Back on their own two feet
Feb, 2016
Physicians: James Maskill, DPM
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Raymond Kilbourn and Doug Mundt were used to living an active lifestyle. If Raymond wasn’t on the lake fishing you could find him playing a round of 18 on the golf course. Doug enjoyed spending much of his time outdoors. However, after both men suffered ankle injuries, they were forced to put their favorite past times on hold.
Raymond Kilbourn, 80, Olivet
Ever since a beam fell on Raymond’s ankle at work a number of years ago, he had been dealing with slight pain in his right ankle. It wasn’t until three years ago that the pain became so severe it began to interfere with his daily activities. Raymond wasn’t able to go fishing as often because it was hard for him to get in and out of the boat. His game on the golf course also suffered because he wasn’t able to put his full weight on his ankle while swinging the club.
Raymond had been seeing a foot and ankle specialist in Marshall for a number of years who told him there was no solution for the pain. He and his wife Carolyn weren’t aware that ankle replacement surgery was even an option until his orthopedic doctor referred him to James Maskill, DPM.
“We were extremely impressed with the care we received from Dr. Maskill,” said Carolyn. “He took the time to answer all of our questions and explained everything that we needed to know both before and after surgery.”
Shortly after the procedure, Raymond was able to get around using a knee scooter and eventually a walking boot. His recovery went so well that he didn’t have to complete rehabilitation therapy. Two and a half months after his surgery, Raymond was back on his own two feet and golfed nine holes with his daughter.
“The surgery really improved my game – and I am confident enough to take a full swing,” said Raymond. “I’m just disappointed that I wasted so much time thinking there was no solution when something could have been done sooner. We would recommend Dr. Maskill to anyone!”
Doug Mundt, 46, Watervliet
One afternoon while trying to get on a horse, Doug slipped out of the stirrup causing him to land sideways on his right foot. The fall resulted in three fractures.
Doug’s wife Tara drove him to the Emergency Department at Lakeland Hospital,
Watervliet where medical staff splinted his foot and leg in order to provide temporary relief. The following day, Doug made an appointment with foot and ankle specialist, James Maskill, DPM.
“During our initial visit, Dr. Maskill was very thorough. He went over the treatment options and discussed the pros and cons of surgical versus nonsurgical treatment with my wife and I,” said Doug. “Dr. Maskill had a lot of patience as we arrived with many questions and were undecided on what would be the best course of treatment.”
After all their questions were answered, Doug and Tara decided on foot surgery to repair the broken bones. The surgery was scheduled for the following week at Lakeland Hospital, Watervliet. Everything went as planned and two weeks after Doug’s surgery he reported experiencing minimal pain.
“Dr. Maskill and his staff were very encouraging throughout the whole process,” said Doug. “They made a difficult situation easier by bringing their hearts to work and simply taking the time to listen to all my questions – I never felt rushed.”