Annie Schoonman: Positive experience with health care at LRGH

To The Daily Sun,

Thanking Advanced Orthopaedic Specialists and Lakes Region General Hospital for your excellent professional practice and care. Having been a resident of the Lakes Region mostly since 1979, I am well aware of the negative stigma that this area has carried with regards to health care with a particular focus on LRGH. After unknowingly being misdiagnosed by two orthopedic surgeons out of the area who said that I only needed physical therapy, I consulted Dr. Lieberman who referred me immediately to his colleague Dr. Hogan. Physical therapy cannot cure "bone on bone," however, the hip replacement has rid of 90 percent of the pain. Dr. Hogan defended the previous misdiagnosis saying that X-Rays can be tricky, and perhaps it was not the hip, to begin with, but I believed differently. I was handicapped, could feel where the pain was coming from and was in tears just getting out of bed.

Everything leading up to the surgery, the surgery itself, and aftercare could not have been handled any better. It was a complicated process especially now with COVID-19 and the invasive nature of a joint replacement yet well worth the wait and all that was involved.

My stay at LRGH was excellent, Martha Harris has a great team of very hardworking and attentive nurses. The food service was just as worthy as most of our local restaurants, my room was spotless and nicely appointed. The physical therapists had me up and walking within 24 hours. Lakes Region VNA was very quick to keep the healing process most efficient and was great company too. Finishing up physical therapy at Belknap Family Health has continued an excellent experience with my health care and recuperation.

We have an amazing resource right here in the Lakes Region and felt that it should be shared.

Annie Schoonman

Meredith