Patient Testimonials

In October/November 1996, Dr. Owen O’Neill performed reconstructive surgery on my right knee for a completely torn ACL and partially torn Meniscus. Dr. O’Neill’s professionalism was second to none and the results of the surgery speak for themselves. In 2003 at the age of 37 I entered the profession of Law Enforcement. I passed all the physical demands of the academy, have served 4 years on a SWAT team to include hundreds of hours of physically demanding training and countless real life situations. I have passed multiple physical fitness tests in my 11 years of law enforcement and my knee has stayed strong through it all as well as injury free. I run 2+ miles a day 4-5 days a week and do strength training on my legs without any issues. Thank you, Dr. O’Neill.

Dr. Owen O’Neill and Jessie Donovan, P. A. were absolutely fabulous throughout the entire knee replacement process. They were very informative, thorough, and reassuring in preparing me for surgery. They answered every question and concern. I always felt listened to and cared for. The surgery was a complete success thanks to their careful preparation and skill during surgery. They were very patient and caring during recovery too. Every e-mail or phone call was answered within hours. After surgery I struggled with sleep issues and they actively helped me find solutions. I followed their instructions and was dedicated to my physical therapy. It’s been 6 months and I feel like a new woman. Thanks so much to both of you!

After 4-5 years of walking like a penguin, and with a significant limp, it was time to re-visit Dr. O’Neill and Jessie for a heart to heart serious discussion to remedy my problem. It was a simple explanation of the proposed replacement and the surgery itself. Scared? Oh yeah! I actually found out that my leg WAS NOT going to be cut in two. The surgery and hospital nurses at St. Francis were OUTSTANDING. I highly recommend them. Rehab was exactly what I was told it was going to be. Sometimes uncomfortable, but NOT UNBEARABLE. The physical therapists at Dr. O’Neill’s office were great! Sometimes tough, but not harsh. I worked with Kelly mostly who was outstanding! It is now 3 1/2 months since surgery. My knee truly hasn’t felt this good in close to 10 years. I’m looking forward to deer hunting next month, WITHOUT PAIN. THANK YOU DR. O’NEILL, JESSIE and the physical therapists, especially Kelly.

The treatment I received from Dr. O’Neill, the EXCEL team and TCO was fantastic! The continuity of care was complete- each doctor, nurse, therapist, PA, administrative assistant, care coordinator- you name it- everyone coordinated my care and progress in a way that is remarkable for most surgical procedures. I’m less than four months out from a full knee replacement, and able to do most things already, including daily swims half-way across the lake, one of my goals for summer here at the cabin. The only thing slowing me down now is the other knee- which also has arthritis and that I’ll be replacing later this year. Based on my experience with the first knee, I should be on cross country skis by February! I felt totally confident with Dr. O’Neill- he patiently answered ALL my questions before and after surgery- he took the time I needed to be comfortable about what would happen. Thank you to the entire team!

*Linda was a participant in TCO’s EXCEL program.

Prior to this knee replacement, I have had my other knee replaced and my left hip. Although I have no real complaints about my prior experience, this experience was like moving into the penthouse. From the time I stepped into the waiting room on the surgical floor at TCO, it always felt like personalized care. This includes preparation for surgery to recovery room and then transportation to the best of all: the care facility, which had a roomy private room with a nurse dedicated to me around the clock. One less day in the care facility than I spent in prior procedures in the hospital, and then home. Thanks to the able physical therapists who accurately judged my personal capabilities, my rehab was faster than on the prior knee replacement. I can’t wait for summer to start walking on the golf course again!

*Mick had a Knee Replacement performed by Dr. Owen O’Neill

I’m a 79 year old woman whose knees had become so bad that I could only walk for short distances without pain. Dr. O’Neill replaced first one knee and the other three months later. Two months after the second surgery I am able to walk over a mile without pain. I’m able to walk stairs with confidence, stoop to garden and generally back to my previous life. Dr. O’Neill made a huge difference in my life and I would (and have) heartily recommend him as a surgeon.

Most people are aware that physical therapists play crucial roles in helping patients recover following injuries or orthopedic surgery. But therapists also work with patients to help them get into better shape before surgery, to shorten the post-surgical recovery time and expedite healing. Eighty-two year old Ann B., of Savage, is a good example. For several years, Ann had been plagued by steadily worsening pain in her right knee (four years earlier, she had undergone arthroscopic surgery to repair her left knee). “The pain had become terrible. I couldn’t walk through the living room without having to brace myself on furniture. I put off the surgery for two years, until I couldn’t bear it any longer.”After consulting with her orthopedic surgeon, Randy Lewis, MD, of Twin Cities Orthopedics, Ann decided to undergo knee replacement surgery, and an Oct. 1, 2010 date was set for the surgery. Dr. Lewis told his patient to expect a recovery period of about six months.In the packet of pre-op information the doctor gave her, Ann read about the importance of exercising prior to surgery, in order to enable a better, quicker recovery. She checked with Mark Froemke, PT, the director of physical therapy at Twin Cities Orthopedics’ Burnsville Clinic, who prescribed a daily exercise regimen she could do at home in the five weeks leading up to her operation.“In two visits prior to surgery we identified her limitations and gave her specific exercises,” Froemke explains. “She went home and did them consistently and that obviously made a difference.”Why are pre-surgical, prescribed exercises so important? “If you can go into surgery with a good range of motion and ability to straighten the knee, that makes rehab easier, quicker and less expensive. For example, if you go into surgery with a loss of 10 degrees in being able to straighten the knee,  having surgery doesn’t mean you will have good extension of the knee,” Froemke notes. “But if you do exercises to stretch the muscles around the knee, that will make it much easier.”Froemke’s examination of the knee indicated she lacked the ability to straighten the knee and also lacked strength in the quadriceps muscles, which support the knee. He suggested gentle, repetitive exercises to increase the knee’s flexibility – extending and bending the leg, and some mild resistance training using an exercise bike, with the amount of resistance appropriate for her physical condition and age.From his perspective, Ann proved to be an ideal patient, Froemke notes. “If you go into surgery with the attitude that you are going to do the exercises the therapist recommends and are consistently motivated – as Ann was – it makes a big difference in recovery.”“The therapists at the Transitional Care Unit (TCU) at the Masonic Home in Bloomington were also surprised at my recovery and I was released early from rehab to home”, Ann recalled. Post release from the TCU, she returned to the therapy clinic at TCO in Burnsville for three more exercise sessions to stretch muscles and improve her flexibility. She walked with a cane for about a week, and then was able to walk unaided, enjoying her annual vacation in Florida with enthusiasm. “I’m better than I thought I could be!”

Anita didn’t realize the extent of the degeneration of her knees until after her bilateral knee replacements were complete. A six-year battle with rheumatoid arthritis had left her nearly crippled and in severe pain. The beginning of her journey back to the life she had once enjoyed started with a simple conversation with her neighbor. With encouragement from friends who had new knees, she sought the advice of Dr. Andrea Saterbak at St. Croix Orthopaedics.

Dr. Saterbak’s thorough explanation of a minimally invasive technique provided all the encouragement Anita needed. “Dr. Saterbak was very patient and answered all of my questions,” she explained. “I was very impressed with her.”

Anita decided to undergo knee-replacement surgery in December with hopes of having the second knee replaced in four or five months. By the time Anita went in for her surgery, she was “so ready to have the surgery done.”

Anita recalls the whole experience as a good one and she said she felt exceptionally well taken care of. Following the surgery, she couldn’t believe how wonderful it was to stand on her now-straight leg. That feeling surpassed her expectations.

Anita was able to stay with her daughter and have help during her recovery process. She healed very quickly and was delighted with the results. At her two-month appointment with Dr. Saterbak, Anita expressed eagerness to have the second knee replaced as soon as possible. Dr. Saterbak was “so positive and encouraging,” Anita recalls.

They scheduled her second knee replacement for April but that time couldn’t come soon enough for Anita. Her second knee replacement was just as successful as the first and at the two-month appointment following her second surgery, Anita was so excited to stand straight and tall in front of the x-ray machine. No more crooked knees to hobble around on for her! Anita described her two knee-replacement surgeries as “miracles performed for me.”

Today, Anita is living life with a renewed appreciation for the simple things in life: walking up and down stairs, no more chronic pain and easily tolerating the cold Minnesota winters.

She said she used to love to cook but gave it up when the pain became too great to stand in the kitchen. “My new knees have given me back a life I had forgotten about,” she said. “I didn’t realize until I had my new knees how much I had really given up.” Anita is once again enjoying cooking – and her friends say they can’t believe the difference it has made in her appearance and her outlook. Anita is able to stand up straight again.

Anita is busy making new memories instead of just wishing she could. She had given up traveling; but now, with her new knees, she’ll be able to visit her son in Colorado. And after years of not being able to walk on the beach at Madeline Island, Anita is able to once again enjoy her morning stroll.