Dave Sadlowsky
After Dave Sadlowsky began experiencing symptoms for an inguinal hernia, he started to have a difficult time standing at work and at football games for any length of time.
“Given that I am not a very experienced or comfortable patient, I was somewhat apprehensive about having a surgical procedure. However, as the person who does the voice recording of Riverwood Healthcare Center radio ads, I knew of the skilled surgeon team and successes with the minimally invasive, robotic-assisted procedure for hernia repair.
The first step in my treatment was meeting with Dr. Andrew Loveitt, general surgeon at Riverwood Healthcare Center, to discuss the various surgical and mesh material options to best meet the needs of my condition and how it would affect my personal and professional needs. As he explained the surgery and its potential risks, I felt very comfortable with his confidence that the procedure we agreed upon would be a success.
I not only needed to schedule the hernia repair, but also a colonoscopy, which required coordination between two different schedulers, and scheduling one pre-op appointment with Dr. Erik Bostrom to cover both procedures. I appreciated the patience and assurance of the staff that it was fine for me to change appointment dates as needed to fit my work schedule.
Now for game day. I felt slightly more comfortable in the surgery department having gone through my colonoscopy just one week earlier. There were a few familiar faces and some of the same processes. When my nurse, Mikayla Brooks, learned that I had some recent difficulty with IV placement, she confidently proclaimed and demonstrated that it would not happen this time. Mikayla was great about keeping me engaged in conversation, which kept me distracted and comfortable throughout the entire prep process.
Nurse Anesthetist John Ziebarth gave me a feeling of comfort and reassurance that he would put me into a state in which I would not be aware of any details of the procedure.
The recovery and discharge processes were extremely efficient and very much appreciated!
Dr. Loveitt came to see me afterward to inform me that the procedure went well and showed me a few photos of the repair–before and after.
The robotic-assisted, minimally invasive method not only allowed Dr. Loveitt to perform the repair with more efficiency and precision, but also gave me a much faster and more comfortable recovery. I did not have a need for any of the prescribed pain relief medication other than periodic Tylenol and ibuprofen for a few days.
One thing that was absolutely beyond my expectations was the handwritten personalized card of well wishes I received in the mail a few days after surgery.
I experienced kindness, compassion and caring perfectly blended with state-of-the-art technology and highly skilled providers…every step of the way. We are so fortunate to have Riverwood Healthcare close to home where our providers are also our neighbors. Riverwood combines all the advantages of a big-city facility with all the benefits of small-town friendliness and charm.”