How can I put into words how grateful I am to Dr. Kirk Scofield, Kelly, Kyra, and the wonderful people at Summit Orthopedics? To say that I experienced miraculous healing wouldn't be an exaggeration, and I thank God for answering my prayers. Dr. Scofield's expertise, honesty, caring demeanor, and masterful injections have enabled me to live my life more fully, without any pain or discomfort in my knees (and, in turn, hips, legs, and back). While the reality is that I will need knee surgery at some point, I am forever grateful and blessed that the injections that Dr. Scofield has given me in both of knees have alleviated pain that made every step--and even standing still at times--incredibly painful.
In 2005, a few years after I was rear-ended by a drunk driver at 60 MPH while I was stopped, a doctor told me that this caused chondromalacia (the cartilage in my knees was disintegrating). I was 26 at the time and had creaking sounds and grinding in my knees. However, I didn't start having some moderate pain and stiffness until 2019.
That's when I first reached out to Summit Orthopedics. I saw Dr. Wickham, who was also very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful (I'm a Jane Austen fan, so I took it as a sign I was in the right place). I was asking about stem cell injections, so he referred me to Dr. Scofield. I was open to paying the significant cost for stem cell injections if it meant I could avoid knee surgery and be out of pain. Thankfully, Dr. Scofield treats the whole patient and works with you to find the most effective treatments at the lowest costs. He suggested I first try things that insurance would cover. Good call. They took MRIs and x-rays of my knees to determine the cause of the pain: I have no cartilage in my left kneecap and next to nothing anywhere else. It is what it is, and I'm thankful to be alive, so we focused on solutions. He drained a lot of fluid from both knees in November 2019. In March 2020, I had my first hyaluronic acid injections and WOW, what a difference! It was incredible.
Unfortunately, in November 2021, I made the mistake of working on a project on the ground for several hours, and my knees paid the price. Within a few days, I was in a lot of pain. My knees felt stiff, stairs were unbearable, and my knees were swollen. I couldn't get on the ground to play with the children in my preschool, I couldn't run around playing games with them like usual, and I moved much slower than usual due to the pain. Dr. Scofield drained some fluid and injected hyaluronic acid in both knees in December 2021, which helped, but I didn't have complete relief like I did before. Dr. Scofield and I discussed Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections, and he mentioned that some patients seem to find greater relief when the PRP and hyaluronic acid injections are done together. Since my insurance only covers those every six months, I decided to wait until July 2022 to have the injections done simultaneously. Although I was in a lot of pain and taking ibuprofen every day, I'm so glad I waited.
The informational packet and everything I had researched online said that pain could increase for up to 2 weeks, and it would take 4-6 weeks after the PRP injections to start feeling any relief. Well, on the 3rd day, I was feeling better, and it was all uphill from there. By day 5, I didn't have any pain or stiffness in my knees, and I had more flexibility than I had in years. My knees weren't swollen, I could walk easily, and stairs didn't cause issues. Twelve days after the injections, I traveled to Cancun with my husband and friends, and I was able to enjoy every minute of it thanks to Dr. Scofield. I had been in so much pain before that I was worried about taking the trip. I was able to swim and be pushed ahead by dolphins, run in the ocean (and their waves were rough), go parasailing, tackle stairs like a champ, ride a jet ski, swim all day, do aquarobics, and so much more...without any pain! My husband and our friends were as amazed as I was.
I am still pain-free more than 6 months later and just had the hyaluronic acid injections done this month only to provide support for my knees and try to get ahead of any issues. It's been a night and day difference from a few years ago.
I have always been greeted warmly at check-in, the waiting areas and patient rooms are always clean and comfortable, and I have never waited long to be seen by Dr. Scofield or his assistants. These things all add to the perfect experiences I've had at 4 different Summit locations.
I am so blessed to have Dr. Scofield as my orthopedist. THANK YOU to all of you for making such a difference in my life! read more