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Health Matters: Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center | 9 W e understand how challenging it can be to find orthopedic care for your aching hips and knees. While there are many health care facilities and practices in our area, finding the right providers to address your issue can at times make patients feel hopeless. At Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center, our team has committed to partnering with Napa Valley Orthopaedic Medical Group to support you every step of the way to ease your pain and get you back to living your life. GETTING TO YES Carol Outen, 49, has always been an active woman. She hikes, camps and gardens, is an amateur chef and loves spending time with her friends and going to the park with her grandkids. She also loves her job as a bookkeeper, because it allows her to work closely with her clients. In 2023, her hip started to hurt, and it kept getting worse. "When I couldn't stand the pain anymore, I went in search of help," she remembers. "I went to urgent care clinics, physical therapists, specialists and doctor after doctor," she says. "Because my body mass index (BMI) is high (44), I kept getting no for an answer when I asked for help, even though imaging results clearly revealed that my hip was moving into my groin and that I urgently needed a hip replacement. No one would help me with the surgery because of my size. It was very sad and frustrating." Carol found a sympathetic doctor in Marin County. While he could not provide the hip replacement, he could scope her hip and do debridement (removal of debris from the joint). Unfortunately, it was not enough. Coming out of that procedure, after having done everything in his power to help, the doctor said, "This is bad. You need to find an orthopedic surgeon to work with and have your hip replaced." SEEKING RELIEF For months on end, Carol tried to find a doctor who could help her. At this stage she was in so much pain she couldn't walk at all. Her full, active life was now focused completely on the pain in her hip. Then help arrived. "A friend told me about Dr. Michael Caravelli at Napa Valley Orthopaedic Medical Group, so I called his office," she remembers well. "And at his practice, my BMI was not even a question. Unlike everywhere else I called, they didn't even ask about it." Instead of turning her away, they made an appointment for Carol with Dr. Caravelli at his Napa office. And there the unthinkable happened: He said, "Yes. Yes, I can help you." A WAY FORWARD For Dr. Caravelli, the answer was clear. "Here's a young woman in her late forties, who's a hardworking grandparent, spouse and friend, walking with crutches just to get through the day. Carol had been walking on crutches for six months by the time she found us." And Dr. Caravelli lent Carol exactly what she needed: a physician's ear. "He listened to me and cared about my life story," she remembers. "From my first appointment to my surgery at Queen of the Valley and beyond, my care was excellent." Dr. Caravelli thinks that closeness and time are part of the healing process. "Conversation between patient and physician helps both to understand what the patient feels and, in the context of their life, what we can really do for them. Simply hearing their stories and watching them move and walk can lead to a more accurate diagnosis than any imaging machine can provide. Our number one goal is being available and present in every patient visit." AGED TO PERFECTION Stella Leveque, 80, is what you might call a "pistol." The retired high school teacher is active and vibrant, and unafraid to share her opinions. When a previous knee replacement started to cause her tremendous pain, impacting her day- to-day activities, Stella started the search for a doctor who could help. Stella, like Carol, was told no as well, though it was because of her age, not her body type. But she did her research and eventually found the total joint replacement team at Queen of the Valley. "I'm an involved patient. I do my homework and come in with questions I need answered," Stella says. "They always had time for me." "Revising previous joint-related procedures is common in the orthopedic field," Dr. Caravelli says. "And here comes Stella, who's in great shape, but with her independence compromised and her lifestyle going downhill. We had the opportunity to get Stella moving again and return her to her life." "People who live in Napa Valley understand how difficult it can be to know where to get the care they need," he continues. Add perceived barriers like weight, age and complexity, and finding help gets even more difficult. All patients have a right to excellent and timely care. When it comes to orthopedic/musculoskeletal care, Napa residents have an exceptional team right here in the valley to support them." Also, as the population in Napa continues to age, more residents are going to need hip and joint replacements. Having surgery at Queen of the Valley means keeping your surgery and follow-up care close to home. After surgery, the Queen provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient physical therapy to ensure patients achieve the best possible results. And in the event of unexpected orthopedic injuries, we are fortunate to be supported by our orthopedic trauma providers. After her surgery, Stella was delighted by the positive outcome and lack of pain, as was Carol. "I came out of surgery with no pain, and able to bend my knee to 90 degrees. It was remarkable," Stella says. "Having my condition resolved gave me my life back. I can do anything: hike, walk, grocery shop, clean my house and go to the park with my grandson." NAPA VALLEY ORTHOPAEDIC MEDICAL GROUP Daniel Birkbeck, MD, surgery of the hand and upper extremities; microvascular surgery John Diana, MD, specialized hip and knee replacement Brian Freeto, MD, sports medicine, advanced arthroscopic surgery and complex reconstruction of the knee and shoulder; member of the Orthopedic Trauma Service Jason Huffman, MD, surgery of the spine Jacqueline Weisbein, DO, pain management and physical medicine and rehabilitation Michael Caravelli, MD, specialized hip and knee replacement; member of the Orthopedic Trauma Service Jay Parkin, MD, member of the Orthopedic Trauma Service Nicolas Skordas, MD, member of the Orthopedic Trauma Service

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