Getting back quality of life!

Accidents can change lives for Alaskans who are active every day. When a patient experiences an accident that reduces quality of life, our team of providers at Pioneer Peak Orthopedic collaborates with the patient to find the best approach for treatment. The greatest compliment we can be given is when our patients find a way back to doing the things they love.  In 2021 April Andrews suffered a hip injury while “trying to keep up with her daughter” while ice skating. Dr. Michael Montano was her physician and after a hip labrum repair, she recovered and was as active as ever. Flash forward to January 2024, and the lifelong Alaskan was still out enjoying time with her daughter. With temperatures hovering at minus-30 degrees at their cabin near Lake Louise, they took off sledding on steep tundra terrain and in near darkness. All was going well until April hit a near-buried tree and was launched into the air, landing on her upper back and neck, causing damage to a preexisting cervical fusion. April has suffered from Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis since the age of 9 months, so she is not unfamiliar with surgical procedures. She has had multiple cervical spine procedures caused by the disease, yet had been able to successfully remain active with backyard farming, recreating with her daughter, and living a busy outdoors lifestyle. The thought of having yet another surgery wasn’t welcome, but, she knew, likely inevitable. But this time, recovery was more challenging. Soon after the surgery, she experienced loss of function in her right arm and a significant reduction in overall strength. Simple tasks, such as handling dishes or grocery bags of food, became unbearable. The pain went on for nearly a year, and it wasn’t until she returned to Pioneer Peak that she found relief. She consulted with Dr. Montano, who concluded that although there was some damage to her shoulder, the primary cause of her symptoms originated from her neck. C5 palsy was causing the loss of strength in her arm. In 2025, Pioneer Peak welcomed Dr. Garrett Schuchart, a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon, to their practice, and the timing couldn’t have been better. Dr. Montano recommended that April consult him for a second opinion. “The referral changed everything,” April said. Dr. Schuchart collaborated with April to develop a comprehensive strategy for an anticipated eight-hour surgical procedure. “He explained everything in a straightforward and understandable way,” she said. “His demeanor, personality, and confidence helped rebuild the trust that had been missing. His knowledge and expertise gave me confidence in his abilities — but more importantly, he restored my hope.” April calls those weeks with us (Pioneer Peak) as “straightforward and easy from the beginning.” “I was given reassurance that this could be fixed, and that I didn’t simply have to accept a new normal,” she added. “The entire Pioneer Peak team listened, took my concerns seriously, and focused on finding real solutions rather than treating one issue in isolation.” Today, April is back to doing the things she loves — snowmachining, ice skating, and even preparing to start figure skating lessons together with her daughter. Tasks that once seemed burdensome now feel effortless; she can handle her daily activities and chores in her backyard farm again, free from the persistent pain and limitations she previously experienced. Like every patient we treat we are so happy that our team was able to help April. “Dr. Schuchart, Dr. Montano, Dr. Strohmeyer, and the entire Pioneer Peak team. They didn’t just treat my neck — they gave me my quality of life back.” That is the best compliment we could ever hope for; thank you, April, for sharing your journey. 

 *Patients permission provided to give Pioneer Peak Orthopedic Surgery rights to testimonial.