Lori Lewis
In 2013, Lori Lewis was involved in a serious rollover accident that left her with a severe neck injury. Within days of the accident, pain began to take hold in her neck, shoulder and left arm. The neck pain led to headaches and her left arm eventually became so weak she had trouble grasping or lifting anything without pain. Household and work-related tasks such as washing dishes or lifting a ream of copy paper, became impossible.
“Throwing a ball for our dogs, singing in a choir and even typing, would cause the pain to radiate from my neck down to my shoulder blade and left arm,” recalled Lori.
Lori’s primary care physician recommended an interventional pain management practice, which tried a series of pain control injections. When five injections failed to provide long-term relief, Lori’s physician suggested seeing a spine surgeon.
Dr. Jatana was the first surgeon Lori visited, and although she described the first consultation as “business-like,” she found Dr. Jatana confident and clear in the explanations he provided for the treatment he was recommending. Lori visited other surgeons to obtain second opinions on her condition – a process that re-confirmed her confidence in Dr. Jatana’s abilities.
With the accident causing damage to several of Lori’s vertebrae, Dr. Jatana recommended artificial disc replacement surgery at the C6-C7 level in the lower cervical spine. Lori had her surgery in November 2015, nearly two years after the accident that has caused her so much trauma.
Though the idea of having spine surgery came as a shock, Lori says her post-surgery experience was excellent. She credits Dr. Jatana and his staff for taking their time to explain the procedure thoroughly and for welcoming questions and concerns.
“I have full confidence in them, their staff and their abilities,” said Lori. “I would recommend their office and services to anyone without hesitation.
Lori took six weeks off work post-surgery to heal, but is now back on the job and has resumed all of her regular activities.
“I’m confident that this was the right choice and only wish I had acted on it sooner rather than getting the second/third opinions,” said Lori.