The patients at Spine Associates share their stories about spine surgery, scoliosis correction and surgery, and conservative treatment for spine conditions such as degenerative disc disease, sciatica and herniated discs.

Dr. Francis treated me and I highly recommend him and his staff. I began 2008 barely able to walk. After surgery, I dramatically improved. I am now able to do anything that I want including playing softball. Dr. Francis is the person to see if you have back trouble.

Dr. Francis did my lumbar fusion and foraminal decompression surgery in October 2008. Eight months later I was out playing golf – only 9 holes but it felt great. I have a 2 1/2-year-old grandchild that loves to dance with her Paw Paw. A month ago, my niece down here and bought a house in New Waverly, Texas. The plumbing under the house was all bad. As a result of the great job that Dr. Francis did on my back, I was able to replace all of the pipes with little or no pain. Thanks, Doc!

When I first came to see Dr. Francis I was unable to walk for any distance or go up and down stairs. I was sent for injections. I noticed the improvement immediately. Now I can go up and down stairs and walk farther. I also played 36 holes of golf! Getting better every day. You changed my life!

I have received the highest professional care I believe possible during my care process at Spine Associates and Foundation Surgical Hospital. Dr. Francis and his staff are highly recommended. The staff and auxiliary services at the hospital operated in a highly skilled and professional manner.

I thank God for sending you to me. You gave me my life back. Thank you for all you did for me. Evelyn Dr. Francis, After 3 years of watching my mother suffer from pain and 3 surgeries our family was about to give up and accept that this was all we were going to get. Then, we met you. With your professional attitude, you told us to trust you, that you could make it right. Well, we did and I put the person who gave me life into your hands. I just wanted to tell you “Thank You” for giving her life back to her and to me. Even from the pain of the surgery, she could already feel a difference in her recovery yet to come. Thank you for devoting your life to regular people like us! You will always hold a special place in our hearts. Ron L. (Son) Thanks for taking such good care of my sister. Edna (Sister)

I was devastated when I found out that a major back surgery was my only option to living a healthy life, but Dr. Francis reassured me that the surgery would have me back to school in a month. I began walking the day after surgery and Dr. Francis stuck to his word, I was back in school for the start of the spring semester. Nearly five years after my surgery I am enjoying all my activities I did before and most importantly, I am fulfilling my childhood dream: studying medicine with the hope of giving others a second chance like Dr. Francis did for me. Thank you, Dr. Francis.

At first visit to Dr. Francis – very quick and very professional. Then I also got into surgery within 2 weeks. Dr. Francis and his associates treated me very well. The nurses and doctors at Foundation Surgical Hospital also treated me very well. I am very pleased with my outcome after 5 weeks of physical therapy. I would recommend Dr. Francis to anybody in need of spine care.

I started coming to Spine Associates in July. Dr. Francis ran tests and found my problem. On September 6th he performed a cervical surgery with fusion and after about a week after surgery, I was off pain medication and only taking Tylenol. The staff at both Houston and Beaumont are the best.

Just a little over one year ago, I believe I had almost come to the point where I felt I might have to accept pain as a way of life, along with the inability to stand up straight or walk normally. After meeting with Dr. Francis and his fantastic staff at Spine Associates, I began to believe that I actually had a chance to improve my quality of life. I just had no idea how true that would be! Almost two years following the last of two prior back surgeries, my condition seemed to be worsening, and I was in constant pain. I had always been very physically active, and it was difficult not to be able to do so many things that make up who I am. Now I am almost one year post-operative with Dr. Francis; having found Dr. Francis is just one more thing for which I have to be truly thankful! Dr. Francis is caring and compassionate and, at the same time, he is honest and straightforward, so that I could be informed and actively involved in decisions regarding my own health. I believe his skill as a surgeon is an absolute gift. He cares deeply about the overall well being of each patient, as well as caring about him or her as individuals. Thanks to this awesomely talented and skilled man, I feel normal again, and each day brings continued improvement in my condition. Thank you, Dr. Francis.. for giving me my life back!

I recently underwent scoliosis corrective surgery with an amazing surgical team lead by Dr. Richard Francis of Spine Associates. I had suffered with mild scoliosis for most of my life, but, unmonitored, it had progressed to a severe degree. Dr. Francis answered all of my questions about the risks and rewards of surgery and explained everything I need (and wanted) to know about the procedure. He even entertained me when I grilled him on his education and experience. The day of the surgery, I was comforted by the doctors and nurses in the pre-op room and really felt as though I was in good hands. Immediately after my eight-hour surgery, Dr. Francis visited my parents in the waiting room and answered all of my mother’s questions. After the surgery, I was up walking the next day. I was released from the hospital a day early and went back to work after only four weeks. I credit Dr. Francis for my speedy recovery and for doing such an incredible job on my spine. My surgery and recovery was a “textbook” example and I owe it all to Dr. Francis and his amazingly talented team of doctors and nurses. Six months later, all that reminds me of the surgery is a thin scar, a straighter, more even back and the brace in the back of my closet that I wore immediately after my surgery. Today I am active and feel no physical limitations or pain. I dance, wear high heels, go to the gym and just took up golf! I know that if I had foregone surgery, I would have signed myself for a lifetime of pain and disability. The worst thing I remember about the surgery was wearing the brace afterwards… made of plastic… in July… in Houston. Not too bad, considering the surgery! Thank you Dr. Francis. To do what you do and to do it so well is truly a gift to the world.

Dr. Francis is a great doctor. He is very thorough in his exams. He has an excellent bedside manner and very compassionate. I am very grateful that he is my doctor. I fell off an 8-foot ladder and he had to fix my discs.

God has truly blessed Dr. Richard Francis and his staff to do excellent spinal surgery. Three weeks after my surgery, I was up and walking without my brace and everything was fine. I’m glad that Dr. Francis was my doctor and I thank God for using him at Foundation Surgical Hospital. Keep up the good work, Dr. Francis!

My name is Ogretta Joy Witzl and I am fifty-five years “young.” Because of my tremendous good fortune, to have been graced with a new lease on life, which is free of pain, I have an abundance of life, which I did not believe I would ever know again. I had suffered from lower back pain for over twenty-five years. On May 31, 2006, the doctor with the “magic hands,” Dr. Richard Francis, performed a procedure, which transformed my life, my soul, and my outlook on life, to a life free of pain. Dr. Francis is a brilliant doctor, to say the least, but his greatest gift is that of making sure his patients are educated about their condition. He is calm, he is reassuring, he is patient, and always has time to listen to his patients. Dr. Francis is a man of grace. When you look into his eyes, one has – at a glance – his/her fears alleviated, and one feels himself/herself taking that breath of “it’s going to be fine.” I have never met a doctor who is first a man of dignity. Dr. Francis, the “man with the magic hands,” has healed not only my body but also my spirit. I have so much faith and admiration for this gentleman, and that is exactly what he is – a gentle man – with the gift of healing. I plan to have cervical surgery in late May 2007. I know that I am blessed to have found Fr. Francis, and I recommend this gentle man, this gifted surgeon, this “man with magic hands” to lead you to a life free of pain, and freedom from fear. I have been blessed!

I had a ruptured disc and had had the steroid shots and work therapy, but my ruptured disc did not go away. I had the new disc replacement surgery and was back to work as a designer in 11 days. My problem disc is gone and I feel like the Bionic Woman with no pain or limitations! I have full range of motion and NO MORE PAIN!!

Hello! My name is Mary Mederios. I am 62 years of age. I would like to tell you a true story. A story about me. My trouble started when I was 16 years old. I was rear-ended by a young man when I stopped at a stop sign. At the age of 17, I had my first back surgery. I had a herniated disc in my lower back. My parents were told I had two choices: live with the pain and accept the falling down, or have surgery and take a chance that I would be wheelchair-bound the rest of my life. I chose the surgery; however, it never left me wheelchair-bound. The surgery did relieve most of the pain, and I was able to live with the [rest of] the pain. Later in my life, I was rear-ended four more times by other people. Again, I went to the doctors to have my back fixed. All of the following surgeries would involve disc repair and bone fusions. After each surgery, I remained in severe pain. When returning to the doctors, I was told “the pain was all in my head, deal with it.” So I did. My problem got worse. I would hurt 24/7 and I could not stand up straight for [more than] 5 – 10 minutes after sleeping or sitting. Sometimes I would fall down. By this time I had moved to Texas. When the falling down became so frequent, I said something to my family doctor. He gave me the name of Dr. Richard Francis and I made an appointment. When I went to see Dr. Francis, I had made up my mind (after six surgeries) no more surgery. I told my story of all the previous surgeries. Dr. Francis examined me, sent me for MRI, CT scan and some kind of nerve test to see if the [previous] fusions had taken. It appeared they [had] not as I had nerve damage. Returning to Dr. Francis for the findings, he looked me straight in the eye (keep in mind I had my mind made up no more surgery) and said “I guarantee I can help you if I do surgery.” I trusted him and he was right. The surgery was done on September 20, 2006, and – 22 years after my last surgery – I have relief from my pain. I now hardly have any pain and the little pain I experience is not caused by my back. It is because for 22 years, I walked with a limp, causing a shrinking of the ligaments, tendons, etc. in your leg [that] help you walk. The spinal column consists of a spinal cord and a bundle of nerves. This bundle slipped through the L5 vertebrae and S1, cutting off the nerve endings. Only two weeks after my surgery I stand up straight, sit up straight and walk with a longer stride (not baby steps) and at a faster pace. The pain that I am having is the result of favoring my leg. My muscles, ligaments and what else moves the legs had shrunk and now must be stretched back to a normal position. Am I glad I had the surgery? Would I do it again? YES, BUT ONLY IF DR. FRANCIS WOULD AGREE TO BE MY SURGEON.

I am very pleased with the surgery on my back. When I came in I could hardly walk and now, 3 months later, I am out fishing again! Thanks, Dr. Francis and Spine Associates.

I came to Dr. Francis following therapy after an accident. He explained that I would need surgery to correct the problem. I put it off for one year because I was afraid to have the surgery. After one year I had the surgery to repair the disc in my neck. I felt better immediately and was back to normal within one week. The only difference was that I was wearing the neck brace, but only for 3 weeks. I would recommend the surgery to anyone with this problem.

After suffering for many years with lower back pain that would come and go, I found myself with serious lumbar back pain that would not go away. A co-worker told me about Dr. Francis. From my first visit with Dr. Francis I was amazed. All of my x-ray and MRI’s were done on my first visit. Dr. Francis really worked to ensure that he could determine my primary cause of pain. I had a herniated disc and a bulging disc, but my symptoms of pain weren’t reflective of my true source of pain. Dr. Francis had additional tests done and found the TRUE source of my pain within a couple of weeks, I was scheduled for surgery; L4/5 & L5/S1 lumbar spinal fusion. Disc pain was immediately relieved with surgery 4 months out and I was well on my way to a pain-free life. Thank you Dr. Francis and many thanks to your awesome staff.