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.

I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 12, and I had to wear a back brace for 2 years. I decided to get surgery to fix the problem and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Dr. Francis was very nice and even though I was nervous, he made me feel calm. After surgery, I went to physical therapy and I learned how to live my normal life again. I have no back pain and better posture. I am now dancing again and I will audition for my school’s dance team.

I began having pain in my right shoulder, lower right side of my neck, right arm, thumb and index finger. I was taken to the hospital emergency room twice because the pain was so severe. Dr. Francis was recommended for treatment. He immediately diagnosed my condition. Surgery was performed and I had immediate relief and my daily life has improved greatly. I haven’t needed any pain medications since surgery. I am eternally grateful for services rendered and the courteous, professional care given by Dr. Francis and his staff. I whole heatedly recommend Dr. Francis..

I started having back pain one year ago, but I always pushed through my pain because I had recently started my own food truck business. I began having extreme pain in my leg and foot and I went to specialists in Victoria who performed various diagnostic tests to try and figure out what was causing the pain in my foot. One of the doctors decided to perform an MRI on my low back and it showed that I had stenosis and a herniated disc which could possibly account for the pain in my leg and foot. He said that I should see a spine specialist. The babysitter that I use for my 4-month-old recommended that I go to Houston to see Dr Francis. He had performed her back surgery and he came highly recommended by others in Victoria. I was very impressed with Dr. Francis and his staff from the very first visit. He was very thorough and the surgery went very smooth. I am back to running my business and being a mom. I would highly recommend Spine Associates to my family and friends.

Dr. Francis and his entire staff are truly amazing. From the first phone call to his office, first encounter with office/clerical staff, meeting his medical staff & then Dr. Francis. One of Dr. Francis staff even shared her lunch snack with me as I hadn’t eaten. I was treated with such professionalism and I valued the knowledge of the latest surgical technique. I have since recommended others to Spine Associates. I had a laminectomy decompression procedure and I am completely satisfied with the results. I walked out of the surgery feeling so much better.

The pain in my back and legs was so bad that I could hardly walk. I had several treatments before seeing Dr. Francis which included acupuncture, cortisone shots, and therapy decompressions with no relief. My primary care physician, Dr. Williams, recommended Dr. Francis. After having surgery, I can walk & have no limitations. The things that I appreciate most now are those things that I took for granted before surgery, like standing long enough to cook and singing in my church choir. Before surgery, I could not stand during church service and when I sand in the choir, I would have to sit down in the middle of our performance. Now I can stand through the service and praise God for giving me my life back.

Dr. Francis is by far the best doctor I have encountered. He and his staff gave me 100% care & attention, which is rare these days. He takes the time to explain your diagnosis & procedure that will follow. I’ve had pain & numbness in my arms, shoulder and fingers for several years now. I would drop things or they would slip out of my hands. It was very frustrating! I was not looking forward to my surgery, as thoughts of something going wrong consumed me. I went through the surgery & woke a new man, I was still groggy, but noticed that I could feel my fingers & life my arm with no pain. It was almost instant healing! I got my life back and I’m able to perform my duties and tasks that were challenging and painful prior to my surgery. Thank you Dr. Francis! I have already referred several friends to Spine Associates for their back and neck issues.

When my back issues started, I had a hard time climbing stairs and sometimes walking was hard for me. I was in chronic pain and it caused me depression because my quality of life was poor. Dr. Francis was able to fix my back problems and now I am pain free. He is a blessing and I would recommend him to anyone looking to feel better. He and his staff are understanding and caring and they he takes time with you to fix your issues. Having surgery was the best decision I made. I have range of motion and I am out of pain.

I had my scoliosis correction and now I am very excited about getting back to drill team at my high school. The recovery from the surgery was a little longer than I expected, but I don’t regret having it done. I loved the hospital and the nurses were awesome! I am happy

When I came to Spine Associates I was desperately looking for answers and relief. Six months prior to seeing Dr. Francis, I had already undergone a 360˚ Disc Fusion, and discogram, multiple spine injections, and countless MRI’s and x-rays under a different surgeon. By the third month of post op I knew something wasn’t right because I was not progressing in physical therapy and I was in more pain than I was before the 360˚Disc Fusion surgery. The only way I could manage to get around was with the use of a walker. I couldn’t shower or get myself dressed without the use of a shower chair or help from my husband. I couldn’t drive and the ability to do basic household chores was gone. I was basically bed ridden. The only time I left the house was to go to the doctor appointments and physical therapy. At 30 years old, this is NOT the life I imagined for myself. I couldn’t be the wife and mother my family needed me to be. After my original surgeon told me another 360˚ disc fusion was needed I decided a second opinion would be beneficial. Scared and anxious I arrived for my first appointment at Spine Associates, immediately upon arrival the staff made me feel comfortable and at ease. Before seeing Dr. Francis, x-rays were taken; just steps from the patient rooms. This was very convenient and the staff was super friendly. After my first visit with Dr. Francis it was determined that further tests were needed so he could get the best understanding of the situation. These tests were done nicely and completed within a decent amount of time. Shortly after I met with Dr. Francis for results and it was determined that the original hardware placed in by the other surgeon was loose and no longer holding my spine together correctly. In addition, the two levels above the original fusion that were once fine, now needed to be fused as well. Dr. Francis chose to do a revision surgery, pulling and replacing the original hardware with larger and stronger hardware and he extended the fusion up two addition levels. With everything my body has been through in such a short time, I’ll be honest and say that recovery has been rough. Especially due to so much pain and they uncomfortable oversized back brace. There have been many nights where I cried myself to sleep or was unable to sleep at all. Despite the hardships it has all been worth it. At just 3 months’ post op I could walk without the use of the walker I had been using for a year. Now at 5 months’ post op I can say that physical therapy is getting easier and I am finally driving again. I am now able to shower and get dressed on my own; which to some might not mean much but to me it’s huge! It feels great getting back my independence. I know I still have a way to go before I am 100% but for the first time since June 2015 I can see a light shining at the end of the tunnel. I know that all of this wouldn’t be possible without Dr. Francis and his staff at Spine Associates! To them I say THANK YOU! Thank you for getting me on the path to getting my life back.

First, I like to thank God for leading me to Dr. Francis. When I first came here I was in so much pain from my neck to my arms, right most so. Through additional testing it was determined I needed surgery. Dr. Francis’s staff is awesome, very nice. Surgery went very good. I was in pain, but through following all of Dr. Francis’s advice, I’m one hundred percent better.

It all started with a sneeze. I was dealing with allergies and I went into a sneezing fit and with the last sneeze I felt excruciating back pain. The next day I could barely walk do to the pain in my back, but I went to work anyway thinking that the pain would eventually settle down. The back pain settled, but then y coworker noticed me limping, but I wasn’t aware that I was limping. By the fourth day, I was so miserable that I had to call into work due to the pain and weakness that I felt in my leg. I went to a doctor and she offered me strong pain medications, injections and physical therapy. I do not like taking pain medications and I didn’t know how I would be able to participate in physical therapy because I was in so much discomfort. I knew something was wrong with my body and I wanted it to be fixed. I heard about Dr. Francis from a close friend of mine whose husband had just had surgery with Dr. Francis. I told her about what was going on and she said that I needed to see Dr. Francis and he would be able to help me. I argued at first because my pain was in my leg and I didn’t know how a spine specialist could help with my leg pain. I went ahead and called and I was offered an appointment the very next day. Dr. Francis already had an idea of what was wrong with me as soon as he saw me walking down the hall and dragging my foot. We decided that surgery would be the best option due to the weakness I was already experiencing. I went home the same day of surgery and began walking that day. I only needed pain medication for one day after surgery because I found that walking helped my postoperative pain more than anything. The more I walked the better I felt. I am pain free and I continue to walk and monitor my progress with a fit bit. I am so happy to be back to normal and I am getting ready to enjoy my retirement.

I had, what I was told at the time, a disc replacement surgery, which was actually a fusion of disc C5-6 back in Nov. 2013 performed by another spine surgeon. This surgery had failed along with the disc C6-7 creating enough pain to force me to have another surgery in December, 2016 with a (Mobi-c) disc replacement on C6-7. After surgery, my symptoms seemed to worsen to the point of being bed ridden. My left arm was paralyzed and my hands on both sides were trembling. I had given up and become depressed, and angry. My wife kept her love and faith that I could be healed. She wrote to the office here at Spine Associates, explaining in detail of my condition and pretty much grasping for help. The next morning, we were called for a visit. I was still not expecting much as the previous two surgeons were lost and had nothing further for me, so I expected the same here. My wife and I were blown away at the attentiveness, honesty, and willingness to help that Dr. Francis showed us during this visit. We scheduled for an emergency surgery two weeks later, in which both previous surgery and devices were removed, and replaced with new hardware. I now have a plate, a couple of screws, and a new life. I am now returned to work, active with my family and friends, and have regained mobility and functions to my extremities to the point that I am probably in as good of physical shape at forty than I was at twenty-five! I’m exercising, shooting basketball, and enjoying life again. Dr. Francis was the light at the end of my dark tunnel. Thank you!

My back pain started suddenly while I was walking and I had to be transported in an ambulance because my pain was so intense. I thought it was a muscle spasm, but the pain got worse instead of getting better. My pain would wake me up at night and I could barely pick up my daughter who was 6 months old at the time. I decided to see my family doctor and he recommended Spine Associates. Dr. Francis saw me on a Saturday and found that I had a large herniated disc in my low back and due to the size of the disc and the severe weakness in my leg, he recommended surgery to remove the disc that was pressing on my nerves. The surgery was very quick and as soon as I woke up I no longer felt the pain that I had before. It was immediate relief and I went home the same day. It took about a week for me to recover from surgery and I went back to my job as a dimensional engineer. Looking back, I wouldn’t do anything differently. I followed instructions and went to physical therapy and I no longer have any issues with my back or leg. I am thankful to be able to hold and play with my daughter without pain.

I had 6 discs in my neck that were damaged – dic herniations and stenosis. Dr. Francis and I discussed which 2 discs would be best to operate on. Prior to my neck surgery, I could not sleep, enjoy work, golf, fish throw a ball, or even ride in a car without significant pain. Post surgery, I can do all of these things and truly enjoy a normal life (which I thought was impossible). I felt better straight out of surgery. I feel like I have been given years back to me and I am able to ENJOY life again. Dr. Francis did everything he said he would, and EVERYTHING is as successful as he said it would be!
My daily life has become exceptional compared to my life before surgery. I am able to golf, fish, and work around the house. Pretty much anything I want! I have seen other spine surgeons, and what sets Dr. Francis apart is that he is very responsive, timely, and open-minded. He did not push one particular treatment. He worked at finding the treatment that was right for my condition. I would absolutely recommend Spine Associates, Everyone was professional, honest, and caring. Everything I could have hoped for.

First, My story starts at my diagnosis. I was in 5th grade when I was told that I had scoliosis and I was given an orthopedic brace to wear. Skip ahead two and a half years and I am scheduled for a spinal fusion surgery to correct my scoliosis. As a person with an irrational fear of pain, I was terrified! Dr. Francis made the process easy and not so scary. The safety and well-being of the patient at hand is always his main priority. Since my surgery, my physical health has improved greatly and I am able to play volleyball and tennis.

I’ve had back pain since I I was around 11 years old. I had gone to different doctors and I got a different diagnosis each time and I was only ever prescribed physical therapy. Eventually, I gave up on complaining on my back until now, and I am 24. A chiropractor finally saw the fractures in my spine and referred me to Dr. Francis. Since my surgery, I have been pain-free. Despite Hurricane Harvey and evacuations, I can feel a huge difference in how much better I feel than before my surgery. I look forward to being more involved at the gym and taking workout classes as soon as I am cleared to do so. As far as my experience with Spine Associates, it has been nothing short of positive. Everyone is friendly and considerate and I never felt like I was just another patient.

Dr. Francis was unlike any other doctor I met. From the moment he assessed my scoliosis condition I knew I could trust him. The way he carries himself and is passionate about his practice is why I chose him to be my doctor. I am beyond satisfied with my scoliosis procedure. I, through spinal fusion, became myself again. My surgery helped me to have confidence and also alleviated my back pain which I had every day before I was operated on. Now almost six months’ post-op I can truly say that everything I went through to get where I am today was so worth it.

I’m “Back to Normal” thanks to Dr. Richard Francis and his wonderful staff. From beginning to end, he and his staff have been there guiding and assisting me.