Meet James, a former patient of mine. James’ story began when he was lifting paving stones and felt a sudden shooting pain in his back, eventually traveling to his legs and toes. Knowing something was wrong, he immediately consulted a physician, but doctor after doctor couldn’t figure it out. He had undergone prior surgery for a herniated disk about 15 years ago. After receiving five different opinions with no clear answer, James was left with more uncertainty:
“Five different guys didn’t seem clear on where my problem was. They thought it was scar tissue from a previous surgery I had 15 years ago or a herniated disc. Three of the doctors consulted each other and thought some kind of implant would be best for me.”
James continued to look for someone who could provide a better answer. He didn’t want rods put in his back. When a friend recommended my services, James did his research and made his appointment the next day. What I did differently from the previous doctors was to get a high quality MRI and special Xray views. Once I got the results back, I assured him that the pain was not due to scar tissue left behind from his previous surgery, but that he had a compressed nerve from that same problem disk herniating again, and needed surgery to relieve it. He would not need rods or implants; he just needed to have the herniated disk and scar tissue removed.
As with all of my patients, James’ recovery and level of comfort is important to me. I want all of my patients to feel at ease and know that they’re in good hands before and after surgery. Here’s what James had to say about his experience:
“Dr. McCance went above and beyond. He was comforting and had a great sense of humor. The morning I was scheduled to have my surgery, he was called into emergency surgery to repair spinal damage on a patient who had been in a bad car accident. It was a Friday and he gave me the option to leave and come back Monday or wait for him to finish the potential eight-hour procedure.
“I asked him if he would be OK after an eight-hour procedure and not too tired to take me. He said, ‘I love what I do, and the adrenaline rush of fixing people’s backs keeps me wide awake.’
“About six hours later, they’re prepping me for my surgery. I am on a table in a pre-op room. A guy comes in dressed in scrubs and sits down next to me in a chair. He says, ‘Whew, I’m exhausted!’ I look over and it’s Dr. McCance. He laughed and gave me a wink and said, ‘See you in the OR.’ It was funny and so comforting to see him right beforehand!”
James is a great patient, and remains extremely active physically since his surgery. His confidence in me, and his wonderful personality made this experience memorable for the both of us.
Nine months after surgery, James says he was 100 percent pain free. Thank you, James, for your trust, and it was wonderful working with you.
If you have a similar experience you’d like to share, contact us on our Facebook page today. I would love to hear from you!