Jean LeCanne thanks
Dr. Muench
Jean LeCanne is grateful for the day she met orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Clint Muench.
Jean LeCanne, dairy farmer and mother of six, spent over thirty years working a double life: waking up at 1 a.m. to work at a bakery, followed by long days on the family farm. In her free time, she was an avid runner. But as time went on, an unrelenting pain began to creep into her daily life.
“I went so many years with no medical trouble and raising all those kids. And then suddenly, I couldn’t get away from the pain in my knee. I didn't know what was going on,” Jean recalls. The pain spread, affecting her knee, foot, and eventually her entire mobility.
At work in the bakery, she had to lean on a cart just to make it through her shift. She tried a cortisone injection that only offered brief relief. The pain was impacting her work and, more importantly, her daily life.
She went to a foot doctor who tried a few things, but eventually told Jean she needed to see an orthopedic surgeon. She didn’t want to go, but he told her she needed to and referred her to orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Clint Muench.
“When I first went to see Dr. Muench, I still thought it was my knee, but Dr. Muench looked further,” she explains. “He said, ‘It’s not your knee Jean. Maybe we should take a look at your hip.’ Sure enough, it was bone on bone.
“I didn’t want to have surgery, but Dr. Muench was just so positive. I was afraid, and he assured me that everything was going to be all right,” remembers Jean. Dr. Muench’s warmth and confidence helped ease her worries, so she decided to have the surgery.
After the surgery, the difference was immediate. The pain was gone. Jean began physical therapy, progressing from a walker to a cane to eventually working out in her garden. “After a while, I was back to walking down our country road, saying hi to the neighbors,” says Jean.
With her mobility restored, Jean could get back to her life without the relentless pain. "It was my lucky day when I met Dr. Muench. He’s given me a whole new lease on life. Now, I’m out walking every day, enjoying nature, and saying a prayer or two along the way,” she says gratefully.
When she broke her wrist a few years ago, she went straight to Dr. Muench. “He came in the room and gave me a big hug, and I knew I would be fine. I’ve recommended him to so many people,” says Jean.
Her experience with Dr. Muench left such an impact that she wanted to express her gratitude in a meaningful way, so Jean donated to the Northfield Hospital Foundation in Dr. Muench’s honor.
“He gave me back my life, and this is one way I can thank him,” Jean says. “It’s important to say thank you.” Jean’s gesture highlights the importance of honoring healthcare workers who often go unrecognized for their commitment to helping patients.
Through her years at the bakery, she knows the value of being appreciated. "It was always so nice when someone said thanks or recognized our hard work. It lifts you up,” Jean adds.
Jean hopes to inspire others to recognize and support healthcare workers by donating to Northfield Hospital Foundation. "It’s a simple way to say thank you, and let them know they’re appreciated while helping out other patients at the same time through the Foundation,” Jean says.