My Comeback Story: Brian B.

My name is Brian, and the purpose of this review is to share hope and encouragement to all who suffer from chronic back pain. My story begins in 2016, when I was diagnosed with an L5-S1 degenerative disk at 42 years old. Having undergone all conservative treatment options, I finally succumbed to a PLIF fusion operation in 2017 by a respectable surgeon. As a former Marine veteran, I even endured a difficult time throughout the recovery process that was a nightmare, and I’m not afraid to admit. The recovery process took me approximately. 6 months to a year to recover from, and I never totally regained relief, or perhaps just another statistic to failed back surgery syndrome. 

Fast forward to 2024, I was referred to Dr. Hotchkiss at Carrell Clinic through a trusted source. His personal demeanor was welcoming enough that I placed faith in him immediately. His diagnostic expertise revealed an adjacent degenerative disk disease on my L4-L5 disk, as well as a failed fusion on my L5-S1 initial fusion. Uuuggghhh…. this was not the diagnosis I was hoping for, nor did I ever want to endure another fusion procedure and recovery process all over again based on past experience. However, Dr. Hotchkiss educated me on a newer and less invasive approach called an OLIF operation, which has a quicker recovery & success rate. 

In January 2025, I underwent surgery, and I’m proud to say that it was a totally different outcome in comparison to my first fusion. My experience involved immediate pain relief & outpatient release on the day after surgery. Surprisingly, I was able to walk proficiently the same week while avoiding pain medication intake. At four months post op, I’m proud to say that I’m pain-free and life is great! 

Dr. Hotchkiss is an amazing professional whom I stand by and highly recommend to everyone. Appreciate this opportunity to help others by sharing my experience.