C.P.S. from Somerset, NJ
After falling over a steel I-beam at work and injuring my back on November 2, 2007, workers compensation insurance sent me to several doctors for treatment. Physical therapy was prescribed and only made matters worse. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I needed a highly gifted surgeon.
To my good fortune I was sent to Doctor Haim Blecher for evaluation. I found his entire office staff professional, caring, and excellent at their jobs. Making appointments, follow up calls, and handling details with insurance, were done right for the first time. Dr. Blecher planned a course of action to try to get me out of pain. The procedures that were performed were not much benefit to me as my problem was too serious. After several visits back to Dr. Blecher for updates, we discussed my final option which was surgery for the fusion of my L5/S1 vertebrae. After a few weeks of pondering this leap and some calls to Dr. Blecher, which he was always honest and reassuring with me, I decided to have the surgery done. At sixty-two years of age I was reduced to lots of chair time dealing with the pain. For someone who is use to hard work and enjoys riding a motorcycle, and hiking on my leisure time, spending my life extremely uncomfortable and confined was not appealing to me.
My surgery was performed on November 17, 2008 at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick. Doctor Hazer (vascular surgeon) was the approach surgeon and Doctor Haim Blecher along with Doctor Steven Reich, my back surgeons. I felt very lucky to have this team of excellent doctors. The surgery itself went very well. I had a small set back with some internal bleeding that lasted about two days. I spent five days in the hospital and was released to go home on November 21, 2008. The first two to three weeks after surgery were rough. Thankfully Dr. Blecher and his staff always made themselves available to me and called my house often to check up on me.
Progress is very slow. I’m post four and a half months now and do see improvement. Not daily or weekly but when I look back from before surgery, after surgery, and present.
I know I have made many strides. My last visit with Dr. Blecher went very well. X-ray shows new bone growth starting which is good news. It will take more time but I am optimistic about my future. As far as my back issues are concerned, I can now walk forty-five minutes twice a day and ride a stationary bike for one half hour twice a day. My pain level has improved if I don’t try and do too much. Riding in the car or walking on an uneven surface is still a problem for me (elevates pain), but I hope as bone continues to grow those problems will go away. I am just in the beginning of this journey but I feel I have been put on the right road and things seem to be on course. To all my excellent doctors and their staff, many thanks!
Regards,
C.P.S.
Somerset, NJ
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