Bruce Willyard of Carrington hasn’t felt 100 percent when he’s been on duty as a part-time maintenance worker at the Carrington Cemetery.
The retired excavation service owner has been feeling pain in his left knee in recent years, and wanted to address the issue head-on while he still is able to work.
“I had my right knee replaced about seven to eight years ago,” Willyard said. “In the last couple years, my left knee really started to need attention.”
Several years prior, he met with Jamestown Regional Medical Center Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Timothy Volk to prepare for surgery.
However, Willyard tested positive for COVID-19 just before he was to go under the knife.
“It could have interfered with my work at the cemetery with the sickness, so we decided not to do it that year,” he recalled.
In the winter of 2023, he approached JRMC again, this time with surgeon Dr. Michael Dean.
“He told me, ‘When you’re ready for it, you’ll know it,'” Willyard said.
That time came in the fall of last year, when “things started really going downhill,” he recalls.
He got in contact once again with JRMC, to find out that Dr. Dean would not be available as he had just had carpal tunnel surgery of his own and would be “out of action” until April.
Newly-hired Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Roxanne Keene was the next to see Willyard to ease his pain. As it turned out, he was her first patient out of the gate.
“We made our first pre-op appointment on January 9,” he says. “I told her I was hoping we could get this done before August.”
Dr. Keene responded, “How about two weeks?”
“Sounds great,” said Willyard.
Dr. Keene and her team needed 79 minutes to operate on Willyard’s knee. After he was able to walk around on it, he immediately felt a difference.
“They told me, ‘That knee was very well used,'” he said with a laugh. “That afternoon, I felt better for a month afterward than I did with my first surgery.”
Willyard says he was impressed with Dr. Keene’s professionalism, and her ability to help himself and others gain mobility back in their lives.
“I’m very glad she was able to do that in such a short time frame,” he said. “She’s a very likable person, and I have no reservations about recommending her to anybody.”
About Dr. Keene
Dr. Roxanne Keene, MD, is originally from Ray. She completed her undergraduate degree at MSU-Moorhead in fitness and sports science and athletic training. Upon graduation, she moved to New York City to become a physician’s assistant (PA).
“These were interesting years, as I’d never lived in a true ‘big city’ before,” Keene said. “I got a chance to see a lot of unique medical conditions and care for a variety of patient populations.”
After her years of school out east, she returned to the upper Midwest, working as a PA in both Fargo and Minneapolis.
She would receive her M.D. from UND in 2006, eventually taking a five-year orthopedic surgery residency at Southern Illinois University in Springfield, Ill.
Keene would then return to North Dakota for good, working in general orthopedic surgery in Williston for eight years and at Essentia Health in Fargo for five years before coming to JRMC.
“I believe that one of the most important things for optimal patient outcome is patient education,” she says. “Knowledge of their condition and the recommended treatment plan, along with expectations for recovery, are important.”
She explained that the Internet has a wealth of information available from various sources, but reliability can be a hit-or-miss proposition.
“Well-rounded medical education from a reliable source is important,” said Keene. “Communication is so important in the doctor/patient relationship, and I encourage patients to bring up questions and concerns during the treatment process to make sure they are fully aware of the expectations.”
Keene says that with the evolution of new technologies, orthopedic surgeons have been able to improve procedures and help get patients back to doing their favorite activities in a shorter time frame.
“I enjoy keeping up on new techniques, and I am excited to bring some of these to JRMC,” she said.
As a general orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Keene provides care for the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, tendons and ligaments.
“I particularly enjoy performing total knee arthroplasty, shoulder and knee arthroscopy, and providing fracture care,” she said.
She added that thus far, she has been impressed with JRMC’s level of commitment to providing quality patient care from all areas.
“They seem to really incorporate the team concept of patient care,” Keene said. “It’s an exceptional facility with modern conveniences in a regional setting.”
She and her husband, David, have two daughters. Zoe, a junior, and Ava, a sophomore, attend school at West Fargo Sheyenne High School, and are active on the golf and basketball teams and with travel teams in the summer. They also have four dogs at home.
Keene enjoys being active and watching sports, and the family are avid fans of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. She and her family also love to travel, and see new environments and cultures.
Dr. Keene and the rest of the Orthopedic Surgery team at JRMC can accept patients without referral, depending on individual insurance requirements.
To schedule an appointment, call Jamestown Regional Medical Center at (701) 952-4878.
Article courtesy of the Foster County Independent.