Patients Margaret and Bert Forrest share why comprehensive and compassionate orthopaedic care matter
Margaret and Francis X. (Bert) Forrest, Sr., are in their late 70’s, and together, they have taken the right steps to ensure they can continue living the fun and active lifestyle that is so important to them—now and as they continue to age. The couple loves being involved in activities at their local senior center, taking yoga classes, playing golf, and being able to fully enjoy family events with their son, daughter, and three grandchildren. And they can—in large part because of the phenomenal care they have both received as patients at MedStar Health Orthopaedics at Leonardtown, located in the heart of St. Mary’s County.
“We have gotten used to driving to long distances to get to many doctors’ appointments, so we were very happy to learn that a team of great orthopaedic doctors was available right here in St. Mary’s County, only about 15 minutes away from our home,” said Margaret.
Margaret’s first encounter with MedStar Orthopaedic Institute was a result of nagging, relentless pain in her right knee that extended up and down her leg. She saw Emmanuel Atiemo, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon who ordered x-rays to fully understand what the problem was and how to fix it. But most important to Margaret was that Dr. Atiemo took the time to ask a lot of questions, listen, explain her treatment options, and offer empathy and support. As it turned out, the root cause of Margaret’s knee pain was actually an issue with her right hip. When medications and physical therapy didn’t prove to be helpful, Dr. Atiemo suggested that she consider a hip replacement.
“I was not expecting to need surgery so that recommendation was a bit shocking, and my initial reaction was that I did not want to do it,” recalls Margaret. “But then I took a step back. Dr. Atiemo believed that surgery would resolve my issue and allow me to get back to pain-free living. That was so important to me. I believed him and I fully trusted him.”
Margaret underwent hip replacement surgery at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Center, and the procedure as well as her recovery process were incredibly successful. For that reason, a few years later when she began experiencing pain in her shoulder, she returned to MedStar Orthopaedic Institute without hesitation. This time around she saw John Kuri, MD, another orthopedic surgeon in the practice who took the time to understand her challenges and goals, and was incredibly supportive and kind. Margaret ultimately underwent a second joint replacement surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.
“My range of motion has improved greatly and the pain I was experiencing in my arm is now gone,” she said. “I feel good and am looking forward to getting back on the golf course.”
As Margaret’s care for her hip and shoulder issues has taken place, in tandem, Bert has been receiving long-term treatment at MedStar Health Orthopaedics at Leonardtown, relying on the same doctors, to address chronic back pain. His back issues were impacting his ability to enjoy his game of golf, but of bigger concern was that they were making it difficult for him to do many simple tasks of daily living. Getting in and out of bed had become painful. Taking care of things around the house was difficult. Bert found himself opting out of things he would normally enjoy, out of fear that his back pain would spike.
“Dr. Atiemo was confident that a combination of medications and physical therapy would help me greatly, and he was right,” said Bert. “He is an excellent doctor who knows what kinds of treatments are going to work best. But he also wanted to get to know me on a personal level, and I appreciated that so much. We talked about our families and all the fun that goes along with raising boys, since we both have sons. He made me feel like he truly cared about me, as a patient and also as a friend.”
As a result of their great experiences, Margaret and Bert have repeatedly recommended MedStar Health Orthopaedics at Leonardtown to their family members, friends, and neighbors. Many have heeded to those recommendations and have become patients of the practice for treatment of a wide range of orthopedic issues.
“We have nothing but good things to share about this team of doctors and the level of care they offer for patients who live in this area,” said Bert. “We are very involved in the community and know a lot of people. We tell everyone who has aches and pains that they should go see the doctors who took such good care of us.”
MedStar Health Orthopedics at Leonardtown is part of MedStar Orthopaedic Institute, with more than 100 orthopedic physicians across 40 locations in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The clinical providers who are part of this team have the expertise to treat any orthopedic condition, from simple to the most complex. They set the highest expectations for each patient’s recovery with focus on the creation of individualized treatment plans to restore function and range of motion.
Appointments are available at MedStar Orthopedics at Leonardtown by calling 240-434-7483. To learn more about the practice and the range of specialized services available, visit MedStarHealth.org/LeonardtownOrtho.