For nearly three whole decades, Tammy Delaney loyally served as a member of the United States Postal Service. Her job, while rewarding, was also physically demanding. Daily repetitive motions to lift and move packages made future orthopedic issues all but impossible to avoid, and while her dedication to her work never wavered, her shoulder, knee, and back were not so accommodating.

Referral to an Orthopedic Specialist

Tammy was initially referred to the Bone and Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge after speaking with her usual medical provider about her ongoing knee pain. It was at that appointment that she first encountered the name, Dr. Gerard Murtagh. At the time, she had no way of knowing just how instrumental Dr. Murtagh would become in her orthopedic health and ability to enjoy her upcoming retirement.

Back-to-Back Orthopedic Procedures

In short order, Dr. Murtagh offered Tammy solutions for not only her knee pain but for her lingering shoulder issues as well. As it turns out, decades of heaving large boxes had done significant damage to both shoulders in a multitude of ways, most notably in the form of bursitis and rotator cuff injuries. One month he scoped her knee, and in the next, he repaired her left shoulder. It was a lot to undergo back-to-back, but Tammy felt an extreme sense of peace and confidence with Dr. Murtagh.

“From the very first time he walked in that room, I knew he was going to be my doctor,” recalls Tammy. “He was just so knowledgeable. He was very kind, compassionate, and very funny. He didn’t talk above my head but explained things on my level. He treated me like I was the only patient in the whole building.”

Back Pain from a Ruptured Disc

If not for her confidence in Dr. Murtagh, Tammy may have suffered even longer with other orthopedic problems beyond his area of expertise. As it was, she felt secure in mentioning her back pain from a ruptured disc. Despite a surgery many years before and multiple rounds of steroid injections, her discomfort remained. Upon hearing her concerns, Dr. Murtagh referred her to Dr. Christopher Belleau - another Bone and Joint physician who specializes in interventional spine procedures.

In Dr. Belleau, Tammy found success once again. Not only did she have another kind and knowledgeable specialist on her side, she also had one who was able to find a solution that so many others had not. His recommendation, a course of two nerve blocks followed by a nerve burn, could just be the answer she had spent years searching for. And although the procedures frightened her, her faith in Dr. Belleau carried her forward, just as it had with Dr. Murtagh.

“Dr. Belleau was great,” says Tammy. “He gathered all of his information and knew exactly what was wrong. He said, ‘We’re going to try this,’ and I was more than willing to. I was kind of afraid of those nerve blocks, but he was just so kind and so caring.”

Tammy’s retirement came at the end of 2022, and while she can’t be completely sure of what this next chapter in life will hold, she can be sure that if orthopedic problems arise, she has the right team in her corner to conquer them.