Saved My Brother-in-Law Ready to End His Life

Dear Dr. McCord:

I wanted to thank you for taking on the difficult case of Mr. ****. The physicians in Macon would not touch him again. I know. Without you, I do not know where my clients over the last twenty years would now be. I try to explain to others that you look at the natural curve in the spine and repair accordingly. Leaving your patients with a more normal spine than any other surgeon, I know. Most fuse the neck and back straight and solid. I have watched you grow and change methods and ideas, but always miles ahead of others.

In Mr. **** case it was the same. After three surgeries with two different surgeons in Macon, the physicians said there was nothing further they could do for this man. You provided the fourth group of surgeries and gave him hope. Mr. **** is doing so well two months out. He is walking, sitting again, and can actually twist his back. His psychiatrist, Dr. ****, related last week that he had never seen Mr. **** twist or sit. It is truly amazing to me. Mr. **** is still recovering, but he is so thankful he came to you and had surgery. He knows he will never be like he was before the injury, but he will be able to function on such an improved level daily. He is looking forward to working on his truck and maybe going back to work. Another successful case.

My brother-in-law, **** continues to do well fifteen years or so later after your help. I do not know if you remember ****, but he had three surgeries in Birmingham and was still in so much pain he was eating Loratabs. One Thanksgiving Day, he told me, with meaning, that if there was no one that could help him that he was ready to end his life. You saw *** for me and performed surgery. ***'s golf swing improved and he returned to work, flying all over the world starting paper mills until retirement. He will always be grateful to you for giving him back his life. He is playing golf most days in Gulf Shores now.

I could go on and on. I think about the police officer in Warner Robins that had a cervical surgery that collapsed. Her head bent

down and she could not lift it up, only able to look at the floor. Her surgeon would not touch her again leaving the muscles so painful in her back strained from the head being tilted so forward. I took her to Atlanta, no one would perform another surgery. We flew to Nashville and you accepted the challenge. Although, she never qualified to return to police work she has a normal view of the world. My fellow from Milledgeville that the leading surgery in the middle Georgia area released him to return to work, although he could hardly walk more than six steps, you fixed. No one was going to hire him in that shape. We came to you, you found his fusions had never healed. Six months after the surgery, I received a picture in the mail of him kayaking. He returned to work and is still employed.

My mother passed away a few months ago. You performed her second back surgery twenty years ago and she never suffered with her back again. I am grateful. I brought my brother to you too. I know most of the surgeons in the state of Georgia, having worked thirty years in the the Workers' Compensation arena. You are the only surgeon I would take my family to and that I try to get my clients to.

I just wanted to say thank you. You have made those I love so much better and me looking like a star in my work. I look forward to our next case.