My name is Joan Podd and I started having back problems when I was 25 – I’m 74 now, so that was a long time. Three years ago, I started having really terrible back problems where I was in pain and there was nothing that would relieve that pain. About a year ago, my legs started collapsing and I would fall. The pain was unbelievable. I get an MRI and I meet with Dr. Carlson and he looks at it and recommends surgery. That was an incredible shock to me because I thought I was going to get a shot of cortisone and walk out of here! I left and went home to think about it, and about 24 hours, I said, well, we got to do something. So I scheduled the surgery last year on November 7th. When they schedule you for surgery, they give you this incredible book that tells you everything you need to know and everything you should do pre-surgery. Do all that. Increase your protein. Move as much as you can. Do everything that they say in that book – I know that’s why my surgery was so successful.
Day of surgery I wake up and I feel good, I feel really good! I didn’t realize I was still on a lot of drugs, but I never took anything stronger than Tylenol because I was in good physical shape prior to the surgery. Once again, everything they told you to do post-op, I did. All of those exercises they give you in the book with instructions on raising your legs, stretching, walking, drinking a ton of water and staying hydrated. By day two and three after surgery, everybody said that’s going to be your worst days, and indeed they were. But after that, it was all uphill. I continued to do physical therapy, and I continued to do all the exercises, and I still do them to this day.
People don’t understand what back to normal means. My normal had become, “Am I going to be in pain today?” “If I do this, am I going to have to spend three hours on a heating pad?” I lived on a heating pad and those things you microwave for heat. That was my normal. I’m thinking, “Is this the way it’s going to be? Is this the way I’m going to live the rest of my life?” I thought I was going to live in pain the rest of my life and just manage it. I couldn’t do any of the things that I loved. I couldn’t garden. I couldn’t really work hard, which is one thing I really love to do. I couldn’t help my husband do things around the house. But the main thing is, I participate in dog sports, specifically agility. I couldn’t bear the thought of never being able to run again, train again, or participate in something that I really love. After surgery, I am doing all those things and I have to say, I am better than I have been in years! I am training my dogs. I’m running agility. I’m working in the yard. I’m cutting the grass. I’m digging holes for trees and bushes. I’m picking up pinecones. I’m cleaning the house. I am doing everything and more than I thought I could possibly ever do after my surgery. If you’re hesitant to have surgery, do everything they tell you do in that pre-op book, and you’ll be fine. The great thing is they keep saying it takes a year until you’re 100% – I can’t wait for that year if I feel this good now. Dr. Carlson gave me my life back and I highly recommend OSC.