ACD Testimonials

January 11, 2007


Dear Dr. Schiffer,

It has been 6 months, to the day, since I've had my Anterior cervical discectomy and I just wanted to give you an update on my progress along with a HUGE THANK YOU for changing my life!

I made it through the first 3 months of recovery with a few set backs here and there. After the 3-month mark, things started to improve little by little. I can honestly say that my neck & back have never felt better (except for maybe when I was 12 years old!). The quality of life that I have now, as oppossed to the last ten years, is remarkable. My whole attitude towards everyday things has improved probably due to not being so worn out from hurting all the time. There are no words to describe the gratitude I feel towards you and your staff including Prahba and Michael. The kindness I received before, during and after my surgery was exceptional.

The day that I found your web site on the internet was a very blessed day for me. I was on a desperate search for any information or solution for the relief of my neck/back pain. And there you were! I live in the Seattle area and over the past ten years I had been going from one neurosurgeon to another for answers to my pain. I had been through many treatments consisting of physical therapy, steroid injections and massage therapy among other things. When none of that worked I was told that the only option left for me would be surgery......a cervical fusion. You would think with living in a bigger city I would be given more options for my neck and back problems. I had options but none of them were an ACD without fusion. Without fusion were the key words! Fortunately, I am a Surgical Technician and work directly with surgeons. The information on this surgery was readily available for me so this made my research on the surgery easier. I learned about the advantages and disadvantages. Granted, there are cases where fusion is necessary but with all the research I had done over the past several years it didn't seem to be what was necessary for my condition. You were the first to confirm what I thought I knew and the first to offer it to me. You were and are a hero in my life!

I have to say that I was very impressed and still am for the way you and your staff handled my situation from day one. Within one day of sending an e-mail to your office I was contacted by Michael. We discussed my situation and he explained to me what steps I needed to get things rolling. He also told me that you would contact me within a day. I thought, yeah right.....what doctor contacts their patients that quickly (I know this since I work with many physicians)! Well, you did! I was very impressed and very thankful since I was in a desperate state of needing relief "NOW". After a couple phone calls and mailing of needed films, I was off to California to see you and to have a badly needed surgery.

It is so nice to not live every minute of every day, and I mean EVERY minute of EVERY day, in constant pain. Only a person who has gone through this would understand. Unfortunately there are a few days here and there where I an a little sore in my shoulders with occasional tingling in my fingers. This usually occurs when I lift too many heavy items repeatedly or do something that I really shouldn't be doing. Not smart! I have to remember that my body will never be what it used to be but to keep it mostly pain free I need to follow some rules.

Feel free to have anyone contact me if they have any questions relating to what I had done and are looking to have surgery. I would be more than happy to answer any of their questions. Again, thank you so much for everything you and your staff did for me.

Sincerely,

Janice Fitzgerald
blondifitz@comcast.net