Patient Stories

Dr. Yannopoulos - A New Lease on Getting Life Back From a Compassionate Orthopedic Surgeon

Alexa Kebalo Hughes, a powerhouse realtor, incredible wife, athlete, and inspiration for women entrepreneurs everywhere struggled  for decades with chronic back pain that threatened to take all her success away from her. Once referred to Dr. Yannopoulos, he and his team moved mountains for Alexa and set her on the road to an entirely new life. Within hours of the surgery to repair her two severely herniated disks that had been pinching nerves for over a decade, she was up and walking—pain-free. She went from a wheelchair, unable to move to walking freely across her hospital room without pain, crying tears of joy because she was so immensely grateful for this life-changing surgery.

 You forget what it feels like to feel good. To live life without a baseline of pain every single day. It’s so hard to be present in life when you’re dealing with something so debilitating. The pain impacted my ability to do business and, really, my ability to live. And honestly, at 33 years old, it was the reason I wasn’t sure about having a family. I subconsciously put off having children because I knew that there was no way my body could physically support that. Now, I’m not afraid of having a child. I’m ready. And Dr. Y was able to give that gift to me.  – Alexa Kebalo Hughes

Brian Schmidtberg smiling in suite and tie

Dr. Schmidtberg - An Orthopedic Surgeon with a Compassionate, People-First Approach

On October 22nd, L.G. went to her granddaughter’s soccer tournament on a wet, dreary day. The loose ground and change in footwear caused L.G. to slip and fall as she turned quickly. As she fell, she immediately felt a sharp pain and upon getting up realized her left wrist was twice the size of her right. Unfortunately, tournament day ended with a trip to the emergency room.

 As a 73-year-old woman, it’s very refreshing to have a doctor speak so kindly and completely, not assuming I knew everything. He was far from the common cut-and-dry doctors you get a lot of the time today. He shared everything with zero assumptions, which I appreciated so much. After our appointment, I knew Dr. McAllister brought him on for a reason. He’s not only incredibly bright but also highly compassionate and personable.  – L.G.

Amy E. Bruce, DPM

Dr. Bruce – A Surgeon Who Changes Lives via Limitless Mobility

Lisa Schack has wrestled with gradual aging in a way all of us do. After getting her knee replaced with OSP and having a great experience, she knew it was time to address the bunion and hammer toe that caused mobility and confidence issues for years. Her knee doctor recommended Dr. Amy Bruce, and she was thrilled to give her a chance!

 I’m currently walking pain-free. In fact, I’m going to go back in the spring to do the other foot because it was such a great experience. I have zero fears or reservations. She did a fantastic job. You can’t even tell anything was ever wrong. I’m so excited to be able to wear flip-flops this summer!  – Lisa Schack

Stephen F. Scarangella, MD

Dr. Scarangella – A Doctor Who Has Spent Years Cultivating a Safe & Compassionate Caring Environment

Linda Varga is one of Dr. Scarangella’s long-time patients who has trusted him with her care for years. So long, in fact, she can’t recall when she started going to see him! With too many surgeries to list, she shared that “Dr. Scarangella is an absolutely wonderful, compassionate, and caring doctor.

 Every experience really was absolutely wonderful. He’s a great guy. He really cares about you as a person, how you’re feeling, and what he can do to help you. Just love him!  – Linda Varga

Aris D. Yannopoulos, MD

Dr. Yannopoulos – A Doctor That Won’t Let Age Slow His Patients Down

Nancy Pearson is more active than your average 85-year-old, and it’s partially due to the care she’s received from Dr. Yannopoulos. When she first started suffering from pain in her knees due to aging, she did her own research to find a doctor she felt she could trust with her care. While her primary care physician questioned her about choosing a doctor who specializes in lumbar pain—she knew that his skilled hands could handle just about anything. And she was right!

 When you first meet Dr. Yannopoulos it’s as if you’ve known him for years. He has this ingratiating personality that makes it easy to connect with him. He’s intelligent and friendly which instantly made me feel more relaxed.  – Nancy Pearson

Robert W. McAllister, MD

Dr. McAllister – Helping a Patient Regain Mobility to Ignite New Passions

Jim Leone played a lot of football in high school, in college, and throughout the years, that unfortunately caught up with him as it usually does for many. As he arrived at Dr. McAllister’s office for his first visit, he was impressed by the team’s professionalism and evident expertise, shown through their ease of communication and knowledge of the knee replacement procedure he’d require. With ease, Dr. McAllister replaced Jim’s left knee and after Jim started experiencing pain in the right knee a year or so later, he went back to Dr. McAllister for a right knee replacement.

 Now, I’m walking, biking, and doing yoga, pain-free, every day. Just no marathons, which is fine by me!  – Jim Leone

John J. Mara, MD

Dr. Mara – A Trusted Family Orthopedic Surgeon Who Cares

At Orthopedic Surgical Partners, our doctors treat their patients like family. And in many cases, they become a part of your family, too! For years, the Conlan family has been trusting Dr. Mara with their health, and he has been their go-to for any pain management, relief, surgery, and rehabilitation. So, when he himself started dealing with extremely painful carpal tunnel issues from years of overuse, Joe knew that he had to see Dr. Mara.

 Through shots and eventual surgery, he’s allowed me to regain function in my hands, pain-free through shots and surgery over the years, and I can’t thank him enough.  – Joe Conlan

Randall J. Risinger, MD

Dr. Risinger – Dedicated to Providing Personalized Care for Every Individual

Linda Chagnon needed medical assistance after experiencing a fall in her condo, which resulted in a broken shoulder. She had a history of care with Dr. McAllister and Dr. Mara as a former employee of the hospital, so she knew that she could instantly trust anyone who partnered with them, stating that,

 They truly take the time to listen to you. You are not a number to them, you’re a real person in their office who they’re ready to care for. – Linda Chagnon

Chad M. Daniel, MD

Dr. Daniel – Helping a Patient Take Steps Back to the Activities She Loves

About 15 years ago, Rhonda Sheets, had an accident hiking on a brush-filled path that damaged both of her knees. Eventually, the pain got intolerable, and after trying cortisone shots and gel shots, she and her doctor knew that wasn’t going to be enough. Recently she got a referral for surgery with Dr. Chad Daniel at Orthopedic Surgical Partners.

 My surgery with Dr. Daniel and the experience with his team was life-changing, I only wish I had done it sooner.  – Rhonda Sheets

Andrew H. Litchfield, DPM

Dr. Litchfield – Getting Patients Back on Their Feet

After years of fearing the excruciating pain of foot surgery that Martha had witnessed and heard about, it became clear that she could no longer stall the process. Her previous record of excellent care and successful surgeries at Orthopedic Surgical Partners led Martha to their foot and ankle surgeon, Dr. Andrew Litchfield who performed bunion surgery and hammertoe correction on Martha’s right foot. Martha was impressed by the fact that he was never condescending and noted that her experience in his office at her first visit led her to trust him and feel secure in his care.

 I am thrilled to be back to normal, walking my dog and spending time in nature without pain or worry, all thanks to Dr. Andrew Litchfield. – Martha Hartle

Amy E. Bruce, DPM

Dr. Bruce – A Foot & Ankle Specialist That Leads with Professionalism and Compassion

Life is unpredictable and unexpected challenges are thrown our way daily. When Ann-Louise Richman was completing daily chores one morning, she tripped on the bag she was holding, which resulted in her slipping down the stairs and breaking her foot. Never needing any help from a foot and ankle specialist before, Ann-Louise’s primary care doctor referred her to Orthopedic Surgical Partners. They quickly got her in for an appointment with Dr. Bruce and as fate would have it, it was a perfect match for Ann-Louise in her journey to recovery.

 This was my first experience with a specialist, and Dr. Bruce couldn’t have been more professional or compassionate. She’s a wonderful doctor and made me feel confident in my recovery.  – Ann-Louise