Patient Testimonials

As a young man in about junior high, I began dealing with chronic knee pain which my mother passed off as growing pains. Finally, a trip to the doctor revealed I in fact had the beginning stages of arthritis in both my knees. The protocol at the time was a Hemiepiphyseal stapling surgery (I am NOT a doctor, so please know this may NOT be exact name of the procedure I had done – I had BOTH knees done at the same time). I can tell you it was a painful two summer stint of surgeries and recoveries which were successful in limiting my pain, and allowing me a “normal” life for the next 30 years. I made it to 52 without “serious” complications. I did have a small surgery done on one knee after the removal of the staples for some internal issues which I must admit were likely due to my personal habits (competitive curling).

At the ripe old age of 50, the effects of the earlier surgeries had “worn off” and I needed help. My wife and children encouraged me to visit another doctor to evaluate my situation. I knew in the back of my mind that I was in trouble, but when I met Dr. Steven Meisterling, I immediately trusted him and his opinion. The road to knee replacement was charted and I never looked back. I just had my 6 week post-op appointment and I can say without reservation, Dr. Meisterling and his team have given me 10 years of my life back. My new knee is essentially pain free, I have amazing range of motion and I am truly getting my life back. Prior to surgery, I was very limited in my ability to get around, both at home and at work. I coach track and field and the most recent season, pre-surgery, was brutal to say the least. Next season promises to be amazing given the success of my recent surgery. I will be able to grouse hunt, deer hunt and just do the simple things in life that had evaded me for too long.

At my last appointment, I was very clear to tell Dr. Meisterling that while he may be the “head coach”, the team he has pulled together is absolutely amazing. From the office personnel that answer the phones, through the nurses, PA, and to Dr. Meisterling, the staff is outstanding. They have treated me with the utmost respect and professionalism. The trust I had in Dr. Meisterling on my first appointment was genuine and my instincts were accurate.

I have scheduled my second knee replacement and I am confident that the outcome of the next knee replacement surgery will be as good as my first. With the support of Dr. Meisterling’s team, the physical therapists, and some work on my part, I will enjoy a long life of pain-free living. Thank you to all of you for your hard work and in truly making my life better. I am truly blessed.

Dr. Lewis develops a great patient relationship and is a great surgeon. I have been a patient of his for many years and I highly recommend him.

I have had five surgeries with Dr. Szalapski, all successful. He is a skilled physician as well as a caring person. His nurse and P.A. helped get me through some traumatic experiences related to a bad infection that attacked my knee. Dr. Szalapski was extremely thorough and cautious and after taking my knee out because of the infection, would not replace it until he was 100% sure that the infection was gone. As a result I now enjoy walking around the lake.

I am so happy about my new knee. It has been practically pain free. I can move around so much better and I feel I have a new lease on life. Dr. Meisterling and staff were very professional and were concerned about me before, during and after care. I am relieved it is over but all in all a great choice I made.

No hidden agenda in this post. I am a 52-year-old, white, obese female with borderline diabetes and osteoarthritis who was seeking a full knee replacement. Let the story begin!

I am writing this for patients who delay, for those who are afraid, for those who cannot decide, and for those who think, “I can’t do this.” Take a moment and listen to my story. It will not only get you to change medical doctors/clinics, but also let you know, “If I can do this, you can do this!” 

Five and a half years ago, I began seeing Dr. Thomas Comfort. I was bone-on-bone and had a destroyed meniscus.  On April 19, 2016, Dr. Comfort and his team completed a full knee replacement on my right knee (yes, the leg I drive with). Today, I have not one regret. My life is forever changed. This opinion is based upon the guidance I received; the support I received from medical staff; the precision of the knee replacement procedure; and the support I received overall from Dr. Comfort and his staff. They are amazing!

In October 2015, I watched and cared for my older sister when she had her knee replacement. It was at this point I realized preparation was not just important, but pertinent. I began the exercises outlined to build all of my leg muscles. I used an elliptical we had at home. On January 31, 2016, I quit smoking after nearly 30 years of smoking. I enrolled in the Quit Plan Program. On March 3, I joined Weight Watchers. I began eating healthier and exercising passionately. On April 19, 2016, the day of my surgery, I weighed in at 28.7 pounds less than my pre operative assessment with Dr. Comfort.

I was discharged from the hospital on April 21 and admitted to a transitional care unit. I was discharged from this facility after 10 days. Shortly after discharge, I was informed that my replacement post operative care was denied by insurance. This was a huge setback for me. I was scheduled for my second knee replacement on May 23. Emotionally and intellectually I was devastated. How could I afford to repay this debt when I did everything I was supposed to? The denial was because I “walked 200 steps before being discharged from the hospital.” I began working on my appeal and, AGAIN, Dr. Comfort and his staff supported me in this endeavor without hesitation. I was notified on May 2 that my insurance reversed their decision and agreed to pay for the entire replacement. My appeal documentation was over 19 pages. Hard work paid off!

I started outpatient therapy, and within four weeks my therapist indicated she had never discharged someone after five sessions. At this point my range was 135; average for a knee recipient, at best, is 120. We took two weeks off. I returned for three more sessions to support things such as getting off the floor, building my muscles in my hips, and gaining a stable gait. June 14 I graduated from outpatient therapy.

As of today, I have lost a total of 42 pounds, nine inches in my hips, and four inches in my chest. My healing is not over, but I continue to work to be healthy and mobile for future grandchildren. It was not easy. It was so painful—the worst I ever felt. However, my physician and professionals working with me did an astonishing job reinforcing the need to exercise and pushed me thru the pain. I am planning on a second knee replacement in April 2017.

What are your plans for your knee? If I can do it, seriously, anyone can!

Thank you so much!

My daughter, Alison, tore her ACL 13 months ago in an AAU basketball game. It was a violent collision that left Alison wondering if she would ever play basketball again. This was very traumatic for her because she was a highly rated player with a number of potential scholarship opportunities. Her initial diagnosis was incorrect and, with the urging of college coaches that were recruiting her for basketball, we decided to get a second opinion and MRI which revealed a complete ACL tear, bone bruising, sprained MCL and some cartilage damage (did not know the extent at the time). The first surgeon said she had two choices: no surgery and attempt to play her senior season and not play in college, or have the surgery and miss most, if not all of the season, but be ready for college. On top of that, it would be almost a month before he could operate. This was heart breaking news and left Alison in very poor spirits. Her White Bear Lake High School team was returning most of the players from the previous year and was the favorite to return to the state tournament the following spring. She was determined to have the surgery and still play her senior year. We decided to look at other options and fellow athletes recommended Dr. Saterbak.

We met with Dr. Saterbak on a Friday and she had surgery the following Wednesday! Alison smiled for the first time in weeks after that meeting. Dr. Saterbak could see no reason she couldn’t return to play that season and would do everything she could to help her. We targeted January as a return date. The surgical care at High Pointe Surgery Center was top notch and the surgery was successful with no further cartilage damage found. Alison then started the long road to recovery. The summer was tough as she followed her AAU basketball team around, including going to Cincinnati, over July 4th. Her quad still was not firing so she still struggled getting around, however, in Cincinnati it finally fired and Alison was now able to walk and begin the next step of rehab. At this time, January seemed a long way off. With that in mind, Dr. Saterbak and her physical therapists still thought that was an attainable target. With their help, Alison dove head first into her recovery and began making extreme strides. Amazingly, she passed all her physical tests in October and set her sights on returning for the very first game in late November! After consulting with her doctors, she was cleared to start practicing in early November and did start the first game of the season. She made the all-tournament team. Alison’s minutes were managed by her coach during the regular season to save her for the end. While she had some pain in the knee, it never really swelled and was very stable. Late in the season, she was undercut and landed directly on the repaired knee, causing her to miss some games at the end of the season. We met with Dr. Saterbak and it was determined that the ACL knee was tighter and stronger than the good knee and we were hopeful she could play in the playoffs.
Alison returned to help her team to the State Tournament where they beat the number two ranked team in the state and finished fourth! She topped it off by making the All-Tournament team and was selected to play in the State All-Star Game. She also accepted a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Minnesota – Duluth.

We have no doubt that none of this would have been possible without the care and direction of Dr. Saterbak. Her willingness to help Alison recover this season played a huge role in her return.

We are now a year out since the initial surgery. Alison is pain free and no longer wears a knee brace and has complete confidence in her knee and the work of Dr. Saterbak.

Today I am 5 weeks post-surgery for my knee replacement. Dr. Lewis did a fantastic job on my knee and of course, we can’t forget about his PA, Libby. The two of them always give me excellent care. Since my progress has been superb, today is my last day of physical therapy. What a team. They have taken care of me for years. Thank you.

I had two knee replacements with Dr. Michael Meisterling and his PA, Shaun O’Keefe. I had my left knee done about 4 months ago and my right knee 4 weeks ago. I had a wonderful experience with the surgery. The surgery center at Lakeview in Stillwater was great and the nurses and staff, as well as Dr. Meisterling, made me very comfortable. Even the food was great! I would definitely recommend Dr. Meisterling to anyone considering a knee replacement.

After struggling for several years with increasing knee pain due to arthritis-driven meniscus wear (exacerbated by my avid pursuit of adult league alpine ski racing), I decided to have my right knee joint replaced. Dr. Andrea Saterbak was repeatedly recommended to me by local ski team coaches and other racers, and when I learned that she did a fellowship at the Steadman clinic in Vail, that she was affiliated with the US Ski Team and that she was a ski racer herself, I knew she was the surgeon for me. Andrea listened carefully to my goals for the surgery and without sugar-coating the level of effort that would be involved in the recovery, provided the confidence I needed to move ahead. I selected the outpatient option at the High Pointe Surgery Center, and was home by 3 p.m. the day of surgery. As predicted, the recovery is a much slower, longer process, but the post-operative support and physical therapy included in Dr. Saterbak’s practice were instrumental in getting me back on the snow. At 6 months post-op, I was waterskiing and wake surfing. At 9 months post-op, I resumed ski racing (at about 80% speed). Make no mistake – full healing is taking a long time for me. It’s been 14 months since my surgery, and the new knee still is not pain-free, but the discomfort has gone down steadily since the surgery. I’m sure that by the time my second post-op ski season starts this fall, I’ll be back at full speed. Based on my experience surrounding the procedure and my return to the sports I enjoy, it’s easy for me to recommend Dr. Saterbak and her practice colleagues to others. Thank you, Andrea!

Dr. Randall Lewis is great person and terrific surgeon. He listens carefully, answers all your questions, and then delivers the exact surgical results he promises. We have 4 new knee replacements between my wife and myself over approximately 2 years. He restored our ability to walk again without any pain and in reality gave us back our quality of life, as well as a healthy body, positive mind-set, and the ability to participate in all activities we enjoy. He is compassionate, caring, confident in his abilities, and has a fun personality and sense of humor. We recommend him very highly. His PA Libby is also outstanding helping in surgery, recovery, with medication direction , and other post-surgical answers and direction. Her follow-up is flawless with a caring and fun personality and a finely-honed skill set. The two together are a winning combination at the top of their game. Calling them to help you would be one of the best calls you make this year.