Bringing smiles to our patients

Because May is National Smile Month (started in England), we felt it was the perfect time to share a letter from one of our patients — a letter that made us all smile:

When I was nearing retirement from the Postal Service, I began training for my next “career” as a whitewater rafting guide. Passing the course and qualifying to be a guide was possibly the hardest twelve weekends of my life. The fact that I was thirty-five years older than most of the other trainees was never an excuse, but I did pass. However, shortly after I had some recurring symptoms of a herniated disc in my neck.

Having had a discectomy previously, I returned to Dr. Dix and his staff to see what my treatment options were. He informed me that I was a good candidate for ACDF, a fusion in my cervical spine. After consulting with him and my wife, I had the surgery in August of that year. Recovery was a slow, steady process, monitored by Dr. Dix in many follow-up appointments. Physical therapy along the way helped me regain my strength and dexterity.

I had told Dr. Dix of my desire to return to rafting, as it was a dream unfulfilled. In March of 2014, I was hired by River Riders, in Harpers Ferry, WV. I went through their training program, just to make sure I was ready, and to allay any doubts from my fellow guides, who were once again much younger. I started guiding that spring and have been there for three years, moving up to being a trip leader and mentor to younger guides.

Since my recovery I have done many other things that are attributable to having a successful outcome from ACDF. I have run the Across the Bay 10k twice. I have traveled to the country of Haiti numerous times to help build houses and a community center, which requires long hikes into the mountains and sleeping in that remote area. Having this surgery helped me to not only maintain my quality of life, it improved it.

– Jack Dorsey

After reading Mr. Dorsey’s letter, everyone at MBSP smiled. Dr. Dix, the patient’s neurosurgeon, remarked, “Our goal at MBSP is to help patients be pain free and live better lives. The satisfaction and smiles that come with this mission make our work here so special.”

For 30-years, our motto has been, ‘bring peace of mind and relief of pain,’ and with it, bring smiles to our patients.