Patient Stories

Donna Muhm

It’s hard to look forward to having a total knee replacement when your friends have told you the surgery and recovery can be quite painful. That’s what Spirit Lake resident Donna Muhm thought before she had both of her knees totally replaced last year....

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Knee Replacement Surgery: Connie Stein’s Story

It was nearly two years ago when Milford, Iowa resident Connie Stein was literally stopped in her tracks, unable to take another step while on her daily walk. Her left knee suddenly wouldn’t bend, and she was in excruciating pain. The pain was so bad she couldn’t sleep, so she got a cortisone...

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Definitely Worth It

She exercises but doesn’t think of herself as an athletic person. That’s why it surprised Brenda Martin, a Milford resident and 2nd grade teacher at Okoboji Elementary School, when she started experiencing shoulder pain in March of 2020. Moving hurt – putting on her seatbelt or her...

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A Birth Story: Wyatt

It was a beautiful day in September when expectant parents Emily and Chad Hansen had their first ultrasound a few weeks into their pregnancy. They were ecstatic to learn they were having a healthy little boy, who they would name Colin. However, after having additional ultrasounds a few weeks...

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A Birth Story: Theo

Pregnancy is often filled with surprises, especially during your first pregnancy. Everything is new and discovering if you have morning (or all day) sickness, the sex of your child, what labor and childbirth is like – it’s all surprising. Maddie Nabuco’s pregnancy was full of surprises, too....

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A Birth Story: Atticus

It was November 2021 and Liz and Tim Soper of Spirit Lake weren’t necessarily planning quite yet on getting pregnant. “We were open to it, though, like if it happens, it happens,” said Liz. “So when I found out I was pregnant the weekend after Thanksgiving, I was...

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Dan Sedlacek

Hiking up a glacier. Cheering on the Huskers from their stadium. Waterskiing. Climbing Machu Picchu. These are just a few of the items on Spirit Lake resident Dan Sedlacek’s bucket list. For six years, he had stabbing, bone on bone knee pain. Periodic steroid injections worked well for years,...

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Annette Kalkhoff

Walking has been a big part of Spirit Lake resident Annette Kalkhoff’s life. She loves to walk with her grandchildren and walks three to four miles outside every evening, year round, with her husband, Dr. Tom Kalkhoff. However, over the last couple of years her ability to walk decreased...

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Abby Goodlaxson

For those who know Milford resident and Okoboji High School Physical Education Instructor Abby Goodlaxson, she is full of energy and always on the go. Whether it’s working with her students, getting together with friends, or going for a bike ride, she is always up to something. However, she’s...

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Mary Jo Swartz

When Mary Jo Swartz moved to Spirit Lake from South Bend, Indiana, population 102,000, she was nervous about finding high quality, technologically advanced healthcare. She had, after all, worked at a large health system and was used to having the best and newest at her fingertips. So when she...

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