The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients. After Back Surgery, Jamie Ruden's on the Court Again and Looking to Help OthersWhen Division 1 women's college basketball player Jamie Ruden could no longer play through, or live with, the chronic back pain that was keeping her from playing her usual style of basketball, she came to Mayo Clinic for the surgical fix she knew she needed. Jamie Ruden knew right away something was wrong. It was [...] Working His Way Back After a StrokeOn a summer evening in July 2018, Dan Boswell was hit by a stroke. His wife's quick action to summon emergency help likely saved his life. Today, with the help of his Mayo Clinic team, Dan is doing all he can to recover from the stroke and meet his goal of returning to work. It [...] From Sadness to Smiles: Art Inspires Emotional HealingWhen Bill Hoffman arrived at Mayo Clinic's Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, he was so weak he could barely move. Not only was his strength gone, his happiness had disappeared, too. That began to change when Bill picked up a paintbrush and immersed himself in the creative process. Bill Hoffman, a retired neurosurgeon, never considered himself very [...] Robotic Spine Surgery Renews Scott Walling's IndependenceLast summer, Scott Walling was in excruciating pain, and he could barely walk. Today he's pain-free and enjoying his favorite hobbies again, thanks to a new procedure offered by Mayo Clinic's Department of Neurosurgery. One of Scott Walling's favorite activities is trapshooting, especially because it's a pastime he gets to share with his children -- [...] An Active Life Restored, Thanks to Regenerative MedicineFor years, Rick Amatuzio lived with severe back pain that kept him from the active life he'd always savored. But advanced diagnostic tests and regenerative medicine therapy at Mayo Clinic ultimately led to a complete recovery. Now Rick once again can play sports and enjoy the outdoors free from pain. A typical weekend for Rick [...] Joyriding Once MoreWhen chronic hip pain drove Brenda Brault to seek medical care, the long-distance runner and triathlete assumed her high-level athletic pursuits were over. Rather than limiting her abilities, however, surgery allowed Brenda's training to keep moving forward. For more than 30 years, Brenda Brault lived with pain. Beginning in high school, when discomfort from a [...] Winning Against All OddsAndy Steinfeldt discovered his love of running late in life. When a series of medical conditions and complications threatened his newfound hobby, he refused to accept a future where he wasn't able to compete. As a high schooler, Andy Steinfeldt wasn't an athlete. He never won a ribbon or medal for anything fitness related. But [...] Improving Lives With Creativity and KindnessAs a child, when Jim Rogotzke wanted a toy or device that didn't exist, he'd make it. Today the master electrician has turned that talent toward designing and developing devices to help patients. In the heart of rural Minnesota at Mayo Clinic Health System in Springfield, when a specialty object needs to be made, master [...] Diagnosis and Treatment for a Mysterious Illness Turn Despair Into HopeWith unexplained symptoms worsening daily, Elise Athas' health was spiraling downward quickly until she came to Mayo Clinic and discovered a program that helped her cope, recover and heal. When Elise Athas arrived at Mayo Clinic in November 2017, she was a shell of her old self. Gaunt and weak, the former runner needed a [...] Right-Handed Once More, Thanks to Unique Orthopedic SurgeryCraig Cretsinger had accepted the fact that he'd never be able to use his right hand ? until he learned about a specialized hand surgery at Mayo Clinic. For 45 years, Craig Cretsinger lived without the use of his right hand. It was the result of a spinal cord injury he'd suffered decades earlier. The [...] 1 Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic ResearchCosts & insurance Sept. 20, 2019 Share on: FacebookTwitter Physical Medicine and RehabilitationSectionsOverviewRequest an appointmentTests & proceduresConditions treatedDoctorsSpecialty groupsLocations, travel & lodgingClinical trialsResearchThe Mayo Clinic experience & patient storiesCosts & insuranceNews from Mayo ClinicResources for medical professionals SectionsRequest an appointmentOverviewTests & proceduresConditions treatedDoctorsSpecialty groupsLocations, travel & lodgingClinical trialsResearchThe Mayo Clinic experience & patient storiesCosts & insuranceNews from Mayo ClinicResources for medical professionals ORG-20467033 Departments & Centers Medical Departments & Centers Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation