A Sheridan couple’s journey through Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s continuum of care
At Sheridan Memorial Hospital, orthopedic care, rehabilitation and interdepartmental collaboration come together to deliver exceptional patient outcomes. Dan and Rosemary Rieder are living examples of the hospital’s commitment to ensuring patient care across the organization is a seamless experience.
Dan struggled with joint pain and arthritis, which significantly impacted his daily life, making even routine tasks like grocery shopping difficult and preventing him from getting restful sleep.
“I could barely get in the car after grocery shopping, my knee was so stiff,” Dan shared. “And my shoulder was grinding, losing flexibility and causing pain. In both cases, they got so uncomfortable that the only real solution was to replace both joints.”
Dan’s wife, Rosemary, encouraged him to seek treatment at Sheridan Orthopaedic Associates after her own positive experience with Dr. Brian Laman, who performed a minor arthroscopic procedure for her. Her trust in the team’s expertise gave Dan confidence in their care, leading him to undergo a reverse total shoulder replacement with Dr. Justin Steinert in November 2023, followed by a knee replacement with Dr. Brian Laman in November 2024.
When Dan’s medical history—specifically his use of blood thinners for an artificial heart valve—led to complications during and after his shoulder surgery, the staff at Sheridan Memorial Hospital collaborated to provide comprehensive care. This included managing excessive bleeding and the need for a blood transfusion following an emergency room visit due to dangerously low hemoglobin levels. These coordinated efforts ensured Dan’s safety and supported Rosemary as his caregiver, while preventing similar complications in future procedures.
Dan and Rosemary were deeply appreciative of the care he received.
“When I was admitted to the hospital following my shoulder surgery, Dr. Steinert was there right away to check on my situation. He didn’t have a responsibility for my care, but he still came in to see how I was doing. I was also impressed because the CNAs and other nurses. The CNAs were kind and caring and the nurses would come in and do things that nurse don’t have to do. They would clean up my dishes, take out the trash and straighten my sheets. They just generally cared about my comfort,” Dan said.
Following Dan’s hospital stay after his shoulder surgery and in preparation for his upcoming knee surgery with Dr. Laman, his care team collaborated to develop a proactive plan to prevent similar complications. Dr. Laman worked closely with Jason Otto, PA-C and Registered Nurse Barb Shumaker from Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Internal Medicine clinic to implement a strategy known as “bridging.” This approach involved transitioning Dan from blood thinners to anticoagulants through a series of twice-daily injections for 10 days before surgery. By carefully managing his medication in this way, the team aimed to reduce the risk of complications and ensure a smoother recovery after Dan’s knee replacement.
As Dan’s caretaker following his previous surgery and in anticipation for the upcoming one, Rosemary said she was thankful for being included in the process.
“They always gave me the information I needed,” Rosemary said. “Many times, when you’re the one receiving care, doctors will only talk to you. I found that, in Dan’s case, when a doctor came in, they not only talked to him, but also to me, and I found that comforting.”
This proactive strategy proved successful, and Dan’s knee replacement surgery was completed without additional complications. He is now pleased with the results of both surgeries and demonstrates the progress he has made, easily stretching and bending his arm over his head.
“With my shoulder, I had difficulty maneuvering in certain ways, but now, being able to do this…” Dan said, demonstrating his ability to stretch and bend his arm over his head. “Being able to reach behind my back to put on my belt is great. The cooperation between departments, the surgeons and everyone involved worked really well.”
Post-surgical rehabilitation was essential to Dan’s recovery, and Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Wyoming Rehab provided the physical therapy necessary to restore strength and function to his knee. Physical therapist Lindsay Kinney worked with Dan to achieve his goal of straightening his knee to 0 degrees and flexing it to at least 120 degrees.
“They take you from where you begin, knowing where you want to end up, and walk you through the stages of gaining more flexibility and strength,” Dan explained.
In the end, Dan was able to flex his knee to between 124 and 126 degrees.
Dan is not the only one who has benefited from Wyoming Rehab’s care. Rosemary had previously received treatment for vertigo at Wyoming Rehab, and she is currently undergoing physical therapy for nerve pain in her neck and arms. She echoed her husband’s appreciation for the team, particularly physical therapist Lindsay Kinney.
“I’m no sooner home from my appointment, and there’s a notice that my notes have been updated in the patient portal,” Rosemary shared. “And I think Lindsay is amazing. She has so much knowledge about nerves, and she explains everything so I understand why she’s doing what she’s doing. When she’s pulling on my head, I know there’s a reason for it. I may walk in with pain, but after Lindsay does some of the exercises with me, she’ll ask, ‘How’s your pain?’ and I’ll say, ‘I don’t have any.’”
For Rosemary and Dan, the key takeaways from their experiences with both the surgeries and rehabilitation were the importance of staying on top of health concerns and consistently working on improvement.
“I think the challenge for anyone who has an issue is accepting that issue for what it is and getting the help you need,” Rosemary said. “Don’t wait, because then the problem becomes larger. We have great people at the hospital, so I think not letting something get the best of you is probably more important than anything. Get the help you need. I feel like I’m getting the help I need because some of my pain is already starting to ease up.”
“My knee still gets grouchy at times, especially because of the weather, but I know that I am also continuing to work on it,” Dan shared. “It’s a long, slow process, and when I went into Wyoming Rehab in the beginning, they made it pretty clear that it was going to be challenging, but that’s necessary in order to get to the end. They let me know that right away. I felt the challenge was pushing beyond the pain a little bit, but the reward came when they’d measure my progress, so you were constantly encouraged that you were getting somewhere. So, yeah, it’s hard, but you’ll be glad you didn’t let it go.”
“Except your other shoulder and other knee,” Rosemary joked, amidst her husband’s mock shushing. “But we don’t talk about that. I told him to just give me a couple more months before he decides to do all this again.”
For more information about Sheridan Orthopaedics and Wyoming Rehab, please visit sheridanortho.com and wyomingrehab.org.