Native Michiganders and married couple Dori and Dave Aldridge have always been healthy, but both began suffering from back issues over the last couple years.
In 2020, Dori’s pain got so bad she couldn’t get out of bed without assistance.
Dave would help Dori into a chair that was more comfortable for her and assist her around the house when needed.
Dori met with her primary care provider, who then connected her with Todd Francis, MD, a Trinity Health IHA Medical Group neurosurgeon. “I took the MRI to my appointment with Dr. Francis, he looked at it and saw exactly what it was,” Dori said.
Dori was suffering from a herniated disc. Surgery was scheduled and six weeks later, her pain was almost instantly gone.
“That morning, I had to help (Dori) get to the car and then into the hospital,” Dave said. “After her surgery I went to help her out and she said, ‘no stand back.’ And she started doing everything on her own again.”
Since her surgery, Dori has had no complications, and she attributes her improvement to Dr. Francis. “Dr. Francis was so kind, thorough and explained everything to me clearly,” Dori said.
Fast forward about a year later to November 2021. Dave’s back began giving him fits to the point where he couldn’t get comfortable in bed and resorted to the recliner. After Dori’s positive experience with Dr. Francis, she knew exactly who Dave should consult.
Dr. Francis met with Dave and discovered he was suffering from stenosis, an arthritic disease. Dr. Francis performed a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), a minimally invasive surgery, and Dave’s pain was gone within a few days.
“It was the 24th of November 2021, the day before Thanksgiving,” Dave recalled. “Dr. Francis did my surgery and I got out on Thanksgiving Day and began walking again. I was up to walking five miles a day and it was fantastic.”
The Aldridge’s experience with Dr. Francis was so good that they have already referred multiple friends and family members to him.
“I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Francis and his whole staff,” said Dave. “Our whole experience was just fantastic. The professionalism and kindness of Dr. Francis when he took us in — it was just a pleasant experience.” “And he takes good care of you afterwards, too, with his follow ups,” Dori said. “It was all handled very professionally.”
Pictured: Todd Francis, MD, PhD, Board Certified Neurological Surgeon
Get Back to Living Pain Free.
If you or a loved one have been experiencing back pain, don’t wait. Take our free back pain assessment, learn more about available treatments or schedule an appointment with one of our specialists today.
