Specializing in You: A Story of Trust, Healing and Connection

“I fall down, and she puts me back together,” mischievously laughed Mary Jo, describing her long-standing relationship with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Ackerman. “I’d recommend her 1,000%.”

Mary Jo first met Dr. Ackerman in 2010 after a misstep on an uneven curb left her with a broken ankle and a trip to the emergency room. Dr. Ackerman happened to be on call that day, and from the very beginning, Mary Jo remembers not just expert care, but genuine kindness. “Her bedside manner was incredible,” Mary Jo recalled. “I told myself right then, if I ever needed orthopedic care again, I was coming back to her.”

As it turns out, that promise got plenty of use.

Over the years, Mary Jo has been seen for three ankle fractures, a ganglion cyst that required surgery, injections for joint pain due to a bursa in her hip, and even a shattered left humerus in a memorable Christmas Eve fall in 2022. “I was carrying food to the table when I tripped and hit the corner of the wall just right,” she said. “It was incredibly painful.” After her husband, Bill, called 911, she found herself back in the ER and once again under Dr. Ackerman’s care.

“I’ll never forget her walking into the room, smiling, and saying, ‘What did you do now?’” Mary Jo said with a grin. “That mix of humor and compassion, that’s just who she is.”

Through all the ups and downs, Mary Jo credits Dr. Ackerman with more than just putting bones back together. She also helped Mary Jo quit smoking, something that has transformed her life. With an infectious smile Mary Jo said “I’m stronger, healthier, and I can enjoy the things with clearer lungs. I like to garden, can, bake, and spending time with my grandson” she said. “Quitting smoking is the best thing I’ve ever done.”

For Mary Jo, Dr. Ackerman didn’t just repair injuries, she built a bond of trust and friendship while helping her reclaim a stronger, healthier life.