UI SPINE CENTER PATIENT SUCCESS STORIES
Wendell's Story
"I am extremely thankful that my CBHCO case manager took the initiative to contact the UI Spine Center after I had not improved with my prior treatment options."
I was injured in July 2006 at Ft. Dix, New Jersey preparing for deployment to Iraq. We were qualifying with our rifles on three different ranges throughout the day and into very early the next morning. We wore our ballistic vests (50 pounds) and carried our weapons throughout the day as we moved from one range to another in a military vehicle. My injury may have been a result of the cumulative effect of all the standing up and laying down to fire my weapon repeatedly throughout the day and night, the weight of the ballistic vest pulling on my spine and the rough rides in the vehicle (with the force of the vest on my shoulders and neck). When I woke up a few hours after we completed the qualification, I was barely able to move and experiencing unbelievable pain in my neck and shoulder.
Following my injury, and prior to coming to UI Spine Center for rehabilitation, I received the following medical care: At Ft. Dix, I received physical therapy that focused on modalities; (heat, massage, nerve stimulation, ultra-sound). I traveled to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in order to have a pain management doctor review my case. I was provided medication and recommendations to continue physical therapy with the goal of getting into a work hardening program.
In October 2006, the Army transferred me to the Community Based Health Care Organization (CBHCO) so I could be at home and receive family support while I continued to work on my recovery. In January 2007, I attended physical therapy and was prescribed various medications to help with sleep, depression, anxiety, and pain. I had office visits with a neurosurgeon, neurologist, pain doctor, and my personal physician, I had two electromyograms and received 12 trigger point injections, with the total number of injections to date being approximately 20. But I still did not improve in my ability to function physically and to manage my pain in order to restore the quality of my life.
I dealt with chronic pain, depression, rejection, anger, frustration, and lack of sleep. My life revolved around attending doctor appointments and taking medication, and I felt that I was making others around me miserable. Although I was grateful to be home with my family, my quality of life was not good at all. Because of my injury, I was unable to perform tasks associated with the duties of a soldier and as a result, I had thoughts of not being a person capable of contributing anything in any way to my profession.
I am extremely thankful that my CBHCO case manager took the initiative to contact the UI Spine Center after I had not improved with my prior treatment options. Without her genuine concern for my well being, I don’t know where I would be today. I am so grateful to her for her commitment to the soldiers she serves and for pursuing quality medical treatment options for injured soldiers.
During the two-week UI Spine Rehabilitation Program, everything began to turn around for me. I finally got the help I needed and learned the skills necessary to get the quality of life back that I had before my injury.
First and foremost, the professional care I received was outstanding. The doctors, physical therapists, and entire spine team staff have been among the most professional and caring that I have ever met. What they do in very simple terms is care! From the one-day evaluation to get into the program, throughout the entire two-week rehab program, I was impressed with the staff and the content of the rehabilitation program. They address both the physical and the psychological components of chronic pain.
They were interested in me and clearly were committed to helping me. The relaxation and coping skills/pain management portion of the program will help me for the remainder of my life, and for that, I am extremely grateful. The conditioning, physical therapy, functional restoration and the stretching programs were all great too. The classes on vocational exploration, nutrition, medication, and others were applicable to daily life and to restoring my quality of life. The time the doctors took to talk to us about chronic pain was important to each of us. All the tools that the UI Spine Center program provided to me are in my toolbox now, and are being used daily.
I have a much better outlook on life. My pain levels are down, I sleep better, I feel that I am back in control of my life and am more positive than I have been. I laugh and smile more now. I can see the light at the end of a tunnel that I could not see before. I don't have to take medication for the chronic pain any more because I have new methods to cope with and manage my pain. My overall quality of life at home is so much better than it was before starting the program. My personal goal for recovery is to continue to move forward with my life. Perhaps as a soldier, but if it is as a retired soldier and doing something else to serve others, then that is OK. The important thing for me is that my quality of life is far better than it was prior to the rehabilitation program.
I absolutely encourage anyone experiencing chronic spine pain to contact the UI Spine Center to seek help and get the tools you need to get your life back. This rehab program is something that the military should look to for any soldier with chronic back or neck pain who is returned home for medical care and assigned to CBHCO. It offers hope where once there was none. Although some things in my life are still difficult they are so much better. Because of this rehab program I have hope. Because of this program I have the means to cope with my pain in a way that improves the quality of my life. I now have the tools that I needed to help me get my life back on track!
Randy's Story
"I think there should be more programs like this one available to soldiers to help them deal with mental and physical problems after an injury. This program was a great help in getting me back in control of my life."
I have always been a positive, active person who was able to do anything I set my mind to. I am an outdoorsy type of guy and I love living in Michigan.
After graduating from high school, I joined the Army National Guard and I’ve been in the National Guard for the past 14 years working as a mechanic, both stateside and overseas. I was deployed to Iraq from December 2004 to March 2006. I injured my back in Iraq and I had immediate back pain at the time of my injury. I later had a spinal fusion in September 2006 and I started a work hardening program in February 2007.
I was put on medical hold and then on active duty answering phones at the National Guard Armory. I took lots of medications and I had no improvement in my pain. I was basically inactive, restless and bored. The constant pain made me have problems with sleeping and I ended up feeling tired all the time. The pain and stress made it hard to concentrate and that was frustrating. I couldn’t be active like I was used to and I couldn’t play with my kids like I wanted to. I had a poor overall quality of life.
Eventually, my Army Nurse Case Manager sent me to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for a one-day evaluation at the UI Spine Center. The spine team was great, and the information I learned during the evaluation gave me hope for improvement in my situation.
I entered spine rehab with the personal goal of getting as much of my life back as I could. I received great care from all of the staff at UI Spine Center. I had time to ask questions, get answers, and develop my personal home rehab program. I learned how I can safely become as physically active as possible and I learned practical ways to mentally manage my pain. With hard work I met my goal.
After completing the UI Spine Center rehab program, my life has improved, and I am now in a better mood. I’m stronger and more active. I sleep better. I know how to manage my pain and I take less than half of the medications I used to take.
I think there should be more programs like this one available to soldiers to help them deal with mental and physical problems after an injury. This program was a great help in getting me back in control of my life.
Rod's Story
"I don’t know what started my back pain three years ago, but my problem was very cyclical and involved the muscles in my upper back."
I am a “graduate” of the UI Spine Rehabilitation Program. I have no idea where I would be, or how I would be, coping with my back pain without the program.
Before my back pain started, I led a very normal life. I was 38 years old and employed as an accountant. My wife is an attorney and we have two children. I don’t know what started my back pain three years ago, but my problem was very cyclical and involved the muscles in my upper back. Early in this process, I was treated with narcotic pain killers, local physical therapy, and chiropractic care. At the beginning of 2007, the muscle problems settled in and never went away. The severity of the pain changed over time, but it never really went away.
I saw a dizzying array of doctors including orthopedists, rheumatologist, and pain clinic specialists and went through too many tests to count. One doctor told me I had arthritis, the rheumatologist told me I had fibromyalgia, and the pain clinic specialist told me he couldn’t help me, because my pain was muscular. Then he prescribed muscle relaxers and said, “Good luck.” The answer was always the same, “We can’t find anything wrong with you, here is some medicine, good luck.” I was miserable with no real hope in sight.
I was finally referred to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where I began treatment with Dr. Robert Yang. He took an interest in my case and helped me find answers.
I had a great experience in the UI Spine Rehabilitation Program. I learned an entire arsenal of tools to use to battle my pain. I was with a fantastic group of four Army National Guard soldiers, who had either been injured in Iraq or while training for Iraq, along with another civilian like me. We bonded as we went through the grueling physical training together, with good humor. We shared our personal experiences in our psychological coping sessions. I really wanted to get better, and watching everyone work hard in the Spine Rehab program inspired me to work hard too.
All of the tools I learned have been put to good use. I have been following the physical exercises, as well as the relaxation and pain management techniques, and I’m starting to feel less pain. My muscles are more pliable and it’s easier for me to work through my days. I am more flexible than I ever have been in my life, and in good cardio shape. I have realized that this is going to be a new way of life for me. I cannot stop if I want to get well.
This program takes hard work and dedication. Most of the changes taught are actually simple, small changes that make an enormous difference. It takes a lifestyle change. However, it has given me hope that I don’t have to live with my pain for the rest of my life. I don’t have to take narcotics for the rest of my life. I can actually participate in my family and other social activities again!
I promise that if you suffer from chronic back pain and go through the Spine Rehabilitation Program, you will leave with all the tools you need to manage your pain and live your life. This is information you will not get anywhere else, and the caring, high-performance team at UI Spine Center will help you learn what you need to take care of yourself.
I know that I can count on what I learned in the Spine Rehabilitation Program to help me live a quality life, and I know that if you’re truly dedicated to changing your life, that you can count on it too.
Brenda's Story
"I had a bulging disc and degenerative disc disease."
My chronic back pain had overtaken my life and I was not a surgery candidate. I had a bulging disc and degenerative disc disease. I was put in a back brace for one and one-half years and I was on many pain medications. I was becoming more and more disabled and the worst thing really was my complete lack of knowledge about the appropriate treatment options for my back.
I was in constant pain, I experienced weakness, suffered from depression, felt hopeless, and I was isolated and began to believe that I would never ever get better. I had nothing to look forward to in life except for pain and debilitation.
Finally, my family care provider sent me to UI Hospital and Cllinics for a one-day evaluation. Following the evaluation I started a home physical therapy program and I began to see some improvement. Next I attended the Spine Rehabilitation Program and I began to understand the nature of my pain and that exercise was not only OK but very necessary for me in order to live a quality life again.
I got a complete re-education about my back and I learned the difference between "hurt versus harm" as I gained both strength and stamina. During the psychology portion of the program I began the healing process in all aspects of my life - mental, emotional and physical. I learned what I needed to do to be a healthy person again through the coping skills, pain management skills and by understanding the mind body connection regarding my pain.
Vocationally, I learned to identify my strengths and learned more about possible career directions. But most important of all I regained my hope for the future and I started smiling again!
I still use the skills that I learned in the Spine Rehabilitation Program to this day. Since completing the program I have contacted the spine team on several occasions to help get me through a few "rough spots" as well - and they are always there for me. They remind me of what I need to do to take care of myself in order for me to reach my goals and stay on track.
I now have a very full life and I know what it is like to experience joy and hope again! The UI Spine Center sincerely cares about their patients and they can teach you what you need to know to get back in control of your life again and manage your pain. Don’t give up because there really is hope for you, and you are worth it.
Don's Story
"I had a laminectomy due to spinal stenosis and I had intense pain from the surgery."
My life before the Spine Rehabilitation Program was miserable and I was ready to do anything in order to improve my situation. I had multiple health problems late in life and was living in constant pain and losing function. I had a laminectomy due to spinal stenosis and had intense pain from the surgery. As a result of the stenosis, I now have a neurogenic bladder and must self-catheterize for the rest of my life. I have also had my right hip replaced.
During this whole episode I was in a wheelchair and on oxycontin. Things could not have gotten much worse. Given all that I had been through, I was feeling hopeless and was afraid I was too old to be considered for the UI Spine Center program. Boy was I wrong! I was openly accepted into the program where I felt cared for and understood.
If I can make one point, it is that the people at the UI Spine Center are there for your good and you won’t be harmed in the program. The staff believes you that you are in pain and understand what you are going through. They are upfront with you that they can’t make your pain go away, however, they are there to teach you how to manage your pain and inspire you to do your best so that you can get a quality life back.
You go through the Spine Rehabilitation Program with a group of other patients who understand what you are experiencing and you support and encourage each other. You learn that there is hope.
During the program, I took to the psychological coping skills like a duck to water and learned a lot of ways to manage my pain. I was afraid of the exercising part at first because I thought I would hurt myself. I soon learned that the physical therapists are very supportive and teach you how to exercise safely. I learned that I had a lot more stamina that I thought I did by working hard in physical therapy every day. I learned that exercise is the answer for me if I want to stay active.
My pain is never going to go away entirely, but I am now able to manage my pain. I go to the gym three times a week, walk in the pool three times a week and do my relaxation tape and breathing exercise daily.
You have to be persistent and always push yourself to your personal limit to succeed at this. I am 78 years old and I have a lot to live for with my family and the activities that I enjoy. I have my life back!
Nancy's Story
"When I wasn’t working, I was on pain pills and resting, and getting more and more disabled by my back pain."
My family has raced standard bred horses for 55 years, so raising horses and farm life is truly in my blood. I have worked the field since I was a child and all I knew was to be on the move and working.
In my adult years, I was an active mother of three kids and nothing held us back as a family. We were on the go 24-7 and we loved it. I was the type of mom who played with my kids and did sports with them and taught them about the horses. In addition I have driven school buses for 22 years.
My back injury changed my life and changed who I was.
In 1991, I injured my back a horse show in Chicago when I tried to help one of our horses stand up after it went down in the stall. I was told that I had “sprained my back” and I didn’t even know what they meant.
I simply went back to doing whatever I could and lived in constant fear of my pain and fear of my back. In 1995, I slipped on the ice at the bus barn where I worked and I was in even more pain. A few years later, my pain became so severe I wondered if I could even drive the bus any more.
When I wasn’t working, I was on pain pills and resting, and getting more and more disabled by my back pain. I could not find usable information anywhere about how to deal with my back pain. I couldn’t find anything that would teach me how to start really living my life again – and I was struggling with depression. At my worst, I was basically living on the couch and unable to do housework or yard work. I was completely lost and out of my element for the first time in my life. I had hit the end of the line.
I was finally referred to the UI Spine Center, and I was ready for some answers. In the program they had me doing an aerobic tape at 8 a.m. and I thought, “What did I get myself into!”
I thought that I was going to die. The first week was really tough but I learned that even though getting back into shape hurts, I would not harm myself doing the exercises I learned in the program. I was getting stronger and I understood how to do the exercises correctly.
I have to admit that initially I resisted the psychology portion of the program, but by the second week I truly saw the value of what I was being taught for my pain management. I still do my deep breathing, imagery, and coping skills to manage my pain.
Since completing the Spine Rehabilitation Program, my fear about my pain is gone. I feel empowered to live my life again. My pain comes and goes – but now I have the knowledge and tools to manage the pain, and I stay in control of my life.
I walk about two miles a day and have made changes in my diet as well. I play with my grandchildren, drive the school bus and work our horse barn. I am alive again!
I don’t let pain control me – I control my pain. I believe that the UI Spine Center is the best-kept secret in the Midwest, and I am here to tell that secret to all who will listen. I really loved going through the program and I bonded with my group. If you commit to this program you are committing to changing the rest of your life for the better. It is truly a lifestyle change.
Steve's Story
"I worked hard at my rehabilitation and was back to work in three months. I was determined to continue working as a fire fighter. However, in 2000 while at work...I had a stabbing pain between my shoulder blades."
I am a second-generation fire fighter and I’ve spent 17 ½ years of my life working as a professional fire fighter. I have always worked out regularly and also enjoyed refereeing wrestling. I initially hurt my back in the early 1980s and was in traction for 10 days, then I injured my back refereeing and was in traction for 12 days. In 1999, I hurt my back on the job when stairs collapsed under me in a house fire and I needed rotator cuff surgery. I worked hard at my rehabilitation and was back to work in three months. I was determined to continue working as a fire fighter. However, in 2000 while at work I simply reached over to pick up a ketchup bottle and I had a stabbing pain between my shoulder blades – I couldn’t believe this was happening to me.
In total I had seen seven different doctors regarding my back and I was in constant pain. It came to a point where I had to look at the long-term quality of my life and make a tough decision, and I finally knew that this meant leaving the only profession that I had ever dreamed of and the only way of life I knew. I was at the end of the line and I realized that there were no quick fixes for me and no magic cure that would make this all go away.
I needed a solution-focused program where I could learn how to manage my chronic pain, modify my activities and get a physical therapy routine that was effective for my back - and that is what I found at the UI Spine Center.
When I decided to go on with my life there was no room for feeling sorry for myself, and no room for any excuses. I had to face my back pain and learn how to move on with my life. The spine team taught me that if I wanted to get my life back, I needed to eliminate the words “I can’t do this” from my vocabulary, because they equal defeat.
I tried everything they taught me to do, even if it didn’t make sense at the time. During the psychology part of the program I learned coping skills and pain management skills, and in physical therapy I learned how to take care of my back for the rest of my life. They taught me how to live a quality life around my pain and how to get physically stronger again. I still do my stretching, physical therapy exercise, cardio, weights, and swimming. I’ve learned to listen to my body and use moderation with my activities when I need to. When I left the program I was not forgotten – the spine team is very supportive and I can call back anytime.
When you are ready to take responsibility for the quality of your life and get back to doing the things that matter to you – you need to check this program out.
Remember, there is no magic cure, and you have to learn how to manage your pain to have a good life! This program works when you are ready and worth the effort. As for me, I am now working part-time in the ER as a Paramedic and part-time at a home improvement store. I am also back to golfing, bowling, swimming, weights, biking, and working outside on the farm again.
I have a good life and I want to tell everyone who has chronic back pain that you can have a good life too, when you are willing to learn the skills and do the work to manage your pain so that it doesn’t manage you.
Janis's Story
"The day that I fell down a flight of stairs and injured my back, my whole life began to disintegrate."
By nature, I am a person with high standards. I am a hard worker who loves life and enjoys time with friends and family. So when I injured my back and suffered from chronic back pain I was overwhelmed by the loss in quality of life that I was experiencing.
The day I fell down a flight of stairs and injured my back my whole life began to disintegrate. I made numerous visits to doctors and chiropractors trying to find a “cure” for my chronic tailbone and low back pain but nothing seemed to help and no one gave me much hope.
I was in constant pain, socially isolated, depressed and out of ideas on how to get better. My husband had to take over the housework. I had lost my self-esteem and I was at the lowest point I had ever known. I was finally referred to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
After being evaluated at UI Hospitals and Clincs, I was referred to the UI Spine Center where I joined six other patients with chronic back pain and began the Spine Rehabilitation Program.
Our group spent eight hours a day together for two weeks. The staff at the UI Spine Center validated that my pain was real and not just in my head. They treated me like a whole person and understood my situation. I felt so comfortable in the program.
Half of each day involved lectures and group discussions led by various medical professionals, including a psychologist and a vocational counselor. The remainder of each day we worked with physical therapists on strength and endurance exercises. We learned that we needed to move our bodies and discovered we actually felt better when we did.
I entered the program with an open mind, willing to try whatever was suggested. It was an epiphany for me when I finally understood that the body and mind really are connected and that my pain could be lessened significantly when I practiced the relaxation and deep-breathing techniques that I learned. That, in combination with real physical exercise, has really helped me deal with my pain in a way I didn’t think possible. I developed a special bond with the patients in my group and with the staff, and we really had fun together and laughed a lot in the program as we learned how to manage our pain and live again.
I have remained physically active since completing the program and I follow both the physical therapy and psychology exercises regularly. I function better now, I cope better now and I can focus again. I am back to work at my job in the banking industry, I am able to spend quality time with my family and friends and I have a full life again!
I encourage anyone reading this to be open to learning new ways to manage your pain. Yes, your pain is real…but there are ways of coping and redirecting the energy you use thinking about how much you hurt. Believe - it is true! The staff at the UI Spine Center gave me hope, support, and a multitude of tools to help me control my pain. Ultimately, I gained the courage to move my body again, connect with my mind and get out there and live my life. I was renewed in body and spirit after my experience with this program and am confident that you can be, too!
Paul's Story
"I had gotten hurt at work trying to shovel a tractor out of the snow."
The psychologists at the UI Spine Center literally saved my life. I had reached the point where I felt I couldn’t go on any more – I was beyond the point of caring. I had gotten hurt at work trying to shovel a tractor out of the snow in 2000 and I was off of work for nine months. I returned to work on light duty and I had a second injury and then neck surgery. I eventually lost my job. I was devastated. Since my initial injury I had seen 19 different doctors and I got lots of different opinions. These opinions included scare stories, being told I would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life, being told to just grin and bear it and being told that I was faking it. By the time I got to the UI Spine Center, I had given up on the medical profession and I had given up hope on myself. I did end up in a wheelchair, depressed, and isolated from my friends and family.
I am NOT in a wheelchair now. When I got to the UI Spine Center, their psychologists saw my desperation and they met me where I was and got me the help I needed to turn things around, starting that day. I got straight talk from the doctor, he didn’t pull any punches and I really needed that. During the Spine Rehabilitation Program, the psychologists gave me tools I needed for managing my pain and kept me going. The physical therapists got me walking again during the first week of the program and helped me set goals. It hurts to get strong again, but it is worth it! I have nothing but good to say about this place. The staff here are very supportive and you go at your own pace. You have everything to gain by coming here and nothing to lose except your fear and hopelessness. You need to care enough about yourself to want a life, and they can help you get your life back.
I now have a new view of my life. I learned to respect myself and I see my value again. I still use the skills I learned at the UI Spine Center everyday – I do my exercises and coping skills to manage my pain. I now walk my dog one to two miles a day, I have my hobbies back, I enjoy my friends and family, I go to my grandchildren’s sports and music events (and they can’t wait to see me there) – I have so much to live for and I am having fun again!
Michael's Story
"I was sent to the Spine Rehabilitation Program following my on duty injury on the railroad."
My pain was dominating my life. I tried everything I could to fight my way to the other side of this thing and nothing worked. I was an angry person.
I was sent to the Spine Rehabilitation Program following my on-duty injury on the railroad. I had no idea what to expect. There was a lot of information on the first day. I liked the physical therapy right away. I felt better as I learned to do the exercises the right way and I got stronger. The physical therapists pushed me hard and I tried a lot of new exercises.
But in the end, it was the psychology part of the program where I gained the most for managing my pain. I am an “old school” kind of guy, and I can assure you I was not buying into any part of psychology without questioning the value of it and putting it to the test.
The skills I learned with the psychologist made the program come together for me – I learned to let go of my anger and I am a new person today, a much happier person.
The UI Spine Center really cares about their patients during and after the program. That means a lot to me. To make the program work you need a positive attitude and you need to try everything that they teach you. There is no magic cure out there and you need to push yourself to learn new skills to manage your pain and move forward with your life.
I still follow my program today and I am determined to keep my new routine – I am not pain free, but I have a greatly improved quality of life. I am productive and doing the things that I enjoy again. I am living my life again.
Julie's Story
"I was butted by a 300-pound ram at full running speed while working on our acreage. "
In 1993, I was butted by a 300-pound ram at full running speed while working on our acreage. I crawled to the house to phone for help and got to the hospital. Following my visit at the hospital, I was given muscle relaxors and told to rest.
Predictably, my pain increased and my ability to physically function decreased. I spent the next seven years going to chiropractors, getting spinal injections and taking medications. Any wrong move I made and I was down for the day. I was in constant debilitating pain.
In addition, I was going through a life-changing ordeal in my personal life, and the combination was truly unbearable. I consulted a surgeon hoping for an answer to my chronic pain and he told me to “just live with it.” As a mother of five young children, I was absolutely at my wits end with my situation, and I became desperate and depressed.
Things finally began to change when my mother’s doctor told me to contact the UI Spine Center for an evaluation. Following the evaluation I was accepted to the Spine Rehabilitation Program.
I gave it 100 percent. I did everything that they told me to do. I was eager for a better life and I was ready to work hard to get there. At the UI Spine Center, I learned to focus on my attitude about pain and also my desire to get well. The spine team helped me cut through my fear of pain and helped me to start doing the things that I loved again.
In the psychology portion of the program I learned to “let go” and let my body heal. I wrote down the things that I liked about myself and the things that other people liked about me (and these lists are still on my mirror to this day!). I learned self-respect, self-esteem, and self-confidence at the Spine Rehabilitation Program.
In physical therapy I learned to stretch and exercise. It wasn’t easy at first, but I had lots of support and even though I hurt the first week I learned to hang in there for my long-range goals. I also really bonded with my group in the program and we supported each other to reach our goals. I had decided that I was not only going to learn to manage my pain, but I was going to gain something new in an area that I was passionate about -- to increase the quality of my life, and for me that was ballroom dancing.
Since graduating from the UI Spine Center, I am working in the schools with children who have special needs. I not only take dance classes, but my husband and I actually teach dance lessons. I have maintained my walking, exercises, dancing, and breathing exercises and I feel great. I truly have my life back (new and improved life, I might add!).
My advise to you is to ask yourself what you really want to do with your future. Why do you want a change for the better. Are you willing to get the information you need and then apply it so you can reach your goals?
Those are really the questions for all of us dealing with chronic pain. The decision is yours and it is up to you to work for what you want. Trust me. It is worth the courage and the effort it takes to live a quality life again!
Shirley's Story
"The next morning I got up to go to work and I had so much pain in my lower back and left leg that I was in tears."
I was a pet groomer for 25 years and I am an outdoor kind of person, always doing something physical. But on one particular weekend I rode our horses, I mowed our four- acre yard, did some weed whacking, and ripped the drywall out of our garage.
The next morning I got up to go to work and I had so much pain in my lower back and left leg that I was in tears. I went to a chiropractor and I got absolutely no relief. I went to my family doctor and she sent me to physical therapy, which lasted for a couple of sessions, with no relief. I went to a pain clinic and ended up having various types of injections, which provided temporary or no relief.
Then as a last resort (after two years of pain) my doctor at the pain clinic decided to do a discogram and it showed that I had at least two discs that had no fluid in them and one disc that was leaking badly. That is when I decided surgery was the next option.
I had two back surgeries within a month. The first was a level three disc fusion and the second was to drain fluid that had built up from the first surgery. I was in a body brace for three and one-half months and was constantly taking prescription painkillers.
Out of desperation I talked to my family doctor about any other options and she referred me to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics UI Spine Center. I was very skeptical at this point, but I felt that this was my last hope.
The people at the UI Spine Center understood that my pain was real, not just something in my imagination. In the UI Spine Rehabilitation Program, I did physical therapy and I learned how to walk correctly again and to do exercises correctly (which was a big challenge).
In the psychology part, I learned relaxation techniques and coping skills that helped me deal with the pain. I knew I wanted to have a career again, so the vocational part got me thinking about what I would be able to do. I am now taking college courses to become a certified veterinary technician (at age 47)!
After the Spine Rehabilitation Program I really improved. The results weren’t immediate, but with time and a lot of hard work following the program that they taught me - I just kept getting better and better. I had hope again.
Now I am back taking care of the farm and the house, I have a job working at a veterinary hospital, and best of all I am riding my horses!!
I still have days where I will have some pain but now I know how to work through it and deal with it. It scares me to think where I would be today without the help from all the great people at the UI Spine Center. I wake up every morning appreciating the fact I can get out of bed without terrible pain and I can do the things I want to do again. The Spine Rehabilitation Program gave me my life back.
Ron's Story
"I was in a head-on car crash and later had back surgery where I had a fusion that didn’t work. I had severe pain."
When I got to the UI Spine Center, I was in a cave of despair. I was full of self-pity, isolation, anger, depression, and intense pain. My negative outlook on life dominated me. My view of reality was tainted and I had become a completely different person. I was a hostage to fear and I had lost all hope. I had no life. I was disconnected, over-medicated, and living in a cloud of continual fear. I had become just a small portion of the man I once was.
My life had been going great until 1988, when I was in a head-on car crash and later had back surgery where I had a fusion that didn’t work and I had severe pain. I had a second surgery that only created more pain and didn’t address the problem from the first surgery.
I was in constant pain. Probably the worst thing of all, for me, was the pain medications, muscle relaxants, sleeping pills and the duragesic pain patch that I was given. These medications changed who I was. I was depressed, had panic attacks and amnesia - the results of these medications on me was horrifying.
I felt that I had simply fallen through the cracks of medicine. I retired from my job as a tool grinder in 1997. I had a third surgery in 2003 at UI Hospitls and Clincs to repair the problems from my first two surgeries. I was still in pain and I was referred to the UI Spine Center.
At first I was skeptical about the program. But soon I realized that I was finally with a group of other patients who understood my extreme pain and with the staff of professionals who knew how to help me and believed in me.
In the psychology portion of the program, I was taught coping skills for pain management and that was key for me to understand that my way of thinking about chronic pain was immobilizing me, I had stopped living and was drowning in self-pity. I learned that there is a lot that you can do (way more than you think) to improve the quality of your life.
Your mind can override and disconnect with pain in many ways that most people don’t have any idea is possible. I re-evaluated my way of thinking and behaviors that were contributing to my pain and I learned to change them. In physical therapy, I learned about the role of stretching, activity modification, strength training, and cardiovascular exercise needed to get going again. I finally understood how to get strong again and the importance of exercise in releasing your natural pain fighters.
I now think differently and my behavior has changed too – I have a good quality of life now! Helping others has been a great way to decrease my focus on pain and increase my self-worth. I have reclaimed my life. After I left the Spine Rehabilitation Program I went back to fishing and I caught the Iowa state record goldeye. I was able to travel again and play with my grandchildren. My amazing wife and I have a great social life again.
I am now an associate pastor and mentor, and I have an active prison ministry, jail ministry, retirement home ministry and I have co-authored a Bible study. I consider my journey from complete despair to living a full life again as God’s wake-up call to me to use the skills I was taught at the UI Spine Center, get going again and do the things that I was intended to do with my life to impact others. I am living life to the max and loving it!
If you are sitting around feeling sorry for yourself and focusing on your pain -- you are missing it! The question to ask yourself is – do you want to get out of your “cave” and take back control of your life? If so, then you need to know that there is hope and there are people who can teach you what you need to know to put pain back in its place and get a life!
Larry's Story
"I was run over by a tractor when I was 10 years old and later I ruptured a disk in 1989."
I went through the Spine Rehabilitation Program in 1997 and it changed my life. I still use the skills they taught me to manage my pain and live a full life. Before the program I was truly lost and had hit rock bottom.
I was run over by a tractor when I was 10 years old and ruptured a disk in 1989. I had seen so many doctors who didn’t believe my pain was real. But in fact I was in constant pain, on disability, isolated, depressed and hopeless. This was all taking a huge toll on my family. My wife got fed up and called the UI Spine Center. She handed the phone to me and that was the first step to my new life!
I had to figure out why I was in constant pain and how to live again, and I was not interested in short-term solutions or pills to just mask the pain. When I got to the program, I knew that God had put this in front of me and the information was there for me to use or not use. I decided to use the information and change my life.
The UI Spine Center is so supportive both during and after the program – they really care and they are there for you. They understand and believe your pain is real and have the tools to teach you how to manage your pain.
When I got to the Spine Rehabilitation Program, my fears disappeared. I was relaxed and started to learn how to manage my pain. I was a student, not a patient. Students come to learn and apply knowledge – patients come to be fixed. I came to learn and live again.
No one can make your pain go away completely, but they can teach you how to manage it so that pain does not rule your life.
It feels great to be back in the driver’s seat of my life, working full-time and doing all of the things that I love to do again. I am so grateful to the UI Spine Center for how this program has changed my life that my wife and I volunteered to give talks to encourage new rehabilitation groups for seven years after I graduated from the program! I love to tell people about how this program changed my life because I know how bad being controlled by pain can get and I know that there is hope for you.
Jody's Story
"I developed chronic back pain with debilitating flare-ups."
I am a mother of three young children with a degree in interior design. By nature I am an active, social, positive person who loves being with family, working, and spending time doing my hobbies. However, my chronic back pain changed all of that, and when I look back on how extremely bad things had gotten in my life, I find it hard to believe.
I developed chronic back pain with debilitating flare-ups. For two years I suffered continually and I ended up having two back surgeries. I tried physical therapy, and I was on pain medications, muscle relaxants, and anti-depressants. No treatment worked for me and I was rapidly losing all hope.
I got to the point where I couldn’t even move my limbs anymore. I was catheterized and finally became bedridden. My husband had to take care of me. I was depressed, felt worthless, and doubted that there was any purpose to my life. I lived in constant fear of pain and lost my motivation and interest in life. I felt like I was on the outside looking into my former life. I was simply not the person I once knew, and it was devastating. My life had become a nightmare.
When I got to the UI Spine Center for my evaluation, I really didn’t know if I could do the program based on my overall deconditioning. I worked hard on a home exercise program until I felt I had the stamina to do the Spine Rehabilitation Program.
I was really scared the first few days of the program but by the end of the first week I felt so much stronger and I knew I could make it. I enjoyed being in a group setting with other people who were also experiencing chronic back pain, because we understood and supported each other.
I never felt pushed too hard by the physical therapists and I found all of the staff to be people who were easy to relate to and people that I could trust. I was supported and encouraged to reach my goals.
In the psychology part of the program, I learned coping skills and I changed the way I thought about pain. I found out how to put pain on the back burner and I learned to largely ignore it.
I am so glad that I went through the program because I am actively living my life again. I still follow my home exercises, and in fact my whole family life has changed as we are now constantly on the go doing things together and we all exercise and eat better now.
If you have chronic back pain and don’t know what to do, consider calling the UI Spine Center. I really don’t think you could be much worse off than I was when I started the program and I am now living proof that the program works!
You owe it to yourself to at least give it a try. Don’t let your life pass you by, get out there and live it. My final words to you are, never give up!
Gary's Story
"My symptoms got so bad that I couldn’t even pick up a pair of glasses or raise my hands anymore...I was losing my independence"
I’ve lived a full life and I’ve been very blessed. I have a supportive wife (we will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this year) we have 4 great kids and 9 wonderful grandchildren. I have had a rewarding 40-year long career as a teacher, coach and high school principal. I retired 7 years ago and I had spent the last 30 years of my career working as a high school principal. I loved working with the students and guiding and mentoring them during those years. I’ve always been a physically active person too. I played basketball and baseball in high school, I played 3 years of college basketball at UNI and I coached 9 years of high school basketball. I’m now 68 years old and I have remained active. I enjoy farming, camping, traveling, golfing, walking and biking.
Things changed for me about a year ago, however. I was camping and I woke up with a sore neck. I didn’t think much of it because I’d never had an injury to my neck. I figured the pain and stiffness would eventually go away, but it didn’t. The worsening of my pain was fairly gradual, but it definitely intensified over the next 6 weeks. I had more and more stiffness and pain in my neck, shoulders and upper arms, and it eventually got to an intolerable level. I spent the next 3 months working with my family doctor trying to figure out what was going on with me. The pain level had progressed to a 9 or 10 on a continual basis. My symptoms got so bad that I couldn’t even pick up a pair of glasses or raise my hands anymore. I couldn’t drive and I was losing my independence. I had also lost about 40 pounds during this period and had become very weak. I was on several pain medications and trying to just get through the day. I was hospitalized 4 times during this period as well, for up to 5-6 days at a time. I probably spent $75,000.00 or more in treatments prior to my surgery and countless hours at medical appointments and in the hospital. Eventually, my family doctor suggested that I go to UIHC for further evaluation, and I was referred to the Department of Orthopeadics and Rehabilitation UI Spine Center.
I was skeptical about my future, and I really wanted answers about what I was up against long term. After all I had been through for the past 3 months it was probably not easy for any doctor to gain my confidence, but Dr. Smucker did. He diagnosed my problem and was able to communicate my medical options with me in an honest and straightforward way. I could tell that he was experienced and that he cared, he gained my confidence. He started with a C5 nerve root injection where I got a few days of relief, but then the pain returned. He then recommended a C4-5 diskectomy and fusion. I had faith and confidence that Dr. Smucker had the expertise that I needed, and this helped me face my surgery and recovery. The surgery went extremely well. In recovery I had to wear a neck collar for about 6 weeks and learn my physical therapy exercises. Initially, I had lifting restrictions, which I found to be frustrating because my wife had to lift things that I generally would have handled. I am happy to say that I have no restrictions now. I continue to workout at home with my bands, walking and biking. I’m traveling, spending time with family and enjoying my life again. In closing, I really can’t say enough about this staff - and that includes everyone, Dr. Smucker, the nurses and the receptionist. They were all so good to me and made me feel at home during this difficult time. I couldn’t have asked for better care. It was totally worth it.
Fran's Story
"The onset of my pain was very sudden, and without warning. I woke up one morning and literally couldn't walk."
Prior to the onset of my pain I enjoyed a full and active life. I’ve been a self-employed Manufacturing Representative since 1986, and my job required a lot of long distance driving and carrying heavy binders and samples to show to retailers. I also loved the outdoors and enjoyed biking, volleyball, gardening and Yoga.
The onset of my pain was very sudden, and without warning. I woke up one morning and literally couldn't walk. It took me about an hour to get my legs moving, and then I felt fine, except that my legs felt weak. This same scenario repeated itself daily for about 2 weeks, and then my legs began to ache along with the weakness. I hadn't suffered any recent back trauma and was totally baffled at what was going on. After 3 weeks of pain in both legs from my waist to my toes, I went to see my family doctor. X-rays were taken and I was told I had spinal stenosis and a bulging disc at L4-L5. My family doctor suggested I try massage therapy, ice and a back support when driving or doing anything physical that might irritate the discs even more. I did as I was told, but it was of minimal help.
After a few months of trying the above suggestions, my family doctor then prescribed pain medication, which I was reluctant to try, for fear of addiction. But since the pain was so severe I gave in and took the prescription for Neuronton. Addiction wasn't to be an issue, as I only took it once - I got so sick and disoriented, that I decided not to take any more. My family doctor then sent me to an orthopeadic specialist who suggested exercises to strengthen my back muscles. I tried that for 6 months, and continued to use ice and the back support, but that didn't help either.
I continued to suffer with constant pain in my hips and legs for 2 more years. The only time it didn't hurt was when I was sleeping. I was at my wits end with discomfort and I was only using Ibuprofen for pain to try and make it tolerable. I asked my family doctor if there wasn't something else I could do. At that point, he referred me to a pain management specialist who, in turn, sent me to a neurologist for an electromyography and nerve conduction study to check for nerve involvement in my legs. Those tests were negative for nerve involvement, so the pain management specialist gave me a cortisone injection into my back. I had a terrible side effect from the injection that paralyzed my legs for 24 hours. The cortisone didn't help at all, and based on my bad experience, I refused to have any more cortisone injections.
For 4 years prior to my back surgery I had absolutely no quality of life. I couldn't bend down or kneel to do gardening, I couldn't ride my bicycle because I couldn't lean forward, I couldn't even stand for more than 2 minutes because the pain was so bad. I couldn't get comfortable riding in a car, driving became almost intolerable and even sitting in a chair was painful. The only time I didn't have pain was when I was sleeping, and the minute I woke up - there it was, like a terrible toothache that just wouldn't go away. I was unbelievably discouraged.
After 4 years of intolerable pain, I asked my family doctor to please refer me to the University of Iowa for a second opinion. He got me an appointment with Dr. Found in August of 2004. Dr. Found had X-rays taken and showed me the problem and said he thought he could help me. He had a CT scan and myelogram done so that he could have a clearer picture of the problem area. Based on the findings, he felt that surgery was the only answer to hopefully relieving my pain. I agreed and was willing to try anything to get relief. My surgery was October 18, 2004. The surgery took approximately 5 hours and went very well, and I could tell the very next day that my pain was gone. I was in the hospital for 4 days; and even though I came out of surgery with 2 rods, 4 screws, 4 bolts and a piece of my hip in my back, the only pain medication I took was Tylenol for about 2 weeks after the surgery. Remarkably, I never needed any prescription pain medication. Dr. Found and his entire staff were wonderful. I always felt that they were doing everything they could to help me. Even though the University Hospitals is huge, I never felt like a “number”. Dr Found and his nursing staff always took time to make sure my family and I had all of our questions answered.
Prior to surgery I had visions of being confined to a wheelchair. Since surgery my life has taken a 360 degree turn for the better. I have had absolutely no pain since my surgery and no additional treatments have been needed. I have been given my life back. I am now able to do everything that I did before the onset of my problem. It's wonderful to be able to bike, garden, ride in a car, play with my grandchildren, and take long walks through the woods and just enjoy the outdoors again. All the simple things that I took for granted and wasn't able to do prior to surgery - I can now do all of these things again without pain. I consider Dr. Found a miracle worker, and will be indebted to him for the rest of my life.
In closing I would like to say, please don't put off getting the right medical help – don’t suffer for years like I did. The staff at the UI Spine Center is dedicated to helping people get their life back. Dr. Found told me that surgery should always be your last resort, so if you can be helped without surgery they will pursue those options too. I highly recommend the UI Spine Center to anyone who is ready to recover the quality of life that they once had.
Glenn's Story
"I had spinal stenosis and it had gotten so bad that I couldn’t even walk 10 feet without being bent over at a 90-degree angle."
I’m 63 years old and I still work full-time. I’ve been and regional manager and an account manager for a transmission company for the past 38 years and I’ve traveled the upper mid-west on business. My wife and I live on a farm in Iowa and I stay active. I enjoy woodworking, mowing and growing and selling sweet corn. We have 3 adult children and 9 grandchildren to keep us busy as well. I have a great quality of life and I’m looking forward to enjoying my retirement years. You have one life to live, and I believe you need to live it your way. You don’t get to start this life over and try again, so make decisions that are best for you - and that includes being active in deciding your health care options.
I needed to make some very serious decisions about my health care a little over a year ago. I had spinal stenosis and it had gotten so bad that I couldn’t even walk 10 feet without being bent over at a 90-degree angle. I was in constant pain and my lack of mobility was affecting my work and recreation. I was referred to Dr. Smucker at the UIHC Department of Orthopeadics and Rehabilitation UI Spine Center. I don’t take any surgery lightly. I need to believe in the skill of my doctor, or they won’t be doing surgery on me. I need to have confidence in my surgeon before I put my life in their hands. Most people ask more questions to their mechanic when they take their car in than they ask a doctor who is about to do surgery on them! You really need to ask questions, don’t just sit there hoping that the doctor can read your mind. You need to ask get answers before you decide if this is the right doctor for you. I did, and I had great results. Dr. Smucker answered all of my questions, and he was down to earth and kept me involved in the decision making process. I had total confidence in his skill going into my surgery, and that is important to me. As we discussed my options I knew that surgery was a possibility for me, but I wasn’t ready yet. We tried an epideural as a first step, but I got no relief. Overall, I have a high pain tolerance and if I can plow through a situation I will. But I was on business trip out West and my situation had gotten so bad that I had to be in a wheelchair for the week. I called Dr. Smucker and set up a time for surgery when I got back home. I realized that my situation was not going to improve and I was actually getting worse. The decision was now clear to me now, I needed to have back surgery if I wanted to live a quality life again.
My surgery went very smoothly and I recovered beautifully. Dr. Smucker made the right decision to do this surgery and he did a great job. I consider myself to be 100% recovered; I am pain free and without restrictions. I am back to doing everything that want to do. The staff at UIHC is the best, they definitely know what they are doing and I had no surprises in surgery or in recovery. They made me feel at home and answered all my questions. I was up and about within a few days and I was not in too much pain. I did physical therapy in the hospital and I had a lifting limit for a while. I was able to drive in 60 days and I was back to work in a few months. The UIHC staff has answered my follow-up questions since being released from the hospital too - I never hesitate to call them and they are always there for me. I really can’t say enough about this staff, and I mean that - the whole staff provided the highest quality of care to me. I have since referred my family members to Dr. Smucker.
My final advice to you is to remember that this is your life and you have to be responsible for getting the highest quality of medical care available to you. You have to ask questions and get answers so you can have peace of mind with your decisions. Then trust your doctor to do their job well and don’t worry about things you can’t control - and get out there and live life your way.
Lori's Story
"The back pain was very intense...I was not even able to bend over. I felt like I was only existing, not living. "
My husband and I have been happily married for over 25 years and are the proud parents of three daughters. Our youngest is 16 and our middle daughter is 20. Our oldest would have been 23 this past Christmas Eve. She passed away at the age of 13, losing a 7-year battle with leukemia. Her battle was a family battle. We spent so much time at the hospital it became a second home of sorts for our children. The many years of ups and downs brought hope and heartache. It was an emotional rollercoaster that has been endless, even after her death.
As a young family we enjoyed many activities. Bike riding, waterskiing, and visiting amusement parks were some of our favorites. In the beginning cancer tried to change our family, but it did not succeed. We realized early that life was too short to spend it waiting for everything to be “just right”. So we put a swim cap on our daughter’s little bald head and pulled her around the lake on water skis. The joy it brought her was worth the risk, and gave her so much to live for. Her life and death taught us to live life to the fullest, for you never know what tomorrow will bring.
The philosophy that she taught us to live by became a difficult challenge for me years later. My “tomorrow” brought a back injury resulting from a stupid lift and twist mistake at work. Physical therapy bought me some time and life went on. When I re-injured it 4 years later (again at work), things became a little more difficult. But how could I complain after watching my child suffer and persevere? Nothing I was going through could compare to what she endured. I again seemed to heal.
There was a pain in the back of my legs that I thought was just a pulled muscle. I thought “old age” was the reason it wouldn’t go away. So, I waited and 9 months went by before I felt I couldn’t take it anymore. Then, a chiropractor, family physician, x-rays, muscle relaxants, pain killers, MRI, local Orthopedic doctor, three steroid shots and a nerve test later…I was scheduled for surgery to remove a bulge in one of my lumbar disks. I recovered quickly, and believed my ordeal was over. I was back riding my bike in six weeks and rode often that summer. However, 7 months after surgery, I started having back pain again. My surgeon said that things had progressed to a level of complexity beyond what he was comfortable handling. He wanted me to see a specialist. He made an appointment for me at the University of Iowa Spine Center.
When Dr. Mendoza took over at the UI Spine Center, I was a mess. The back pain was very intense and I now had pain in the back of both legs as well. I was not even able to bend over. I felt like I was only existing, not living. Emotionally I had bottomed out. When I realized the condition of my back was serious I became depressed. In addition to the ordeal with my back, I actually had an unrelated episode occur, which required me to be admitted to the hospital for a blood transfusion and ultimately have a hysterectomy. There was a part of me that could not let go of the feeling that we had already paid our dues in life. For seven years we battled our daughter’s leukemia, only to watch her suffer and lose that battle. That was more than anyone should have to bear. My girls had dealt with enough as well. It was hard for me to come to the realization that we were faced with yet another battle…and I felt it was my fault. The guilt set in.
Dr. Mendoza was very thorough, as he discovered that not only was my first disk almost completely gone (I was basically bone on bone), but the one above it was damaged as well. I had no stability in my lower spine. He began by fitting me with a rigid brace to gain stability temporarily. Then he recommended a more permanent approach. He wanted to remove the L4/L5 and L5/S1 disks and replace them with spacers and bone graph - a two level 360 degree spinal fusion. The procedure seemed drastic as he explained the details and risks. They would go in through my abdomen and work on my spine from the front, flip me over and work on it from the back during the same surgery. There would be a lot of “hardware” involved. The thought was overwhelming, but the other options were not something I thought I could live with. I wanted a “cure”. I wanted to live my life again. Dr. Mendoza made sure I knew there were no guarantees. He explained everything and I was not mislead in any way. It would be my choice to go for surgery. It was ultimately, however, Dr. Mendoza’s expertise and confidence that were the deciding factors for me to choose surgery. He and the staff at the UI Spine Center saw me as more than just a case number. They were caring and compassionate, ready and willing to address all my needs. In fact, they insisted on the highest level of care for me.
I spent 7 hours on the operating table. My recovery was long, but all the small steps of improvement encouraged me to go on and try harder every day. I did EVERYTHING they told me to do! I had physical therapy 3 days a week for about 2 months. I slowly built up my walking endurance and actually lost 35 pounds in the process. I was determined to make this work. At my 6 month check-up, everyone at the UI Spine Center was in awe of what I had accomplished. They made me feel so good. Dr. Mendoza said he would not have even recognized me on the street. My whole disposition had changed as well. And the icing on the cake was to see my x-rays…the fusion was well underway, much further along than they had expected.
I have lost a bit of flexibility, but it hasn’t slowed me down. I enjoy riding my bike as much as ever. I am making plans to run in my first 5K and hope to participate in the Bix race this summer. And, with Dr. Mendoza’s blessing, I now get my thrills on the back of our new Harley Davidson Ultra Classic motorcycle. My husband and I have logged on over 5000 miles this summer (all prior to the one-year anniversary of my surgery)!
The UI Spine Center was the blessing I thought I could only hope for. I would have my surgery with Dr. Mendoza again in a heartbeat. I got my life back. I got a better life in fact, because now I am committed to keeping myself fit. My daughter would be proud!
Lyle's Story
"Tests confirmed I had stenosis of my spine and my spinal cord was being compressed."
I have been married for 42 years and have two adult children and eight grandchildren. I am thankful for my family and for all of the support that my wife Lily has given to me over the years. We needed to come together as a couple to deal with my medical situations. I have had health problems since 1982. This includes; hip and knee replacements (both left and right), rotator cuff, carpel tunnel and trigger finger (both hands) and ongoing severe degenerative osteoarthritis.
Needless to say, this has been very stressful and my medical treatment has definitely been a "family affair." My wife and I have lived with the constant unknown of what medically would happen to me next and how new developments would negatively affect the quality of our life. I could have never faced these trying years without my wife's support.
I retired 12 years ago due to my multiple and ongoing medical issues and at the encouragement of my local doctor (who convinced me it was time). Over my career, I worked 38 years in the field of construction. This included 11 years experience managing my own construction business where I worked in all areas of construction (both private homes and farm buildings) including; plumbing, heating, frame to finish, electrical, and concrete. I also have 14 years experience as a Maintenance Mechanic for the University of Iowa. Lily has worked as a neonatal nurse since 1985 and continues in this position.
I was referred to the UI Spine Center in December 2005 as my health took a significant turn for the worse. I lost bladder and bowel control for four days. I began to have nerve damage in my buttocks and lower extremities and was having difficulty walking as well. Tests confirmed I had stenosis of my spine and my spinal cord was being compressed. Due to the complexity of my case, I was referred to Dr. Mendoza at the UI Spine Center. We were very concerned and uncertain of what lay ahead of us.
I believe Dr. Mendoza is a most highly skilled and competent orthopaedic surgeon and that he is able to undertake the most complicated medical situations. I needed someone with this type of expertise and was very glad to have him take my case. He discussed with us my medical situation and made sure that we fully understood everything.
In order to restore my functions, I needed to have a surgery that included a lumbar decompression from S1-L2 along with posterior spinal fusion instrumentation from S1-L2. Following my surgery, I spent seven days in the hospital. I was in an acrylic body shell for four months. I utilized Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy both in the hospital and with a home health agency. I was back to my regular activities at 6 months post operation and fully released one year after the surgery! I can't put into words what this means to me and my family.
The UI Spine team provided us with excellent orthopaedic care. Dr. Mendoza and his team do care about the quality of their patient's life. We were treated with world-class expertise and a sincere compassion. They were knowledgeable, supportive, and available to answer all questions. They really do treat “the whole person”.
The chronic nature of my degenerative osteoarthritis is a fact of life for me. I do have physical limitations (not restrictions), but take no medications. However, Dr. Mendoza's surgery has restored me to a fully functioning body and has allowed me a quality of life so that I can live each day to the fullest. I am most grateful to Dr. Mendoza and his team.