James

Can you tell me a bit about your age and the recreational activities you enjoy?

I’m 68 years old, and for recreation I like to walk. I was a coach for Austin Fit—I teach people to do marathons and half marathons. I’ve personally done 36 half marathons myself. I also do Krav Maga, which is the Israeli self-defense force training where you do hand-to-hand combat. I’ve done that for eight years.

When did you first start noticing problems with your back?

I became increasingly uncomfortable in my lower back. The pain became more and more consistent. It got more and more difficult to walk any distance. I was having pain significant enough at night that it would wake me up. It just manifested itself greater and greater as time went on.

What were your symptoms like when they became most severe?

My symptoms at this point had gotten to where I was in pain 24/7. I was waking up at night. I was miserable. It affected my quality of life, my attitude in my job, my relationships with my friends and my family. I was miserable. I wouldn’t say I was suicidal, but I was extraordinarily depressed.

What ultimately led you to consider surgery?

All that is lurking in the back of your mind, but you come to the realization: if I don’t do something, I will continue to be miserable for the rest of my life. I had some minor anxieties, but those were entirely dismissed post-surgery.

How did you end up choosing Dr. Stokes?

When I met Stokes, I knew this was the right guy. Prior to seeing Stokes, I’d seen three other surgeons over the course of the years. But when I saw Stokes, he was much more thorough, much more engaged in exactly what my issues were, what I was facing, and why I had those issues.

What do you remember about waking up from surgery?

The very first thing I remember when I woke up from surgery was this realization: I was not in pain. That was my very first impression. It is the best thing I ever did in my life. It resurrected my life. It gave me my life back.

What advice would you give to others who are struggling with similar back problems?

Investigate all your options. There’s pain management, there’s physical therapy, there’s enduring it and biting your lip. But I would strongly recommend that you not go the route of painkillers. And I would urge you to visit with more than one physician to get an idea of what they’re looking at.

Do you have any final thoughts about your experience with Dr. Stokes and his team?

I cannot speak highly enough of Stokes and his staff, and I would give just as much credit to his staff as I would to Dr. Stokes as a surgeon. They were phenomenal.