the other knee), I am so much more at peace knowing Dr Bircher and his team provide awesome care and support!

In 2011, my running dreams were put on hold when a knee injury turned into years of frustration and pain. Despite severe pain, MRIs showed no damage, and surgery wasn’t an option. I was forced to stop running for nearly a year, and it was a devastating setback.  I came back determined to run the NYC Marathon, my hometown race. However, by 2021, after a fall during training, I was diagnosed with arthritis and misalignment issues.

I met with TCO’s Dr. Robert LaPrade, and I will never forget finding out I needed surgery. I feared I would never run again. Dr. LaPrade reassured me that with time, everything would be fine and to be patient (not my strong suit). I underwent an osteotomy and spent eight long weeks on crutches. My determination, though, never wavered. After six months of recovery, I was cleared to walk-run, and just three weeks later, I finished the Boston Marathon in six hours!

Now, 19 months after surgery, I qualified for Boston with a 3:37 at the Erie Marathon, just shy of my PR. I’m glad I listened to Dr. LaPrade and had my surgery, instead of waiting and making it worse. If I hadn’t had surgery when I did, I probably wouldn’t be running anymore. I still remember the pain at my last race right before surgery. I’m eternally grateful to TCO for the best care so that I could continue my love of running.

If you are having knee pain and want to continue being active, don’t hesitate to get checked out.

This past fall, I ended up tearing my ACL during a football game. In general, you never want to see or experience any kind of injury, and especially so being an athlete. My story starts off on the night of September 8th, 2023. On this night we happened to be running a screenplay. As I was driving my guy down, I planted my foot and attempted to rotate it with my knee and then all of a sudden I felt a POP! In the second quarter of the second game of the season, with 3 minutes and 38 seconds until halftime, I hit the ground and was in immediate pain. When Heidi Beckendorf (our trainer at Anoka), Kate Cayton, and Dr. Patrick O’Keefe got out onto the field to meet me, they asked what was wrong. I responded by telling them that, “I felt a bad pop in my left knee.”

From that night on I can still remember the look on their faces, and I knew that something was seriously wrong and I began to imagine the worst. As soon as my mom saw me hopping over and getting onto the medical cart, she knew that it must have been bad. Right then and there it started to hit me that this is really serious. Seeing the look of concern on everyone’s faces when we started to drive off is still imprinted in my brain.

Once I got back to the locker room, they pulled my mom aside and told her what was wrong. They came in, and my mom was in tears. Seeing my mom cry only made me cry more. They told me that my season was over and that I most likely tore multiple ligaments in my knee. Wow. Just like that, my season was over and it was probably my biggest year for recruitment too.

After I got home from the game all of my emotions came out. I was a mess. I had an appointment that next Tuesday to find out what really happened. I was honestly very relieved to find out that I had torn only my ACL due to the fact that I was originally told that I likely had multiple tears in my knee. To this day, I can still remember the phone call with my head coach after we found out the diagnosis. He said to me, “I’m sorry bud, it will be difficult, but I know that you’ll be able to get through it and come back even better next year.”

My surgery was a success and went very well. When I was about 2-3 weeks Post-OP, one of the physical therapists in the clinic that I had the opportunity to meet and work with thought that I was six weeks into recovery, instead of being only 2-3 weeks. Hearing that was a huge confidence booster for me!

Physical therapy and everything else was going great up until about a month after the surgery. I woke up one Sunday morning and one of my incisions was burning and there appeared to be a giant cyst there. Later that day, the cyst popped open and started secreting lots of pus. My incision stayed like that for a week and kept oozing, but seemed like it was getting better. The doctors said that the issue occurring was due to a stitch that wasn’t dissolving, which kept my incision from closing up and healing. It looked as if it were getting better, but one Wednesday during after-school PT, Kate was taking a look at my incision and things weren’t looking good. The look on everyone’s faces when Kate said that things were taking a turn for the worse had me shell-shocked. I didn’t know what to think.

That next day I had an emergency appointment with Dr. O’Keefe, and he said that I needed to have another surgery ASAP because my incision was infected.

I was making a lot of progress in physical therapy, and it was looking good, but one random night I woke up writhing in pain because my knee had suddenly popped. That morning when I woke up my knee was completely stiff, and I couldn’t walk at all. I was told to get in for an MRI as soon as possible and we found out that I now had a slight tear in my meniscus. I am currently on a meal plan and am taking physical therapy very intently because I have learned that only I can control how fast I am able to return to sports and fulfill my aspirations of playing in college.

One of the biggest accomplishments I have had so far is being able to run after having my injury. The feeling of running after knowing that only four months ago I couldn’t even walk, it’s one of the best feelings that you can get. It has made me realize all of the hard work I have put in to come back is finally starting to pay off.

Going through all of this adversity has been difficult, although in a certain sense, I am grateful for the opportunities and new doors this journey has opened up for me.

I cannot thank Twin Cities Orthopedics enough for everything that they have done for me, although the person from TCO who has had the biggest impact on me is Kate Cayton. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better than her. I always look forward to going to PT, and always being able to have a conversation with her. She has been there for me at my lowest points with recovery and she has always supported me. I don’t think that I could ever repay her for everything that she has done for myself and for me to come back to playing sports.

I would also like to thank Dr. O’Keefe. He showed that TCO really does care about their patients. One thing that really stood out to me was during the time when I was in the hospital, and there was the possibility of me needing a third surgery; he didn’t want anyone but himself to do the surgery, had I ended up needing it. He wants to stay with me until the end of my recovery, and I can’t thank him enough for showing that he does truly care about people that he operates on.

Dr. Scott Anseth replaced my left knee December of 2022. He and his team did an absolute fantastic job! My knee feels completely normal, I’m able to do absolutely EVERYTHING with no problems whatsoever. I would certainly do it again. Thank you, Dr. Anseth and team, for all your wonderful care.

I recently had my right knee replaced. I was hesitant, but after talking with Dr. Edward Szalapski, I made the decision.

I was walking without a walker after just one week, and continued exercising at home and at physical therapy.

Fourteen weeks later, I am walking without pain and can do everything I want. Dr. Szalapski is the best!

I just wanted Dr. Erik Peterson to know my knee is fantastic! I recently took first place in a pickleball tournament. I also competed in a basketball tournament in Copenhagen, Denmark, where my team took second place. Thanks for the new knee and for allowing me to be a gym rat!

I have been going to Twin Cities Orthopedics for over 18 years. Dr. TJ Panek repaired both of my rotor cuffs in 2006, and my shoulders have been as good as new ever since.

In 2023, I had a total knee replacement done. It was a great success. My physical therapists, Scott and Katie at Vadnais Heights, were absolutely amazing. They were extremely caring and informational, and my knee is doing fantastic.
Dr. Nicholas Meyer has done some reconstructive hand surgery and other procedures for me. I’ve had great success with all of those.
I’ve also had a successful foot surgery with Dr. Troy Vargas.