Category: Patient Success Story

Patient: Jerry Blackstone Occupation: Choral conductor & university professor Age at Surgery: 68 Procedure: Total shoulder arthroplasty of left shoulder Thinking about my grandfather’s experience with arthritis, I’m very grateful for my surgery—what a gift! As a Grammy-award-winning choral conductor, Jerry Blackstone was resigned to the fact that his shoulder hurt —it felt like a... Read More

Patient: Donna ThomasOccupation: Yoga and spin instructorAge at Surgery: 55 and 59Procedures: Right total shoulder replacement in 2014; Left total shoulder replacement in 2021 Within four or five months of surgery, I was back to handstanding. It wasn’t just about being free from pain for me—I wanted performance. Donna Thomas spends her life in motion.... Read More

Patient: Timm EttersOccupation: MuralistAge at Surgery: 45Procedure: Debridement & repair of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon in right arm “After all the fear and worry about my elbow, after all the opinions and different doctors—my elbow is now the least of my concerns. And I thank Dr. Romeo for that.” Timm Etters stood high... Read More

Patient: Daniel SantacaterinaOccupation: Star quarterbackAge at Surgery: 18 and 21 Procedure: Repair of the flexor-pronator tendon of the right elbow in 2015; Repair of the infraspinatus tendon of the right shoulder in 2017 “I had a really good season after all that adversity. If Dr. Romeo hadn’t done such a good job I wouldn’t have... Read More

Patient: Paul BeierwaltesOccupation: Martial Arts athleteAge at Surgery: 49Procedure: Two shoulder replacements “I’m now three years out from surgery, and I’m still advancing and getting greater range-of-motion.“ In the late 1990s, Paul Beierwaltes started to notice aches and pains in his shoulders. As an avid Hapkido martial arts practitioner and teacher, he fought through the pain for many years... Read More

Patient: Mason ErlaOccupation: College baseball pitcherAge at Surgery: 19Procedure: Repair of latissimus tendon “I really appreciated that Dr. Romeo was interested in my career post-surgery.”—Mason Erla When Mason Erla, a 6’ 4” talented right-handed pitcher stepped up to the mound on February 26, 2017, he didn’t know it would be the last time he would... Read More