Doctors Refused to Treat Her. Now She Can Cook, Walk, and Garden

Alice Cox was hopeless and resigned to a wheelchair from back pain. No doctor would dare treat her. Then she stumbled upon a doctor who wouldn't give up.

I’m Alice Cox, I’m a patient of Dr. McCord’s. I’m very happy, very happy with the results that I have. Before I had the operation I had a very active life. I worked with my husband, we worked construction. One day I got down, and I couldn’t up. I went to another doctor who did surgery and put some rods in. Did pretty good for a few years, but the pain started coming back. So I went to another doctor, had a morphine pump put in. Plus I was on oxycodone for two years, which I don’t remember a thing about. Hadn’t it been for my husband, being by my side and helping me, I never would have made it, you know? He’s been a fantastic person, he really has! (choking up)

Anyway, I went to this doctor for I think about four or five years, maybe six years or more. They got to the point where he said there just wasn’t anything he could do for me. I’d just be in a wheelchair. We’d almost kinda given up hope, you know? I’d just go from day to day, I wouldn’t do anything. I had someone come clean for me. I couldn’t cook. I couldn’t even take a shower hardly, it hurt so bad.

I started going to the pain clinic and that didn’t help either, you know? Because they can’t give you the medicine you really need, and I already couldn’t take a lot of the medicine because my body couldn’t handle it. So I just sat in a chair and read a lot. Didn’t really do a whole lot of anything. Didn’t go anywhere, I couldn’t stand to ride. It just killed me to even be in a vehicle. So just to go out and see things and do things...our life was at a standstill, really.

My husband one day came home from the doctor and said he got some names of other doctors...back surgeons. We called a couple of them and sent my records in. Then we waited around, waited around. Two of them refused to see me. Said my back was too complicated. So we just kinda gave up hope. But then we found Dr. McCord, had the back surgery. Well I was still having problems, still in a lot of pain, and couldn’t figure out why. He says, “I won’t give up. I’ll find out what it is.” And he’s kept his promise! (laughing) I mean my back is just so much better. I still have issues, I’m not what I was but I’m twice as good as what I have been. I just feels so good not to be in pain constantly. And to be able to stand up straight! I couldn’t stand up before. Even with a cane, it had got to the point where I had to go with a walker just to get from one end of the house to another. To even go to the bathroom, you know? So I was just in constant pain. And he has helped so much, just so much. I’m just so grateful for what he has done.

He says, “I won’t give up. I’ll find out what it is.” And he’s kept his promise!

The medicine doesn’t affect me anymore, I still have my faculties (laughing)!. It just helps take the edge off, I don’t have to take it all the time. If I overdo it, which we all do, I’ll take a bit just to help relieve some of the pain. But it’s not bad, it’s not something that so excruciating you just sit down and cry. I’m just so much better!

I lost two years out of my life. Like I said if it hadn’t had been for my husband taking care of business, telling me what to do when to do it...I just really don’t remember much. When I was seeing that one doctor I had the morphine pump plus medication...the morphine pump maxed out. Then they started giving me heavier medication, and even before that. I just hurt so bad, it had gotten to the point where that was even working. If it weren’t for my husband, I wouldn’t know anything. I really didn’t. I didn’t do anything, I just sat comatose most of the time.

But now I go do things. I drive! You know?!?! I didn’t dare drive before. Just so many things I can do again. I can cook, get in the shower and feel comfortable, I take my dog for a walk, I can work out in my garden a little bit! I can’t do what I did when I was 20, but it’s just so fantastic to be able to do things again.

I can cook, get in the shower and feel comfortable, I take my dog for a walk, I can work out in my garden a little bit!

We found Dr. McCord through my husband’s doctor. She had given him Dr. McCord’s name. So we called and you took us in. I really liked him. I liked his personality. Seemed like we clicked. The other ones were so intimidating. One of them scared me half to death...he wanted to take everything out and start from scratch again. I just said no, there’s no way I’m going back, I can’t do that. I had been through so much, I really didn’t want to go through surgery again to begin with. But I felt very comfortable with Dr. McCord, very comfortable. I had all the faith in the world in him. And he promised me he wouldn’t give up, that he’d keep on going until he found what the problem was. He’s kept his word, you just can’t ask for any better (laughs)!