Patient Testimonials

My name is Constance and I am a very grateful patient of Twin Cities Orthopedics. On May 6, 2014 I had bilateral total knee replacement surgery performed by the brilliant and amazing Dr. Jason Holm. I only have my highest praises for the entire staff at Twin Cities Orthopedics who are extraordinary, phenomenal, outstanding and exceptional! My heart and spirit are overflowing with gratitude, thanksgiving, appreciation and joy for the care team I’ve been blessed with at TCO. It’s been my honor, privilege, and joy to have the gifted and kind Dr. Jason Holm as my surgeon, his assistant Bobbie, Care Coordinator Kelly Hurley, Physical Therapist Maggie Dewitz, the x-ray team, Laurie and Debbie at the front desk, Tia and others whose names I don’t know as my precious and incredible and the best of the best care team! I’m very grateful to each person that works at Twin Cities Orthopedics for their commitment, dedication, sacrifices, and price they paid to obtain their education, training, knowledge, skills and wisdom so that I as a patient have been able to benefit from all of their hard work. My life and health has been greatly improved. Each person has shown professionalism along with respect, graciousness, patience, kindness, understanding, encouragement, support, compassion, thoughtfulness, a genuine interest in my care and well-being, cheerfulness and best of all the loving smiles and hugs! Each person is vital to the care, healing and recovery for a patient. I have a new found appreciation for people in the medical profession. This was the first time I have never had major surgery and a hospital stay. It has been a humbling and emotional experience being vulnerable and dependent on others to help meet my most basic needs. I treasure, value, love and celebrate this precious group of people who are passionate and dedicated to serve and help others in such a profound way!

Dr. Kruse is an excellent surgeon, who carries out double knee replacements in one operation. His expertise and professionalism coupled with a very caring attitude resulted in an excellent outcome. This has changed my life allowing me to do things which I have not been able do for 10 years. I now have no knee pain or discomfort. I cannot praise Dr. Kruse and his team more highly. I would have no difficulty on recommending to Dr. Kruse and his team to anyone considering replacement knee surgery.

Tim Jackson has been a dairyman most of his life. As the years passed, his knees wore out. “Two years ago they were getting so bad that I could hardly navigate anymore,” said Tim. He began to get depressed because it was too painful to continue his work and enjoy an active lifestyle. Tim sought help from providers and had some treatment before finding Twin Cities Orthopedics (TCO). His treatment journey with TCO’s Dr. Thomas Comfort helped him find the solution he was looking for. “It was a positive experience from the beginning,” said Tim. “He painted a whole other picture for my life.”

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Dr. Barry and his staff and group did a great job. I had total knee replacement on 12/10/13. On 12/12/13 I could stand on my right leg without being supported by anything. I could not walk for a week without a walker. I had PT 2 times a day for 5 days in the hospital.  After 3 weeks I was already driving.  Then by February I was playing handball and played in the MN State Handball Association Golden Masters Doubles Handball Tournament March 7-8, 2014. I had PT 2 times a week for 9 weeks. I also did water exercises for 6 weeks. I still have scar tissue in my right knee and still stretch every day. I continue to play hand ball four days a week. Many of my fellow handball players have told me knee and hip replacements work out great, our only regret was WE waited too long to have the procedure. P.S. I plan to play in the MN State Handball Association Handball singles Tournament April 25th at the U of M.

I had total left knee replacement by Dr. O’Neill and his team on April 7, 2014. I just want to say how great Dr. O’Neill and his team were before and after surgery. I would highly recommend Dr. O’Neill and his team to anybody who needs orthopedic surgery.

I had been fortunate my whole life with great energy and great health. For 77 years I had worked hard, played hard, and enjoyed life. In 2013 it all changed very quickly. One Sunday, I sat down and could not stand up. My knee would not support me. I just felt terrible pain, pain, pain.

My primary care physician told me that an orthopedic specialist was needed and sent me to Twin Cities Orthopedics. I had no appointment and I was desperate. They said no doctor was available. After pleading my case, Dr. O’Neill had mercy and took me as an add-on patient. My x-rays showed bone on bone. I had a cortisone shot but the relief was short lived. I needed surgery.

Dr. O’Neill performed my first surgery in August. Fabulous! I was back at work in 3 weeks! But now the left knee seemed worse than ever. This time I could hardly wait to get the surgery done. Again, everything went great. I went home from rehab in 10 days, on Dec 23rd. On the way home I got groceries and cooked Christmas dinner for my family.

Today, one year later, my knees are great and again I will cook Christmas dinner for my family, very grateful for my new knees which give me truly a new life. A huge thank you to Dr. O’Neill and his great staff. I would highly recommend him to anyone needing this surgery.

Dennis, an avid bicyclist, had been living with arthritis pain in his knees for years. He was able to manage that pain, thanks to Dr. Andrea Saterbak, who had been treating him for the past four years with cortisone shots and other noninvasive measures. “By 2013, I knew he was living his life around his knee pain,” she said. She suggested that it was time for his left knee to be replaced.

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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.

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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.