{"id":84830,"date":"2025-08-20T14:19:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T20:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=84830"},"modified":"2025-08-20T14:40:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T20:40:19","slug":"after-second-back-fusion-surgery-and-physical-therapy-woman-finds-relief-and-joy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/after-second-back-fusion-surgery-and-physical-therapy-woman-finds-relief-and-joy\/","title":{"rendered":"A second back fusion surgery and transformative physical therapy bring new life to woman who suffered years of chronic and debilitating back pain"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Audrey
Audrey Gammie with her dog, Bella. Once reliant on pain medication to get through the day, Audrey is now loving her life and walks as many as 15,000 steps a day. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you catch a glimpse of Audrey Gammie lately and her step seems lighter \u2014 it is.<\/p>\n

Literally.<\/p>\n

Her life has been transformed from constant pain so severe that she was on supplemental oxygen to help her breathe, needed a walker to shuffle just a few feet and relied on a regimen of pain medication that would cause her to fall asleep throughout the day and prevented her from driving.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t think, I couldn\u2019t do anything. My life was no life. All I was doing was sleeping. I was depressed,\u201d Audrey said. \u201cMy quality of life was zero, and I felt there was nothing. Honestly, I felt like life <\/em>was nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Removal of old hardware from a previous spinal fusion in Audrey\u2019s back and a second fusion procedure have made her into a new woman at 68. At the core of her amazing recovery was her determination to go through post-op recovery and rehabilitation with little or no pain medications, as she didn\u2019t want to return to her previous dependence on them.<\/p>\n

\"Audrey
Audrey with her dog, Bella. After a second surgery and intense physical therapy, Audrey is thrilled to be moving well again and hopes to inspire others who may feel like giving up. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Within a few weeks of her operation, Audrey\u2019s UCHealth physical therapist<\/a> could barely keep up with her enthusiastic patient.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter surgery, she arrived as a whole new person. She walked into the clinic with no assistive device, no walker, no oxygen. She was alert, with color in her face and a smile. I absolutely could not believe it,\u2019\u2019 said Diana Edwards, who worked with Audrey at the UCHealth Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Clinic-Inverness.<\/a> \u201cNever before in my practice had I ever seen anything like it. It was life-changing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\u201cMy
\u201cMy life was no life,\u201d said Audrey, pictured here with her dog, Bella. But after a second back fusion surgery and physical therapy, she\u2019s walking more than 15,000 steps a day, enjoying crafting projects and embracing her independence. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why do so many of us suffer from back pain? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Back pain is a common affliction. According to the\u00a0Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a>, back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries or illnesses, with more than 1 million workers annually\u00a0suffering from back injuries<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The spine, which protects our spinal cord and nerves, is the main support system for our body. It is comprised of vertebrae, cartilage and discs, which are the spongy tissue that cushions the bones.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, our backs take a beating over the years. Normal wear and tear, exacerbated by sports, recreational activities and accidents, can aggravate the complex spinal structure that protects and supports our nervous system along with our body\u2019s movement. In addition to physical support, the spine also serves as the main highway for our brain to communicate with the rest of our body.<\/p>\n

Some of the most common causes of back pain are pinched nerves and degenerative conditions such as arthritis<\/a> and osteoporosis<\/a>, which typically occur in people over age 50.<\/p>\n

A pinched nerve occurs when too much pressure from tissue, a disc, or bones in the back stresses nerve fibers. This physical contact causes inflammation along the spinal nerves, with the back muscles responding by cramping and locking up, creating even more pain.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, as we age, osteoarthritis<\/a>\u00a0in the spine causes joint pain and reduced mobility, while osteoporosis makes bones more fragile and likely to fracture.<\/p>\n

A retired medical assistant who lives in Parker, Audrey\u2019s back pain worsened due to both pinched nerves and osteoporosis. She had spent many years on her feet as a nurse aide in the 1980s and recalled an incident when she was helping a patient sit up in bed and severely strained her back. It was never the same after that.<\/p>\n

An earlier spinal fusion surgery to relieve her lower back pain had worked temporarily for a few years, but by the fall of 2024, she was in worse straits than ever.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just progressively got worse,\u201d said the long-time Colorado resident. \u201cIt was constant pain for years, and I couldn\u2019t do anything about it. I couldn\u2019t move. I couldn\u2019t walk. I was on pain meds just to get through the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Audrey\u2019s orthopedic surgeon,\u00a0Dr. C.J. Kleck<\/a>, she did well initially after the\u00a0first surgery,<\/a> but with the back and all its intricacies, adjacent nerves can become compressed, necessitating additional procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust because we discover something new that needs to be remedied, doesn\u2019t mean the old surgery failed. Often, one thing is fixed, but we can\u2019t predict the future, and we let patients know that another issue might occur. It\u2019s not failure, it\u2019s just a natural progression of spinal disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Audrey
Audrey loves walking with her dog at Cherry Creek State Park. A second back fusion surgery and physical therapy helped Audrey regain her mobility and get her life back. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Surgery is not the only choice for those who suffer from back pain<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Surgery is rarely the first go-to choice in efforts to decrease back pain. Doctors usually want patients to explore other avenues such as exercise, physical therapy, yoga and massage<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn important part of a major surgery like a spinal fusion is that outcomes can be unpredictable,\u201d Kleck said. \u201cI do my best to tell patients that there are no guarantees and try to get them to a place where they can avoid or put off surgery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other ions include outpatient, low-invasive, non-surgical procedures<\/a> such as steroid injections or radio frequency ablation that they can use to alleviate pain before they take a surgical route. During this procedure, radio waves are sent through a needle placed precisely on the nerves of the arthritic joints. \u201cBurning\u201d the nerves prevents the pain signals from being sent back to a patient\u2019s brain. The technique usually provides relief for about a year, sometimes longer. When the nerves grow back and if the pain resumes, the ablation can be repeated.<\/p>\n

Despite attempts at multiple pain regimens to help her function better, nothing seemed to work for Audrey.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite working hard in regular physical therapy, she steeply declined,\u201d Edwards said. \u201cShe was having cognitive difficulties, and I was watching her slowly decline. It was heartbreaking. Seeing her functionally deteriorate was so tough because she is such a kind-hearted and loving person.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to UCHealth internist Dr. Christopher Dobbelstein<\/a>, who had been providing primary care for Audrey since 2021, the pain meds were a Catch-22. While they were easing her physical pain, they were negatively affecting her mental capacity and causing her stomach to bleed, which led to anemia. Medication Dobbelstein prescribed to stop the bleeding caused malabsorption of protein, leading to severe leg swelling.<\/p>\n

Audrey seemed to reach a breaking point when she could no longer live on her own.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe both agreed that a second operation was a good option,\u201d said Dobbelstein, also an assistant professor of psychiatry and medicine<\/a> at University of Colorado School of Medicine at the\u00a0Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By this point, Audrey couldn\u2019t walk her dog Bella and became dependent upon family members to care for her. She took solace in sewing, her only remaining hobby.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goals were to drive again, get off pain meds, become independent and not end up in an assisted living situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finally, last November, she decided to undergo another surgery<\/a> and have the hardware in her spine removed and replaced.<\/p>\n

\"Audrey
Audrey and Bella. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Audrey opts to give second back fusion surgery a chance and recovers narcotic-free<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Audrey was willing to give a second back surgery a chance, but was hesitant about a recovery that would include using medication for pain management. She was determined that if she was going to get a second spinal fusion, her rehab would be different and medication-free.<\/p>\n

After Audrey\u2019s surgery at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a>, she chose to rely only on a small amount of pain medications immediately following the operation and then opted for ice for relief instead of medication, as well as lots of walking for pain control.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the\u00a0spine clinic,<\/a>\u00a0we have an opioid-free pain clinic, and we can find a\u00a0multi-modal approach\u00a0to pain management<\/a>\u00a0using as few narcotics as possible,\u201d said Kleck, also an\u00a0associate professor of surgery of the spine.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

In the days after her surgery, Audrey surprised her care team by quickly becoming mobile as she walked around her room, then up and down the halls and finally from one end of the hospital floor to the other. Soon, she was doing laps around the nursing stations and racking up more than 10,000 steps a day.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne step led to another and before I knew it, I was walking 11,000 steps a day in the hospital,\u201d Audrey said.<\/p>\n

\"Audrey
Audrey and Bella both enjoy playing in the water at Cherry Creek State Park. Just days after her second back fusion surgery, Audrey was walking laps around the hospital, surprising her care team as she logged more than 10,000 steps a day. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During her two weeks of inpatient rehab<\/a>, Audrey engaged in intensive physical therapy and then went home and completed an additional three months of outpatient physical therapy work with Edwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer symptoms had been so severe. Seeing her progress was amazing. The fact she was brave enough to go through surgery again after everything she went through … I\u2019m just so proud of her,\u201d Edwards said.<\/p>\n

\u201cToward the end of our time working together, she would waltz in like she had no problem and was quickly walking five miles a day. I had to tell her to slow down since she was beginning to develop overuse injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking her dog, sewing for friends, family and charity: Audrey has a new life after surgery<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Audrey\u2019s doctors are amazed at the difference in her since her surgery.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that she has fought for her health is huge,\u201d Kleck said. \u201cShe\u2019s got a big heart, and I love how she has put in the effort and taken the lead in her recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dobbelstein praised the multi-disciplinary approach to Audrey\u2019s improved health over the past year, including a care team that supported her desire for a recovery on her own terms.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was not satisfied with her life and her health. She spoke up, and she made the changes needed to get back to where she wanted to be,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"After
After fighting back from chronic back pain, Audrey’s days now are full of joy and movement. She loves walking with her dog, Bella. Her greatest gift is the opportunity to inspire others: “If I can do it, others can too.” Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Audrey now has newfound energy, initiative and enthusiasm. She\u2019s using her formidable crafting skills to crochet blankets for friends and family, make diaper bags for new mothers and sew scent blankets for babies and their moms in neonatal intensive care units.<\/p>\n

But perhaps most importantly, she has her hard-fought independence again as she walks 15,000-plus steps a day, some of it with her golden retriever\/Irish wolfhound companion Bella. She also wants to give hope to others suffering from back problems and pain med reliance.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t give up. Look at me. If I can do it, others can. I feel amazing, and I am enjoying life. I\u2019m alive, and I have joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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If you catch a glimpse of Audrey Gammie lately and her step seems lighter \u2014 it is. Literally. Her life has been transformed from constant pain so severe that she was on supplemental oxygen to help her breathe, needed a walker to shuffle just a few feet and relied on a regimen of pain medication […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2357,"featured_media":85008,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[574,3329,1163,183,65,130,442,702],"class_list":["post-84830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-back-neck-and-spine-care","tag-inpatient-rehabilitation-and-therapy","tag-opioids","tag-orthopedics","tag-pain-care-and-management","tag-rehabilitation","tag-spine-surgery","tag-surgical-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAfter a second back fusion surgery, woman finds relief and joy - 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