For nearly a year and a half, Mary lived with constant knee pain.
What started as discomfort gradually turned into something that affected nearly every part of her daily life.
“It was swollen and painful all the time,” Mary said. “Everything I did, I had to rest. It impacted cooking, taking care of my family, and even work.”
Mary first visited BayCare Clinic Pain & Rehab Medicine, where she met Rachel Janowski, NP. After evaluating her symptoms, Rachel referred Mary to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Awowale for further care.
After living with pain for 18 months, the thought of surgery made Mary nervous.
“Whenever you think about surgery, you wonder if you’re going to come out feeling better or worse,” she said. “You just have to trust your doctor.”
From her first visit, Mary felt reassured.
“He was wonderful. He asked about my symptoms and what was going on. He was down-to-earth and really took the time to talk with me.”
After imaging and evaluation, Dr. Awowale diagnosed Mary with a torn meniscus in her knee and recommended surgery to repair it.
To Mary’s surprise, everything moved quickly.
“He did the operation within about a week,” she said.
At her follow-up appointment, Dr. Awowale in his usually easy-going way he cracked a line that made Mary laugh.
At her follow‑up appointment, Dr. Awowale entered the room in his usual easygoing way — the kind that makes patients feel instantly comfortable — and cracked a line that made Mary laugh out loud.
“He said, ‘You weren’t faking it,’” she remembered. “I told him, ‘No — you’re Dr. Magic.’”
The name caught on immediately.
Several years later, when Mary began experiencing similar pain in her other knee, she didn’t hesitate to return.
“He fixed my right knee, so it was a no-brainer to go back and have him fix the other one,” she said.
For Mary, the experience reinforced what she already knew about the care she received.
“He’s very professional and very caring,” she said. “He’s down-to-earth and really wants to make sure you feel comfortable the entire time.”
Dr. Awowale says patients like Mary make the work especially rewarding.
“Mary was a wonderful patient to care for,” Dr. Awowale said. “She stayed positive throughout the process an was committed to following through with her recovery. Seeing patients return to the activities they enjoy without pain is always the goal, and it’s great to see her doing so well.”
Today, Mary enjoys staying active in her own ways. She loves cooking, reading, and spending time with her five-year-old beagle, Molly.
She also works as a caregiver helping older adults remain comfortable and independent in their homes—a role she’s enjoyed for the past ten years.
“It keeps me going,” she said. “I love helping people.”
Most importantly, her knee pain is no longer holding her back from the life she enjoys.
“As long as I can keep going, I’m great,” Mary said.
And thanks to the care she received, she can.