Together through it all: One couple’s journey through five spinal surgeries

When two people build a life together for more than four decades, they share everything: the milestones, the memories and yes, even the surgeries and recovery. For Gary and Deana, the past several years have brought more than their fair share of medical challenges. Between them, they've undergone five procedures to address spinal conditions.

Yet today, they'll tell you without hesitation that they're doing very well.

Their story is one of resilience, trust in their physician and the power of facing health trials together. From the beginning, they were guided by a care team that took the time to understand their needs and plan thoughtfully for what came next.

This is their story.

Gary’s story

For Gary, the first warning sign that something was wrong came on the golf course. He noticed a slight numbness in two fingers on his right hand. It was a subtle annoyance at first, but one that steadily worsened.

“A few days after I felt that initial numbness, I was back out on the course and I couldn’t grip my golf club with those fingers at all,” Gary said.

A visit with his primary care physician and an MRI scan revealed cervical stenosis, a condition that causes a narrowing of the spinal canal. It was compressing the spinal cord and nerves responsible for sensation and movement in his hands.

His physician referred him to Atif Haque, MD, FAANS, FACS, a neurosurgeon on the medical staff at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center - Fort Worth.

“Think of the spinal canal as a tunnel that houses the spinal cord,” Dr. Haque said. “When the walls of that tunnel narrow, it can squeeze the nerves inside, causing pain, numbness and weakness, often in the arms and hands.”

In September 2017, Gary underwent an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), a procedure where the damaged disc causing the compression is removed, relieving the pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. The space is then filled with a bone graft or implant, and the vertebrae above and below are stabilized, often with plates and screws, so they can fuse together over time.

“The goal of a procedure like ACDF is not just to stop the progression, but to restore quality of life, and Gary had significant compression that wasn't going to resolve on its own,” Dr. Haque said. “Once we removed that pressure and stabilized his spine, the nerves had the room they needed to recover.”

What struck Gary most wasn't the surgery itself but what came after. Recovery was guided by thoughtful follow-up and a clear plan to support his healing over time.

“I didn’t know what to expect after surgery,” Gary said. “I was given medication to ease any pain, but you know what? I didn’t need to take them. There was absolutely no discomfort. I was just stunned.”

When surgery couldn't wait

Gary’s neck surgery was a success, but he had long dealt with lower back issues, which were a family trait, something that both his father and sister had lived with. Over time, the back pain intensified, eventually disrupting his sleep. He returned to Dr. Haque, who was in no rush to operate.

“He was very cautious and very deliberate in terms of what he wanted to do,” Gary said. “He didn’t want to do anything rash.”

They tried a series of targeted spinal injections first. The initial round brought relief for nearly a year, but disappointingly, the second round helped briefly but didn't hold.

Eventually, Gary’s discomfort returned with enough severity that surgery became the best next option.

“My approach has been that surgery is the last tool, not the first,” Dr. Haque said. “With degenerative spinal conditions, we consider conservative options first, like injections, physical therapy and time. When those options stop working and the pain is affecting mobility and someone’s daily life, that's when surgery becomes the next step."

In September 2022, Gary underwent a procedure known as an XLIF 360 lumbar fusion to address spondylolisthesis, a condition in which one of the vertebrae in the lower back slips forward over the one beneath it, destabilizing the spine and pressing on nearby nerves.

This minimally invasive, two-part surgery involves approaching the spine from the side through a small incision and placing a spacer between the vertebrae to restore proper alignment, securing everything in place with rods and screws. 

Recovery took a bit longer this time than with his first surgery, but Gary came through it well.

Less than a year later, after an overseas golf trip to Scotland and a resurgence of back pain, new imaging revealed continued narrowing in another part of Gary’s lower spine, and he underwent a laminectomy, his third procedure with Dr. Haque. This surgery removes all or part of the lamina, a small section of bone at the back of the vertebra, to enlarge the spinal canal and relieve pressure on the compressed nerves.

“I’ve got a lot of titanium in my life now,” Gary said, who also needed to have both of his hips replaced. “But these days I’m pretty active and, knock on wood, not having much pain. It’s all been very successful, and I’m very pleased about that.”

Deana’s story

Deana’s health journey, while shorter in time, was no less intense than her husband’s. In 2024, her symptoms came on fast.

“It just started with my arm hurting, and then it quickly became severe,” Deana said. “It was affecting everything, including my balance. I couldn’t hold my body right.”

An initial ER visit didn't identify the cause of her discomfort and instability. She was given pain medication and sent home without answers.

Having an already established relationship with Dr. Haque through Gary helped provide reassurance as Deana faced the need for care of her own.

When she met with Dr. Haque, the picture became clear. She, too, had cervical stenosis along with cervicalgia and cervical radiculopathy, a combination of spinal canal narrowing in the neck, neck pain and nerve compression that was radiating pain and weakness into her arm. Her condition had progressed quickly enough that surgery was scheduled within two days of her appointment.

“By the time I saw Deana, she was in significant discomfort and her neurological symptoms were escalating,” Dr. Haque said. “That is a situation requiring immediate action.”

Dr. Haque performed Deana’s procedure two days after being seen, an ACDF at the C5-C7 levels. He removed the damaged discs between those vertebrae, relieved the pressure on her spinal cord and nerve roots, and fused those segments together with an implant for stability.

“When I woke up from surgery, I felt immediate relief,” Deana said.

It was also gratifying for Dr. Haque to see how quickly Deana responded to the surgery.

“When someone wakes up from surgery immediately feeling better, it is the best outcome I can hope for," he said.

A car accident and a second surgery

After completing physical therapy in the spring of 2025, Deana was discharged from care. But just a month later, her car was struck from behind in a collision.

“The impact caused a hyperextension injury—the kind where the neck snaps backward suddenly, like a whip,” Dr. Haque said.

“For someone who had already undergone spinal fusion, the segments above the previously repaired area were vulnerable, and the jolt likely caused the spinal cord to be compressed between the front of the vertebrae and the ligament in the back of the spinal canal.”

The result is a condition called Central Cord Syndrome, which causes weakness in the arms and hands, and in Deana’s case, new numbness.

A follow-up MRI scan by Dr. Haque confirmed the diagnosis: adjacent level stenosis, or narrowing at the vertebrae just above where her surgery had been performed before. A second ACDF, this time just above the original repair, was performed in December 2025.

Deana completed her second round of physical therapy in April 2026. “I’m much, much better now,” she said.

Gary and Deana today: Back on the golf course and feeling confident

Today, Gary and Deana are thriving once again. Gary is back on the golf course one to two times a week and is even taking golf trips. Deana is feeling confident in her movement in a way she hadn't for years.

“I feel much more stable and don’t have the balance problem I was having previously,” she said.

And Gary has noticed that change in Deana as well. “I can see that she is more confident just walking,” he said. “She is getting along so much better.”

Physical therapy has also played a key role in both of their recoveries, a component that Gary credits as very, very helpful following each of their procedures.

When asked if navigating so many surgeries and their subsequent recovery has affected their 42-year marriage, the couple is very matter-of-fact about it.

“We have a good relationship,” Deana said. “Each of us cared for the other as best we could and it all worked out well.”

Both Gary and Deana approached every step of this process with trust, patience and a commitment to doing the work, which makes a huge difference in people’s recovery journeys.

“Before surgery, when I was lying there waiting and talking to the nurses, they all kept telling me he’s the best,” Gary said of Dr. Haque. “I can’t emphasize enough the respect and confidence the staff has in Dr. Haque and his abilities. That’s very comforting.”

“To see them both active, pain-free and living well is exactly why the work we do is so meaningful," Dr. Haque said.

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