I’ve been a patient of Orthopaedic & Spine Center (and the old OSSMS) since the mid 1990’s, starting with Dr. Helmuth Trieshmann (right knee, arthroscopic surgery for torn cartilage), Dr. Robert Snyder (left knee, total replacement), Dr. Raj Sureja (pain management) and most recently, Dr. Jeffrey Carlson ( lower back, lumbar spinal fusions).
I had been dealing with sporadic issues with my back since 1975. This year, the frequency, intensity, and duration became intolerable. Surgery was a last resort. I made an appointment with Dr. Carlson and had a second opinion with a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgeon’s prognosis was very limited activity, long recovery, certainly, not snow skiing.
Dr. Carlson operated (4 spinal fusions, lumbar to sacrum) on Tuesday afternoon,June 7, 2016 at Mary Immaculate Hospital, and I was home Wednesday evening! His staff, the hospital staff and the home health care professionals were all extremely courteous, pleasant, and proficient.
After six weeks, I was back to doing lifting chores, walking, swimming and so on. The old OSSMS also had a physical therapy staff that was thorough and pleasant to work with. Dr. Carlson’s individual specialized teams merged into a highly efficient recovery task force to make my healing as fast and pleasant as possible.
It’s now September 13, 2016 (three months later). I am off pain medication and can stand up straight. I am mostly pain-free. I’m driving my car, mowing the lawn, running my chain saw, and am looking forward to down-hill skiing on the mountains this winter! I have my active life back! Total recovery is supposed to take a year, but I am now better than I have been in fifteen years. I am getting stronger and more pain-free every day!
PS – I sent the above testimonial in September. This picture and few words are an update 6 months after surgery. Dr. Carlson performed multiple lumbar spinal fusions that took 38 staples to close the incision on 6/6/16. On 1/31/17, I was skiing at Wintergreen!! Thank you, Dr. Carlson!
William R. Gorman