From debilitating pain to pain free . Overnight .
Woody Woods has had back pain for most of his life from a construction site fall decades ago that resulted in a compressed spine , cracked pelvis , and broken ribs . “ But I started experiencing extreme pain that radiated from my lower back down to my knee .”
He ’ d had two knee replacements at Allegheny General Hospital , so he knew knee pain . This was different . “ My leg was going numb on me ,” he said . “ I ’ m an avid walker , I play golf . That all came to a halt .”
Woody had gone to AHN Dr . Pedro Aguilar years ago for neck pain , so he called his office to make an appointment . “ They got me in that day .”
“ We did an X-ray and an MRI , which revealed a lumbar radiculopathy affecting the left leg with weakness ,” said Dr . Aguilar . “ It was caused by a herniated disk in his spine that was pressing on the nerve .”
“ He could see I couldn ’ t take the pain anymore ,” said Woody . They discussed options , which included surgery . The goal of surgery is to take the pressure off the nerve . “ But deciding whether someone needs surgery , and what kind of surgery , depends on who that patient is , what they do , what their social constraints are , and what they can tolerate from a medical standpoint .” Woody was a good candidate for a surgical discectomy .
“ From first consult through admissions and surgery , everybody was so nice . No complaints . Definitely 5 stars .”
— THOMAS “ WOODY ” WOODS
“ Dr . Aguilar explained the procedure in down-to-earth terms . That gives you all the confidence in the world ,” Woody said . “ I put my hands in a professional , so I honored his opinion .” A date was set . The surgery went very well . Dr . Aguilar accessed the individual nerve under pressure , minimizing the incision to limit the amount of exposure and encourage faster recovery .
“ I noticed a difference as soon as I was in recovery ,” Woody said . “ And as soon as they got me up to the room , I was walking . The physical therapists and Dr . Aguilar couldn ’ t believe how good I was doing .” So the next morning he went home . “ I ’ m very satisfied with Jefferson Hospital and all the doctors , nurses , and staff connected with it ,” Woody said . “ From first consult through admissions and surgery , everybody was so nice . No complaints . Definitely 5 stars .”
Now Woody ’ s back to doing everything he loves to do , except play golf ( due to a recent carpal tunnel procedure ). He and his wife walk their neighborhood and South Park six days a week . “ Usually for 60 to 90 minutes ,” he said . “ We quit logging miles , but we average 15-20,000 steps a day .”
And soon , very soon , you ’ ll find him back on the golf course .