Red Bluff Daily News Special Publications
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/72523
Little League dad gets big team relief at Mercy's Center for Joint and Spine Health "My back pain was so bad, I had to coach little league games on crutches," said Jamie Raglin, an active father of 2 boys, who had back surgery at Mercy's Center for Joint and Spine Health last October. "Today I am able to jog pain free." If I took medication for the pain, I could do nothing more than watch TV. The medication prohibited me to drive, work, or live the life I wanted. I was sidelined. 10 years ago, Jamie was in a terrible car accident that injured several sections of his spine from his neck to his lower back. He was only twenty-eight years old at the time. The doctors that treated him after his accident advised against surgery because of his age and because they believed the risks outweighed the benefits. Jamie saw several doctors since then and tried many different treatments from injections to physical therapy to acupuncture. Yet, the pain remained and intensified until he could no longer stand without the use of crutches. "My quality of life was awful," recalls Jamie. The pain in my back prevented me from being the kind of dad I wanted to be. I'm an active guy. Before my accident, I participated in sports, archery competitions, search and rescue teams, and outdoor activities. I didn't want to say 'I used to' do these things anymore. redding.mercy.org 24-MERCY Tehama County Medical Guide - 2012 19 After years of pain, Jamie decided to visit the Center for Joint and Spine Health. By that time, he felt the pain in his back all the way to his toes. "Both Dr. Jones and his physicians assistant, Alice Brayshaw understood how the pain was affecting my life. The entire staff was concerned about only one thing, helping me get back the quality of life that I knew before the car accident. Unlike my previous physicians, they were not interested in sticking me in a rocking chair for the rest of my life. That attitude and their proven track record for helping others made a big difference to me and gave me the confidence to proceed with the surgery." Immediately after the surgery, I was able to walk straighter. Today, I'm back to being the active person and dad I want to be. I'm back in the swing of things, thanks to the team at the Center for Joint and Spine Health.