A few short months ago, St. Mary’s Health System and MaineHealth announced an expansion of their long-standing clinical affiliation to offer residents of Lewiston-Auburn the highest quality specialty care and services close to home. Today, it’s positively impacting the care experience of Lewiston-Auburn area patients like Mike Parker, a 71 year old retired elementary teacher who has been a lifelong Lewiston resident.
Some time ago, Mike was helping a close friend move some furniture – and it was heavy, very heavy. Mike shares, “At the time, I didn’t feel as though I had hurt myself. Not long after that, I noticed my belly button was protruding.”
Mike made an appointment with his St. Mary’s primary care provider and was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia, which is when part of an intestine bulges through the opening in a patient’s abdominal muscles near the navel. Mike was advised he may need surgery down the road and returned to his daily life. A few years later, the protrusion had become much more significant.
In the fall 2020, Mike was referred to Cecelia Trydestam, MD, MS, FACS, a MaineHealth general surgeon who provides services at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. He says, “My surgery consultation appointment went very smoothly. I was at ease as soon as I met Dr. Trydestam. We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure option and agreed on what was best for me. I was fairly nervous about undergoing surgery and she put my concerns to rest.”
“I’m sincerely committed to ensuring my patients receive the best surgical care while also having a positive experience in the hospital,” shares Dr. Trydestam. “The fact that I can deliver high-quality specialty care right here in the Lewiston-Auburn area is a wonderful plus to patients who live in the community.”
Mike has always considered St. Mary’s his hospital of choice. He lives just two miles away. In addition, several of his family members were employees. Mike adds, “Lewiston is the second largest city in Maine and I’ve always found it easier to do things locally if I can. I was happy to have access to great care right down the street from my home. I truly felt like I was in such good hands. The entire staff was professional, respectful, caring and compassionate. I felt supported and I knew exactly what was happening every step of the way. In my humble opinion, the staff were all heroes long before the pandemic.”
“We take great pride in our commitment to consistently provide the very best care to our patients and their families,” adds Steven Jorgensen, president of St. Mary’s Health System. “The general surgery we offer means patients can receive care locally. We’re constantly striving to improve the health of our community and very pleased to see such a positive reaction from a local patient.”