About to End Her Life, Mother Finds Doctor Who Never Gave Up

Terri Williams was ready to end her life after 23 years of back pain, saying goodbye to her daughters. By sheer luck, she found a doctor who said "I'm going to fix you."

Dr. McCord saved my life. And I’m gonna tell you why he saved my life. I suffered back problems for 23 years before I found Dr. McCord. I went to a lot of doctors, different doctors, emergency rooms, admitted to the hospital and I stayed days and days and days. I just couldn’t realize how I could be in so much pain but doctors couldn’t really figure why. I went to one doctor, they thought I had nerve problems. They gave me a test, it wasn’t my nerves. Then I went to another doctor and they had me go through physical therapy, exercise, and all this. I went to another doctor they gave me injections. I just couldn’t get well. It got the point where I just figured I had to hurt. So a lot of years I’d work, and I’d hurt. I’d work and I’d hurt, because it was something I thought I had to live with. At sometime it got to a point that my back eased up for a while, and gave me relief, I thought maybe it’s gone. But then it comes back with a vengeance and throw me in bed for a couple of weeks. I had to take pills...muscle relaxers and pain pills and the only thing it did was cover the problem up and never fix the problem.

I just couldn’t realize how I could be in so much pain but doctors couldn’t really figure why.

One day I hurt soooooo bad. I was lying in bed and the only thing I could do is just cry. I said there’s got to be something done because I have to work. So I decided to go to a chiropractor. I didn’t know who to go to so I just opened up the telephone book, closed my eyes and just pointed. I went to this chiropractor and told him all I was going through and how much I was suffering. I said he was going to try to help me. He was doing different treatments, going to him for several weeks, he got me back to work. I went back to work and it lasted for a while, but started hurting again. I went back to him, he’d adjust me, I’d get back to work.

But the pain would always come back. I thought I’ll just have to try to work through the pain. I tried heating pads, everything I could. It just went on and went on, then I went to more doctors. They took MRIs, X-rays, they just couldn’t find out what the problem was, couldn’t find the problem. I said I know I’m not crazy I know something is wrong with me. The pain was coming down from my back and going down my leg. My leg was numb, tingling, burning. A lot of times I couldn’t even get out of bed and walk. I still had to push on because I had to work. Years later I went back to the chiropractor again and he said “Terri, I think you’re going to have to have surgery because I just can’t get you well. You’ve been coming to me off and on for a couple of years. I know a friend of mine his name is Dr. McCord, I’m going to send you to him.” I said “Oh here we go with another doctor!” He said “We’re going to try him,” I said Okay.

I didn’t know who to go to so I just opened up the telephone book, closed my eyes and just pointed.

When I left his office driving home I was thinking to myself, “Now this is another doctor that I’m gonna go to. And he’s going to tell me ‘Terri I don’t know what’s wrong with you, this is something you’re going to have to live with.’” I said I can’t go through this, I can’t take this. When I got home I called my daughters, they came over and I told them. Because they’ve been with me through this whole time. They were in middle school when I started having back problems, going through it with me all of these years. I sat them down and I told them...this might not be a good thing for a mother to tell her child but... I have to let you know that I have suffered with this back problem for 23 years. You’re momma can’t do it anymore. Dr. Davis wants to send me to again, another doctor, and if this doctor can’t help me...I said I’m going to take an overdose of pills and I have to go. I can’t suffer anymore. My kids said momma we love you and know what you’re going through, but this doctor will help you. I came to Dr. McCord, and I met him. I sat down and I told him everything I was going through. He said “Terri, I’m going to help you. I’m going to find out what’s wrong, and I’m going to help you.” I said “Dr. McCord if you don’t out what’s going on with me and you be able to help me, I’m gonna have to take some pills because I just can’t take it any more.” He said, “Oh Terri, I’m going to help.” Dr. McCord wasn’t a doctor to me, Dr. McCord became my friend. He gave me a prescription to reduce inflammation, took me off of work, told me to go home and bed rest. He would see me in two weeks. I did everything he told me to do, I took the pills, I came back and told Dr. McCord I didn’t feel any better. The pills took away the aching away in back but this burning sensation I’m having down my leg just won’t go away. Sometime I just can’t hardly walk. He wanted me to take a test called a discogram. I asked what is that? He’d go into my back and shoot some dye and that would show what is going on. We did the test, and thank the Lord we found out what it was. I had a slipped disc. Now that we knew what it was we could operate. Then I was soooo happy! I asked when are we going to do it?!?! He said slow down a bit…(laughs) Dr. McCord said I needed one more test to be sure this is it. “When I go in I want to know exactly where it is, exactly what I’m going to do, that this is really the cause of pain.”

“Terri, I’m going to help you. I’m going to find out what’s wrong, and I’m going to help you.”

Another test? I got a bit upset with Dr. McCord I wanted my surgery! He said we will, I just have to make sure. Two weeks later we did another test and it came out the same. I was so happy! I had to wait a couple of weeks and he gave me the surgery, I was so happy and relieved. He had to send me to another doctor because I needed a stent surgery. First he was going to go through my stomach to get to a part in my back that can’t be reached from behind. He did this on Monday, I rested. On Wednesday he took me to the emergency room and he did the second part. When that was over, I know I was in a lot of pain. But Dr. McCord came in my room and he told me everything was okay and I’m going to be alright. I took his hand and I told him he was my angel and I thank God for him. I prayed before I went to the emergency room and had the operation, because that’s what you do. You thank the Lord, you hope you’re going to be okay. But deep down inside I knew I was going to be okay. I knew I was in the right hands. He just held my hand I knew everything was going to be alright.

I know a lot of people may not be as lucky as I was. I went through it for 23 years but I found a doctor that could help me. I know a lot of you patients out there think that it’s never going to end. But it will end. You’ve just go to hold on and do the best you can and hope you can find the right doctor that really knows what to do and find out your problem. Dr. McCord saved my life. So I’m here to let everyone know that you’ve just got to hold on and keep hoping. Now my kids still have a mother, I have grandkids now and they have a grandmother. I’m doing good!

So I’m here to let everyone know that you’ve just got to hold on and keep hoping. Now my kids still have a mother, I have grandkids now and they have a grandmother.

Sometimes your insurance company will send your doctor through a lot of changes. Dr. McCord could have gave up on me a long time ago because my insurance took him through a lot. It was times I had to call my insurance company and say “Look, I’m in a lot of pain. I’m not working and my doctor needs to give me this surgery. But there’s only so much he can do for me until y’all give him permission to do this surgery. He’s at a standstill, I’m at a standstill and I’m hurting.” Doctors go through a lot of drama that the insurance company puts them through and they could give up. Dr. McCord did not give up on me. In the process a person having back problems we have to take a lot of prescription pills, you can get addicted to these pills. So it’s really important for the insurance companies know that we are suffering and getting addicted. They need to give permission to doctors a lot soon than they do giving patients like me an operation so we won’t have to suffer as long as we do, get back to work, take care of our family, pay the doctors. These insurance companies need to keep this in mind. I could be their daughter, or I could be their mother that needs that and be sincere. Dr. McCord saved my life and he’s my angel.