4 Level ADR - 2 years After in Texas

While helping a friend round up some calves, I was thrown from my horse. I landed on my head and herniated 4 disks in my neck. I lived with the pain and discomfort for many years before the situation got worse. Over the course of 4 years, the condition deteriorated to the point that I was unable to stand up for any length of time. My neck was curved forward, instead of the natural backwards curve of a heathy neck. Pain shot down my arms and into my shoulders. I had a constant headache, I could not look up, my head was slowly being forced into a downward looking position.

My active lifestyle was over. Every day, I went from bed to the sofa and back to bed. For a person who who was young and previously very active, this was a prison. I tried non-invasive methods first, ESI, facet injection, then an artificial disk at C6/C7 done by a surgeon in the USA. Followed by a spinal cord nerve stimulator and finally radio-frequency to burn out the nerves.

Nothing worked. At every turn the pain seemed to get worse. I saw surgeon after surgeon and got the same response from all of them. "There is nothing we can do, take pain meds and live as comfortably as possible."

In my late 30ʼs, I wasn't prepared to just "live as comfortably as possible". A friend told me about another surgeon, (Dr. Kevin Gill, UT Southwestern Dallas TX.) Reluctantly, I went to see him, expecting the same answer. He said, "There is nothing I can do, but I know someone who can help you." He gave me Prof. Dr. Bertagnoliʼs information.Within a month, I was in Germany, getting a 4 level cervical ADR. (C3/4; C4/5; C5/6 and revision of the disk at C6/7).

Two days after the surgery, I was standing in another patients room, talking and having tea (I couldnʼt stand before the surgery.) Immediately, I knew this was going to be a huge success.

I am writing this almost 2 years later. I am still 100% pain free. This is so much more than I ever expected. I wanted a significant reduction in pain, I did not necessarily expect to pain free. I am back to an active outdoor lifestyle, pain free, able to do things most 40 year oldʼs can do. I have dropped 40 lbs, without even trying. Just simply being active again has put me back in shape.

I am so thankful to everyone who directed me to Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli. Dr. Kevin Gill who sent me to see Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli, and of course, so much appreciation to Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli for his excellent work "putting humpty back together again".

Thank you Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli. You gave me my life back.

WR. , Frisco, TX