Arthur

Can you tell us a little about your background and the kind of work you did?

I was a meat cutter for two different companies for 50 years, working retail and dealing with a lot of sides of beef. As time went on, we transitioned into boxed beef — and that stuff is heavy. There’s a lot of lifting, moving, and repetitive motion involved. I’ve had scoliosis since the beginning, but over time I developed some degeneration. I even fell once and fractured one of my vertebrae, but I didn’t do anything about it. As the years went by, the pain just got worse and worse.

When did the pain become serious enough that you knew you needed to seek help?

It got to a point where I couldn’t bend or finish a full shift at work. I could make it until about noon, and then it hurt to sit, it hurt to stand, and it even hurt to lie down. That’s when I knew I had to get serious about finding help.

How did you first meet Dr. Mayer, and what was your first impression of him?

My first visit with Dr. Mayer was very comforting. He took some X-rays and really explained, for the first time, what was actually wrong with my back and what was causing the pain. He was upfront, easy to talk to, and had such a relaxing bedside manner. Honestly, it was just a great experience.

What treatment did Dr. Mayer recommend?

Because of the deformity in my back — I had two 90-degree angles — Dr. Mayer recommended a spinal fusion to straighten my spine as much as possible. He said it would relieve the pain, and he was right. It really did.

How did you feel going into surgery, and what was your recovery like afterward?

My biggest concern was whether I’d be able to go back to work and get back on my feet again. The biggest challenge was getting used to moving again — learning to walk, lift, and bend differently. I had to squat more instead of just bending straight over. But once I got through that phase, it was great. It really didn’t take that long at all to feel the difference.

What role did physical therapy play in helping you recover?

Dr. Mayer’s office was excellent about setting me up with therapy that focused on exactly what I needed — regaining motion and flexibility. It worked really well. You get used to living with pain and think it’s just part of life, but when it’s finally gone, it’s incredible. It’s hard to explain — almost a feeling of utopia. I’d had pain for decades, but after surgery and therapy, I had no pain at all.

What do you remember most about your experience with Dr. Mayer?

What stands out most is how genuinely he cared about how I was feeling. He wanted to know my concerns and what I was experiencing. He just came across as very sincere and real.

How has life changed for you since surgery?

Now I can do pretty much everything I used to do. My wife and I just finished remodeling our laundry room — built cabinets, did all the woodwork, and I handled all the lifting. Before surgery, I couldn’t have done that.

But the best part is being able to play with my grandkids again. Before, my kids would always tell them, “Be careful around Pops.” Now I can get down on the floor and horse around with them. It’s absolutely fabulous.

How would you describe your overall experience?

If someone asked me what to do about back problems like mine, I’d tell them to go see Dr. Mayer right away. People who’ve known me for years can see the difference — they notice right away that the pain and stress are gone from my face. I’d recommend Dr. Mayer to anyone dealing with back pain. Anyone who knows what I went through wouldn’t hesitate a bit.