Battling Back - Gaylen Wood: Patient Stories

Gaylen Wood, a 59-year-old retired businessman from Olympia, has battled back pain for "a zillion years. "When Gaylen felt pain down the back of his right leg last October, he saw his family physician first and then tried to see a specialist.

Because the first opening was months away, a family member recommended the Franciscan Spine Center. "I got an appointment within two days of calling, "Gaylen says, "and that same day, the staff trotted me over for an MRI.

They did an excellent job reducing the radiology report̠s technical jargon into layman's terms. They explained my options so I could make a decision about treatment. Just knowing that I have this access to care takes a lot of pressure off."

In the end, Gaylen opted for surgery with a Franciscan Medical Group neurosurgeon. Two days after receiving his MRI results, he had his first appointment. In mid-January, he had his microdiscectomy, a less-invasive pain-relief procedure to remove part of the herniated disc that was putting pressure on the nerves.

Gaylen and his wife enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking and working in their yard, but his recent aches and pains had gotten in the way. "Now that I've had this repair, I'm looking forward to getting back in the swing of things," says Gaylen.