The first physician I visited for my severe low back pain recommended surgery to repair several herniated discs. He performed bilateral decompression surgery, which is meant to shave bone, relieving pressure from the discs. What should have been a routine surgery left me in much greater pain. Three follow-up surgeries by the same physician made matters even worse. I could barely walk. I couldn’t hold a milk carton in my hand. I couldn’t stand up for more than moment. Driving was excruciating. And I was completely incapable of earning a living in my physically demanding job, removing paint overspray from cars. After the fourth surgery, the pain was agonizing. When my doctor suggested I have a morphine drip implant as the long-term solution for my pain, I realized the huge mistake I made entrusting him with my life. I was determined not to end up in the care of the wrong physician again, and did an extensive amount of research to find a doctor who could help me. When I read about Dr. Francis, I told my wife “That’s the guy. That’s the guy who can help me.” Dr. Francis examined me, reviewed my X-rays, and told me he could fix me. When you’re that messed up and someone tells you “I can fix you” it’s just unbelievable. It turns out that my previous doctor had completely collapsed my discs during surgery and never told me! He used microsurgery, which I later learned was highly likely to fail due to the small incisions. Additionally he performed 4 surgeries on me in just 6 weeks, which is incredibly dangerous. Dr. Francis had me wait several weeks before he performed surgery to decompress my herniated discs and repair the damage caused by my previous surgeries. He put me on a cycle of antibiotics and meticulously checked my blood work to ensure a healthy liver count before surgery in order to lower my risk of infection, something that had not been done for any the previous procedures. The difference between where I received my other back surgeries and Houston Orthopedic & Spine Hospital was like night and day. I waited for hours before each of my first four surgeries. At HOSH I only waited 15 minutes before I was in surgery. Not just the surgical staff, but also the whole team at HOSH was totally different. When I was prepped for surgery they informed me about everything. From the moment I arrived they were just so much more professional at every phase of the process. After Dr. Francis performed surgery, I could feel an immediate difference as soon as I woke up. In contrast to the other surgeries where I awoke in terrible pain, this time I could feel that the muscles in my lower back and buttocks were relaxed for the first time in months. Where my previous doctor had advised bed rest and wanted to put me on a morphine drip after surgery, Dr. Francis encouraged me to avoid painkillers because they are so addicting, and instead recommended physical therapy. My back muscles had severely atrophied. I started my recovery by simply walking around the house. Within 6 months of my surgery with Dr. Francis, I was able to exercise again. Within a year, I was able to work again, which is something that I thought would never be possible. My job is physically intense requiring me to vigorously apply polish as well as hold my hand so steady that I can remove over-spayed paint with a razor blade. I’m able to drive for 12 hours at a time now, as is sometimes needed to get to my next project. There are times when I still can’t believe how far I’ve come. If I had gone to Dr. Francis first, solving my back pain would have been a hiccup instead of a nightmare. When you’re in as much pain as I was in, there’s no other way to describe it but to say he really saved my life.
Jeff Suggs
