Chasing Adventure with Dr. Faux and Revere Health

Although he is approaching 70, Stan Ricks remains an active skier, biker, runner, and participates in just about any other outdoor activity you can think of. He has competed in multiple marathons and Iron Man competitions throughout his life all while raising a family and now making time for his many grandchildren.

It seems that injuries are the only thing that can slow him down. That’s why it’s so important for him to have a trusted Orthopedics team; he refuses to stay down for long.

Ricks has been visiting Revere Health Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Robert Faux, who he refers to as “Rob,” for more than 15 years. Because of his active lifestyle, Ricks has frequently suffered from stress fractures or other Orthopedic issues that he needed expert help in treating to keep him going.

Rob has always taken care of me,” Ricks says. “He’s very knowledgeable and willing to answer my questions. And I ask a lot of questions.

During one of his most recent adventures, Ricks was mountain biking at a ski resort in Norway. He got off his bike to climb a steep rock when his foot slipped, and his ankle turned badly. He remembers hearing a “horrible crack” and knowing that it was bad right away.

He went to the local hospital in Norway where they determined his fibula was broken. Despite receiving good care from the Norwegian medical team, Ricks wanted to consult with his trusted Orthopedic team back home to get confirmation of the diagnosis.

From Norway, he texted pictures of the X-rays to Dr. Faux to get his guidance. Faux responded quickly and advised Ricks to stay in Norway another week and have a cast put on. So that’s just what he did.

After a week getting around in a wheelchair overseas, Ricks flew back home, and Dr. Faux didn’t waste any time – he had Ricks scheduled for surgery within 24 hours of returning home.

“Everything happened very fast,” Ricks said. “But Rob carefully explained the pros and cons of casting versus surgery. He never tries to push me into surgery.”

Because of the severity of the injury, surgery was indeed necessary; Ricks required seven screws and plates to put his leg back together.

He says the overall surgery experience went very well, and he appreciated the professionalism and patience of all the staff he interacted with – from the operating room down to the front desk.

Everyone was great down there,” he said. “The nurses, the staff, the anesthesiologist. They were super helpful and answered all my questions.

The surgery was successful, and Ricks has been relatively pain-free since. He is carefully following his post-op care plan as to not reinjure his leg or do further damage; something easier said than done for a man used to “being out there.”

“Rob did a great job of setting expectations,” Ricks said. “He told me what I could and couldn’t do so I wouldn’t end up back in a cast.”

That’s important because Ricks is eager to get back to the activities he loves. For example, despite have surgery in the Summer, he was trying to figure out how he could participate in a 200+ mile bike race in September.

Despite being anxious to get back out here, he is grateful to Dr. Faux for setting limits and protecting him from himself. Having had many positive interactions with other providers at Revere Health in addition to Dr. Faux, Ricks is also grateful for an organization that helps him maintain the active lifestyle that has defined his life.

My experience with Revere Health is that they treat me like a patient, not just a number or a ‘next’ in line,” he says. “Patients are people with hopes, dreams, fears, and worries. It’s great when a healthcare provider treats you that way.