After working for a phone company for 40 years and carrying heavy pay phones, Linda G. believed the years of heavy lifting may have taken a toll on her back. Linda tried various conservative treatments to stop her pain, including acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, physical therapy, and epidurals. None of these methods of pain management provided long-term relief.
Eventually, when the pain began to impact her daily life, Linda had no other choice but to consider a surgical option. She couldn’t walk, work, or enjoy physical activities, like skiing or traveling, due to her debilitating pain.
She heard about Dr. Louis Jenis of The Boston Spine Group in Newton, MA
from a friend who underwent a back surgery procedure with him. Following a consultation with Dr. Jenis, he diagnosed her with advanced degenerative disc disease and recommended the minimally disruptive XLIF® procedure.
Like most people suffering from back pain, Linda was fearful and anxious about spine surgery. Dr. Jenis referred her to The Better Way Back® community to obtain additional support throughout the surgical process. The Better Way Back linked Linda with a Patient Ambassador who had gone through the exact same surgery. She was able to hear a first-hand account of the surgical experience and recovery process, as well as get guidance and ask the Ambassador questions. The process helped put her mind at ease about the surgery.
Linda underwent XLIF surgery in April 2011 and was able to walk within a few days of her surgery. While she struggled with post-op incision pain and a reaction to her pain medications, Linda participated in physical therapy and aqua therapy to regain muscle strength.
Now, Linda continues to walk and has resumed swimming, which she hadn’t been able to do prior to surgery. She is back to working part-time at a coffee shop and, although she struggles with occasional muscle spasms, she “feels 98 percent better” than when she started her recovery.
16-NUVA-0394