Category: News

Susan is no stranger to back pain. She has successfully undergone two spinal fusion surgeries. This is her story.

If you ask Susan Looney what she likes to do, she will tell you how much she enjoys singing and traveling. With 13 cruises under her belt, she has no plans of slowing down any time soon.

However, when her chronic lower back pain became so bad that just trying to get out of bed would bring her to tears, she knew something wasn’t right.

“Going to work was almost impossible,” she says. “My quality of life had faded, to the extent that I was unable to enjoy my most favorite hobbies, like singing in the band I am a part of, and going on cruises with my husband.”

Fortunately, Susan’s life changed for the better when a colleague referred her to Dr. Scholl, a well-known and respected spine surgeon at The Orthopaedic Center.

At their first meeting, Susan felt an instant connection with Dr. Scholl — one of the factors she credits with the success of her healthcare journey.

“Everything was explained to me,” she says. “From start to end, (Dr. Scholl) shared the pros and cons of surgery, what to expect, and what would be expected of me. The first visit is one of the most important.”

Bolstered by Dr. Scholl’s team, Susan sailed smoothly through both of her surgeries.

“The surgeries went almost flawlessly,” says Susan. “Shortly after the surgeries, I began physical therapy and increasingly improved from there.”

“Dr. Scholl and his team as a whole were excellent. They worked together and communicated with me the whole time. The staff was so easy and pleasant. They are real down-to-earth people. I trust them. I had the best experience,” says Susan. “That’s why I came back for my second spinal fusion surgery.”

Following her two successful lumbar fusion surgeries, Susan would wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Scholl to anyone suffering with debilitating back pain.

“I am no longer wrestling to complete day-to-day activities,” says Susan. My quality of life is infinitely better, and I am ready to book a cruise!”

“I owe all of this to Dr. Scholl and this team.”

Dr. Scholl treats cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal disorders ranging from simple pinched nerves to complex conditions like scoliosis.

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I was living just my normal everyday life until I took an unfortunate stumble. As a result of my fall, I injured my neck, back and hip. This injury resulted in me having excruciating neck and back pain, along with pain in my hip.

After my accident, I scheduled an appointment at The Orthopaedic Center to see Dr. Blake Boyett, TOC’s spine surgeon in Athens, AL. My visit at TOC was wonderful! Dr. Boyett and his team were so kind. They really took the time to listen to my concerns about my injury.

I was in such relief when Dr. Blake was able to determine what was needed for my treatment plan to help me with my pain. He ended up performing a cervical spinal surgery. After the surgery and quickly going into recovery, I was very impressed with the results. Throughout my treatment with TOC, Dr. Blake took such great care of me. He really helped me get back to my everyday life. 

I am so thankful for TOC and their wonderful staff and doctors. The have been so kind, and it is nice to have a group of doctors who truly listen and help you understand the cause of your pain and to treat it as well. My tip to anyone who may suffer with neck or back pain would be to call TOC and schedule an appointment!

Dr. Blake Boyett is an orthopaedic spine surgeon. He has an interest in orthopaedic and spine surgery, but specifically in minimally-invasive surgery and sports related spine injuries.

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I injured my neck due to an unexpected accident at work.  This was an injury I that I never imagined would happen. I work in child care, and one day a toddler simply bumped my elbow. This ended up causing a pain that shot straight through my arm and up to my neck. I also experienced severe weakness and difficulty controlling my hands and gait.

On the day of my injury, my husband decided to call The Orthopaedic Center (TOC) to schedule an appointment to see a spine specialist. I was able to quickly schedule an appointment with Dr. Rodriguez-Feo for the very next day. When I arrived at TOC, I received nothing but exceptional care.

During my visit with Dr. Rodriguez-Feo, he explained that my injury could result in having surgery. Dr. Rodriguez-Feo ordered an MRI so that we could take a better look at my neck. I was able to have the MRI done as soon as I left his office, and before we could leave the parking lot, he called me with the results. He had me come back to his office to discuss finding out that I had central cord syndrome and that I would need surgery that day.

Although I was terrified about having surgery, Dr. Rodriguez-Feo kept me at ease by encouraging me to remain calm the whole time.

My recovery process was a breeze. I had no complications whatsoever. I had a lift restriction for a couple of weeks, but other than that, I did not have any problems. I cannot thank Dr. Rodriguez-Feo enough for what he has done for me. I honestly felt as if I was treated more like a friend. Whenever I am in need of an orthopaedic doctor,  Dr. Rodriguez-Feo is who I call. I will also refer anyone I know who struggles with back pain to Dr. Rodriguez-Feo. He, along with the rest of the staff at TOC, are awesome and I am so thankful for all that they have done for me.

Dr. Rodriguez-Feo is a fellowship-trained spine surgeon specializing in comprehensive spinal care, utilizing minimally-invasive and traditional spine surgery techniques to treat cervical, thoracic and lumbar disorders

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Sarah is the picture of a full life. She’s 81 years old and works part-time in the tax preparation industry. She is very active in her church and likes to go to the gym with her husband. But in 2006 back pain had become a constant in her life. She saw Dr. Lincoln for conservative treatments and was able to get some relief for a while, but when the treatments no longer worked, Dr. Lincoln referred her to Dr. Spruiell, a well-known spine surgeon with TOC (The Orthopaedic Center).

Sarah was desperate for relief. After meeting Dr. Spruiell, Sarah felt an instant rapport with him, one of the factors she credits for the success of her healthcare journey. “He connects with his patients, and was my cheerleader; I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.”

It was decided that surgery was the only recourse left. It was not an easy decision, but for Sarah it was the only one left. She had suffered for a long time with pain and could not live this way for the rest of her life.

In October 2019, Sarah underwent spinal fusion surgery. Seven months later, after recuperating and faithfully doing all the things that Dr. Spruiell asked, she is doing great. “I am now back to greeting church members and visitors at my church and getting around 75 hugs every Sunday.”

“I love Dr. Spruiell and his team. He is my cheerleader! Surely if he can help me find this much relief, he will for others, and that’s why I refer him to all my friends.”

Dr. Spruiell is an orthopaedic surgeon with additional fellowship training in spine surgery; he focuses his practice on all aspects of adult spinal surgery, including cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal disorders.

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From triathlons to long-distance running, Julie has always lived an active lifestyle. But being in government contracting, she sat at a desk all day. One day, while getting out of her car, Julie experienced excruciating pain in her lower back. Unable to walk, she had to go to the emergency room. Many questions ran through her mind: Who would help her? Would she be able to return to her active lifestyle?

She immediately called Dr. Howard Miller of TOC, who worked with Julie when she had knee issues, and he referred her to one of TOC’s spine specialists, Dr. Craig Lincoln. After meeting Julie, Dr. Lincoln diagnosed her with disc-related problems of the lower back.

When asked about her impression of Dr.  Lincoln, Julie noted that she was so pleased with the way that he listed to her and connected with her about her pain.  She said, “He was mindful of my active lifestyle, and was determined to find ways to get me back to a life that I could love.” 

Dr. Lincoln outlined a treatment plan of x-ray-guided spinal injections, exercises to strengthen her back, and suggested a standing-desk to help combat sitting all day. After Julie’s series of treatments, she found relief and was able to return to her active lifestyle.

What would Julie want others to know about Dr. Lincoln? Julie says, “He helped me. He is the best, caring spine and neck doctor. TOC is a great practice, and his team is attentive and unified. I have referred five people to him, and I will continue to.”

For those who are suffering like she was, Julie says, “Don’t give up; where there’s a will there’s a way, and Dr. Lincoln will be your biggest cheerleader.”

Dr. Lincoln specializes in non-surgical treatment of the spine and has received specialized training in cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal injections, as well as EMG and nerve conduction studies.

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