Alice’s Story
Until her life-altering surgery, Alice Welch, who had been running an active antique shop in Maine for 44 years, feared the kyphoscoliosis, a severe spinal deformity that was overwhelming her body, was leading towards a life in a wheelchair.
Now, back in her shop moving with ease through the multi-level converted Shaker built barn, she recalled the damaging signs that her body was telling her. “It started impacting me putting things upstairs. I had to depend on other people to do that for me.” Her quest for medical attention led to the Lifespan Orthopedics Institute in Providence, Rhode Island. Although the location was hundreds of miles from home, Alice based her choice on our experienced team of orthopedic spine surgeons and their extensive scope of services provided.
Her Spine Surgery was “Miraculous.”
When Alice, an antique shop owner from Maine, suffered severe back pain – she bypassed Boston and turned to the Lifespan Orthopedics Institute for the complex spinal care she needed. After her successful surgery, her friends and business associates can’t believe their eyes.
Alan H. Daniels, MD, chief of the division of orthopedic spine surgery, and director of the adult spinal deformity service at Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals, is a high-volume spine surgeon who performs more than 450 spine surgeries per year. He shared his first impressions of Alice: “She had terrible severe pain, she was really struggling every day and was getting to a point where she wasn’t sure if she could still keep running her wonderful store.”
Alice’s case required the skills and technology of a specialized center like the Lifespan Orthopedics Institute. “In under six hours, we were able to straighten her spine in a safe manner, without any major complications, with a rapid recovery,” Dr. Daniels noted. “She spent about a week with us in Providence and then was able to go home.”
From the comfort of home, where she tends to animals and a busy business, Alice described the results of her surgery. “It’s miraculous – it’s miraculous,” she said. “People who found me before and see me now, can’t believe their eyes. They can’t believe the difference. I don’t even look like the same person.”
Dr. Daniels made a recent visit to Maine to see for himself how Alice was managing. “This is the most rewarding part of the job,” he said. “And this is the reason I came up here, to see how great she is doing. It’s just wonderful to see her back to her full functional life without pain and just really thriving.”
Learn more about spine treatments at the Lifespan Orthopedics Institute