Lou Ray

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your lifestyle before your back problems started?

I’m a retired teacher, and I’ve sailed all my life. During COVID, I even bought a big sailboat. I didn’t really have back problems initially. I did have some leg pain starting in my forties, but it was intermittent — if I was in a position for a long time, it would bother me, but it usually went away.

When did the pain in your legs become more serious?

About ten years ago, it started happening more often. The pain would hit out of the blue — it felt like knives cutting through my legs or fire burning them. Sometimes it was so bad I couldn’t walk, and I had no idea what was causing it.

What steps did you take to find out what was wrong?

I mentioned it to my GP, who sent me to a pain specialist. That doctor then referred me to a surgeon, but he told me my back problems were too severe for him — he said I should see Dr. Mayer.

What did Dr. Mayer discover when he evaluated you?

I learned that my spinal cord had a lot of scar tissue, some arthritis, and it was compressing the nerves that go down into my legs, like the sciatic nerve. When those nerves got inflamed, it caused the extreme leg pain. On top of that, I also had scoliosis.

How did it feel to finally have a diagnosis?

I couldn’t even walk to my boat, much less sail it. Flying on a plane would leave me in pain for days. When Dr. Mayer explained what was happening, I actually cried. I thought this was just going to be another doctor who shrugged and said, “Tell me if it gets worse.” But he and his team really took the time to understand and explain what was going on.

How did Dr. Mayer approach your treatment?

He didn’t rush into surgery. He said we needed to observe and fully understand the problem first. Every visit, he explained exactly what was happening with my back and why I was feeling the pain. His whole team — physician assistants, nurses, even the office staff — were outstanding. They made sure I knew what was going on and were always available if I needed an unscheduled appointment.

How did Dr. Mayer prepare you for surgery?

He told me upfront that this would be a big commitment and that I would need to be ready to work hard during recovery. About a year after my first visit, we scheduled the surgery. It was a two-part procedure: the surgeons went through my stomach one day, and two days later they went in through my back. They made space in my vertebrae so the nerves weren’t compressed, and they inserted a rod to correct my scoliosis halfway up my back.

How has your life changed since the surgery?

I can climb onto my 30-foot boat, take sails up and down, and sail by myself. I’m completely independent in all the ways I love to be active.

Did you do physical therapy after surgery? How did that help?

Yes, I was paired with an amazing physical therapist. She observed me sailing and tailored exercises to strengthen the oblique muscles and other areas that are critical when you have a rod in your back. I had to learn new movement patterns — a skill I never needed before — but it was all possible with guidance.

What was your overall experience working with Dr. Mayer and his team?

Dr. Mayer is incredibly passionate about what he does. He makes you feel like part of the team — it’s a partnership where I have to be just as committed as he is. He inspires confidence without pressure. I feel very lucky to have been his patient, and I know I’ll always feel connected to him and his care.

Arthur

Can you tell us a little about your background and the kind of work you did?

I was a meat cutter for two different companies for 50 years, working retail and dealing with a lot of sides of beef. As time went on, we transitioned into boxed beef — and that stuff is heavy. There’s a lot of lifting, moving, and repetitive motion involved. I’ve had scoliosis since the beginning, but over time I developed some degeneration. I even fell once and fractured one of my vertebrae, but I didn’t do anything about it. As the years went by, the pain just got worse and worse.

When did the pain become serious enough that you knew you needed to seek help?

It got to a point where I couldn’t bend or finish a full shift at work. I could make it until about noon, and then it hurt to sit, it hurt to stand, and it even hurt to lie down. That’s when I knew I had to get serious about finding help.

How did you first meet Dr. Mayer, and what was your first impression of him?

My first visit with Dr. Mayer was very comforting. He took some X-rays and really explained, for the first time, what was actually wrong with my back and what was causing the pain. He was upfront, easy to talk to, and had such a relaxing bedside manner. Honestly, it was just a great experience.

What treatment did Dr. Mayer recommend?

Because of the deformity in my back — I had two 90-degree angles — Dr. Mayer recommended a spinal fusion to straighten my spine as much as possible. He said it would relieve the pain, and he was right. It really did.

How did you feel going into surgery, and what was your recovery like afterward?

My biggest concern was whether I’d be able to go back to work and get back on my feet again. The biggest challenge was getting used to moving again — learning to walk, lift, and bend differently. I had to squat more instead of just bending straight over. But once I got through that phase, it was great. It really didn’t take that long at all to feel the difference.

What role did physical therapy play in helping you recover?

Dr. Mayer’s office was excellent about setting me up with therapy that focused on exactly what I needed — regaining motion and flexibility. It worked really well. You get used to living with pain and think it’s just part of life, but when it’s finally gone, it’s incredible. It’s hard to explain — almost a feeling of utopia. I’d had pain for decades, but after surgery and therapy, I had no pain at all.

What do you remember most about your experience with Dr. Mayer?

What stands out most is how genuinely he cared about how I was feeling. He wanted to know my concerns and what I was experiencing. He just came across as very sincere and real.

How has life changed for you since surgery?

Now I can do pretty much everything I used to do. My wife and I just finished remodeling our laundry room — built cabinets, did all the woodwork, and I handled all the lifting. Before surgery, I couldn’t have done that.

But the best part is being able to play with my grandkids again. Before, my kids would always tell them, “Be careful around Pops.” Now I can get down on the floor and horse around with them. It’s absolutely fabulous.

How would you describe your overall experience?

If someone asked me what to do about back problems like mine, I’d tell them to go see Dr. Mayer right away. People who’ve known me for years can see the difference — they notice right away that the pain and stress are gone from my face. I’d recommend Dr. Mayer to anyone dealing with back pain. Anyone who knows what I went through wouldn’t hesitate a bit.