The Fall that Saved a Life

[00:00:00] Dr. Rita Roy: Hi everyone. My name is Dr. Rita Roy, CEO of the National Spine Health Foundation, and I’m your host for. Where we tell real stories of healing and recovery, what does it mean to get back to it? It means overcoming a spine problem through treatments that work in order to return to the people and activities you love.

[00:00:23] Whatever that looks like for you, it means getting back to your life. We’re here to share the success stories of those who did just that, and some of these stories you’re not going to believe.

[00:00:39] At the Give Back to It Podcast, our goal is to tell stories of spinal champions who’ve been able to achieve a better quality of life through spinal healthcare. Today’s guest is Tina Fries from Huber Heights, Ohio, after a seemingly minor fall in May of 2024, led to scans and x-rays. An incidental finding revealed a tumor on her cervical spine.

[00:01:04] Something she had no symptoms of. This led to a spinal fusion from C two to C six and a healing journey that began with the loss of movement on her right side. Despite fear and uncertainty, she faced each step with strength and a deep sense of gratitude for the community that rallied around her. Today she’s not only back to work full time, she’s also back to walking her dog cooking and the other activities that she loves.

[00:01:35] She calls herself the luckiest woman on earth, and after hearing her story, you’ll understand why.

[00:01:48] Kristina Freiss: Before finding out about my spinal condition, my life was very busy. I was a single woman working full time. I own my own home. In between working, cleaning and maintaining my home, walking my dog, spending time with friends, and doing some good old fashioned home cooking, I was always on the go and enjoying every minute of it.

[00:02:12] Dr. Rita Roy: May 7th, 2024 started like any other day, but a seemingly minor accident would lead to a life altering discovery for Tina.

[00:02:23] Kristina Freiss: I woke up that morning to the devastating news that a beloved coworker had passed away from an aggressive form of cancer, a group of other coworkers, and I decided to go to his favorite restaurant for lunch and toast him with our iced teas.

[00:02:38] While I was walking to the restaurant, I tripped over uneven concrete. And hit my head very hard. My glasses were damaged. I had road rash on my face and my left hand was bleeding. It all happened so fast. A few coworkers rushed to my aid. All I wanted to do was go home. They convinced me to go to the emergency room.

[00:03:01] A coworker went to get her car. When I tried to stand up, my left leg gave way. I’d pulled a muscle. I was admitted to the ER and went through the gamut of tests following a head injury.

[00:03:16] Dr. Rita Roy: X-rays and scans of Tina’s head came back normal. Nothing was broken. However, there was an incidental finding a tumor on her cervical spine.

[00:03:29] Kristina Freiss: The doctor was quick to say that not all tumors mean cancer. More tests were needed. And I already had a consult scheduled with a neurology clinic. After all this, I was admitted to the hospital for observation. We all know you don’t get much rest in the hospital. I got up the next day feeling groggy and overwhelmed.

[00:03:50] Dr. Rita Roy: It wasn’t long until someone from a neurology clinic came to team’s room to talk about the tumor.

[00:03:57] Kristina Freiss: They emphasized again that not all tumors are cancerous and that it is very likely that this was. Benign. They ordered another scan and said, I should expect to see a neurosurgeon later that day. I thought, how could all this be happening to me two days before I was happy, healthy, and moving through life.

[00:04:19] Dr. Rita Roy: The neurosurgeon, Dr. Anna g Pollock, arrived in Tina’s room several hours later and explained that her tumor had already done damage to her spine left alone. It would continue to do damage over the rest of her lights. She would be faced with loss of mobility, bladder and bowel control, muscle control, and the ability to breathe.

[00:04:44] Kristina Freiss: This news felt like a gut punch, but what choice did I have? We began discussing neck steps. Dr. Pollock wanted me to follow up with her in six to eight weeks with another MRI. I was cautioned that if any symptoms such as numbness or tingling in my arms or hands, I should. Immediately contact the clinic.

[00:05:07] Fortunately, nothing like that happened. Tina

[00:05:12] Dr. Rita Roy: met with Dr. Pollock again in mid-July to review her MRIs.

[00:05:17] Kristina Freiss: She explained that I needed surgery and that she hoped she would be able to remove the tumor without removing any bone. Again, I felt very overwhelmed, although I was ready to go into work for after the appointment, I came straight home and called off for the day.

[00:05:34] I’ve been keeping. This to myself, myself, only telling my closest friends until I had more detail. But now it was time to rally the troop and start making plans for surgery and aftercare.

[00:05:47] Dr. Rita Roy: A few weeks after this visit, Dr. Pollett called her saying that she had consulted with another spine surgeon colleague, and they both agreed that given the tumor was wrapped around her spine, bone would have to be removed in order to remove the tumor.

[00:06:03] Tina was

[00:06:03] Kristina Freiss: disappointed by. This, my neurosurgeon suggested I schedule an appointment with her colleague, Dr. Sujit Bii, so he could explain what needs to be done. I made an appointment for the next week. We discussed fusion with titanium rosin screws, and the possibility of needing a cage inserted in the front of my spine.

[00:06:27] Two days after the initial initial surgery. I kept thinking, how could all this be hap. Happening to me,

[00:06:37] Dr. Rita Roy: me. Prior to surgery, Tina underwent several tests and two more MRIs. This included a vestibular test and an EMG, an electromyogram of her arms. This is a test that assesses nerve functionality

[00:06:55] Kristina Freiss: throughout the preoperative process.

[00:06:57] Dr. Pollock was always very calm and reassuring. She also promised that she would keep an eye on my spine. Postoperatively to ensure that there was no tumor regrow. If there was, I would have only needed a few runs of radiation to take care of it. I’ve been told that I had the A team in the operating room with me that day, and I am so grateful.

[00:07:24] Dr. Rita Roy: The surgery entailed removing the tumor and fusing Tina’s spine from C two to C six. In total, the surgery lasted 11 and a half hours.

[00:07:36] Kristina Freiss: At some point during the surgery, I had lost the use of the right side of my body. I don’t remember exactly when I was told this. I think my brain has blocked that out, but it was quickly apparent when I had to be picked up to be moved from the bed.

[00:07:53] As concerning as this was, I was happy to find out that I did not need a second surgery to install the cage in my spine. Tina

[00:08:03] Dr. Rita Roy: that spent a week. In the neurology ICU. She didn’t remember much from the first few days of her stay there. However, she was not going through this alone. Her friend Susan came from North Carolina to support her for a few weeks after her surgery.

[00:08:19] Their initial hope was that Tina would come straight home from the surgery and Susan would simply help her around the house for a few weeks. However, Joe to Tina’s loss of mobility, they both knew she would have to do inpatient physical therapy.

[00:08:35] Kristina Freiss: From there, I did 13 days of inpatient physical therapy. I remember my first day of physical therapy.

[00:08:43] I was put in a wheelchair and taken to the therapy gym. They rolled me up to the parallel bars and helped me stand. I had a therapist in front of and behind me. They told me to move my right foot. It split only a few inches. That was it. Always encouraging. They sat me down and started building. Up my strength rather than mobility.

[00:09:07] I used a bicycle machine and practiced moving my leg up and down side to side. During this time, I also saw occupational therapy who had me doing exercises with my right hand. This included picking up small objects using playing cards, digging through rice to find objects, and even working on a keyboard.

[00:09:30] I arrived feeling doubtful about my recovery. I. I remember Susan and I discussing whether or not I’d ever walk unaided again. One day when my physical therapist came to get me for our session, she didn’t have a wheelchair. She pulled out a walker and said, well, let’s go lowly. I was weaned from using the wheelchair to using a walker.

[00:09:55] That was an accomplishment. On day 13, they felt I was mobile enough to go home. After Tina was

[00:10:04] Dr. Rita Roy: discharged, she only used her wheelchair once. She was grateful to be steady on her walker. From there, she continued in-home physical therapy for a month.

[00:10:16] Kristina Freiss: Coming home was so nice. I was so grateful to sleep in my own bed and be with my dog.

[00:10:23] Life was getting better. I wore a cervical collar only when I got out of bed. Susan was always there to help me. She wouldn’t let me get up out of bed. I myself, not even just to use the bathroom. I received additional support from my work supervisor, coworkers and other friends. They organized a meal train for me.

[00:10:46] So much good food started pouring in. My high school friend Nancy, who lives in New York and is like a sister to me, came to visit too.

[00:10:57] Dr. Rita Roy: That October. Susan had to go back home. A Tina wasn’t ready to be on her own, just. So her friend Linda came from Florida and stayed with her for 10 days.

[00:11:10] Kristina Freiss: Linda took over whatever cooking duties were needed, laundry, helping keep track of who was coming when driving here and there.

[00:11:18] It was a great time catching up with her during the time she was with me. I used a cane for the first time. I broke down in tears when I first walked with it. That was the moment I realized that I could beat this and win.

[00:11:36] Dr. Rita Roy: Eventually, Susan came back to continuing taking care of Tina. They both saw Dr.

[00:11:41] Reti in the late October for a postoperative appointment.

[00:11:46] Kristina Freiss: At that appointment, Dr. BI said I could stop wearing my cervical collar. He was very pleased with the postop. X-Ray, since I wasn’t taking any narcotic medication, we agreed to get me back to part-time work on November 15th, which would be two months after my surgery, I started to practice driving and walking in public places.

[00:12:11] Susan moved out. I was apprehensive, but each day got better.

[00:12:18] Dr. Rita Roy: Tina enjoyed returning to work. She had a line of coworkers outside her door. Waiting to hug her and welcome her back.

[00:12:27] Kristina Freiss: I was truly overwhelmed with all the greetings I received. I was so thankful for each of them. It was a little harder going back to work than I expected.

[00:12:38] I was beat at the end of each day. A few weeks into returning to work, I started outpatient physical therapy. I had to push through each day to build endurance, occupying my mind with work and a. Appointments was good for my mental health as well.

[00:12:59] Dr. Rita Roy: On January 13th, 2025, about four months after her surgery, Tina was able to return to work full-time.

[00:13:08] She still persisted on with her physical therapy.

[00:13:12] Kristina Freiss: I can’t say that I’m completely symptom free just yet. I have minimal numbness and tingling in my right hand. I also get these sensations that I call the zappies in my upper right arm. It is still part of the healing process. Since my cervical spine is fused from C two to C six, I do not have full mobility in my neck and never will.

[00:13:39] I am still working on strengthening all of the muscles in my back with the fusion. I will need a. Very strong back to support the rods and hold my head up high. I am still working on my full speed ahead building. My endurance has greatly improved. I am back to walking my dog most evenings, cooking on the weekends, shopping and lunching on Saturdays, laundry and cleaning.

[00:14:06] I also went to my first baseball game a couple months ago and returned to Great American Ballpark for a Cincinnati Reds game.

[00:14:18] Tina, I know it’s been a journey. Wow.

[00:14:24] Dr. Rita Roy: I cannot believe it. I can’t believe how recent this is.

[00:14:29] Kristina Freiss: Yes, it was nine months. Just a few, few months, few weeks ago. Mm-hmm.

[00:14:33] Dr. Rita Roy: I am looking at you and I just can’t believe it. You look, I mean, who would know? Who would ever know? That’s what I’m going for. Uh, you’re doing a great job.

[00:14:44] I mean, thank you. Oh my goodness. You are just glowing. You are beautiful. You are vibrant. Thank you. Thank you. Um, just everything about you, I just am so, I’m so excited talking to you and looking at you and hearing the story just given especially how recent this is. Mm-hmm. Wow. You are the. Your child for recovery.

[00:15:08] Thank you. You did all the things that you’re supposed to be doing and have done and that that has not been easy.

[00:15:16] Kristina Freiss: The biggest thing is staying the course. Yeah. You really have to work at it. Yeah.

[00:15:22] Dr. Rita Roy: Well, Tina, this incredible story that you’ve just shared with us is, is, is even, it’s even underscored in, in how amazing it is by the people who rallied around you.

[00:15:35] Mm-hmm. Your friends, your coworkers, your medical team. Everybody played a role, a really important role in e every step of your way on this journey. And you know, what we want listeners to know is how important and how critical having a support system is, um, when you’ve gotta go through a major surgery like this.

[00:15:55] And, you know, we, we talked about Susan and Nancy and Linda and your community of coworkers. Um, share with us, uh, what that was like. I mean, you strike me as a very independent lady. I am, and maybe asking for help is maybe not the easiest thing, I think for

[00:16:11] Kristina Freiss: you. No, it, it really isn’t. Um, but I am so grateful that they all came to my aid without hesitation.

[00:16:20] Um, the only word that I can think of to describe is absolutely life saving. If it hadn’t been for them, I, I would not be where I am today.

[00:16:35] Dr. Rita Roy: So important, that word, life saving, that just saved your life. I mean, people don’t think of spine conditions as something that ends your life, but it really can in, in many ways, both metaphorically and literally.

[00:16:52] Um, and. So incredible to have that around you. So sounds like you’ve had a pretty awesome medical team as well. I did, I did. You’re, you’re interfacing with the, the medical system started with an emergency room visit. Mm-hmm. And so oftentimes people find a doctor by researching their doctor, interviewing their doctor, but you were given a medical team because you came in through the emergency room share with us what.

[00:17:23] Kristina Freiss: I, I am grateful that I chose to go to, uh, Miami Valley Hospital. They cared for me the entire way. When they said that they were going to be there, they were there. Um, I can’t say enough about Dr. Pollock and Dr. Bii, their care and their guidance through this entire process. Again, lifesaving.

[00:17:47] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah.

[00:17:48] Kristina Freiss: It’s almost

[00:17:48] Dr. Rita Roy: like, you know.

[00:17:51] It, it, it’s, it’s painful to say, I’m really glad I tripped on the concrete and whacked my head

[00:17:56] Kristina Freiss: that day. Mm-hmm.

[00:17:57] Dr. Rita Roy: Right? I mean

[00:17:58] Kristina Freiss: mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. If I hadn’t have tripped and if this tumor had not have been found when it was found. The damage that would’ve been done to my spine and my chance of basically a full recovery, uh, was significantly decreased.

[00:18:17] Yeah. So I do call that trip a gift. Yeah.

[00:18:22] Dr. Rita Roy: Um, as I was sharing the story with you, Tina, and going, going through your journey, one of the things I was most struck by is how quickly your life can change. I think, you know, you talk about that, share with us what that felt like for you.

[00:18:37] Kristina Freiss: Like you said, I was, I’m very independent.

[00:18:40] I mean, I could take care of everything around my house and in my life. Uh, and then all of a sudden there I was in a hospital bed. I was facing the decision, do I have this major surgery or do I just put it off and then I would be completely incapacitated for the rest of my life? And that was just something that I couldn’t have happen.

[00:19:04] So I didn’t really, I, I didn’t really have a choice. Yeah. I had to move through and I had to do it. And, uh, like I said, I rallied the troops. I had to call them and say, this is what I’m facing and I’m gonna need a lot of help. Yeah. And they came rushing

[00:19:20] Dr. Rita Roy: to support you. What a, what a gift.

[00:19:22] Kristina Freiss: Mm-hmm.

[00:19:23] Dr. Rita Roy: What a gift.

[00:19:24] Um, you know, so much of the time we’re going through our lives and everything is fine, and it feels like in an instant. Things change. Mm-hmm. And it feels

[00:19:36] Kristina Freiss: like that

[00:19:37] Dr. Rita Roy: happened for you

[00:19:37] Kristina Freiss: that day? It did. Yeah. I, I wanna get back to what was my normal, and I don’t think I’m ever gonna get back to that exact normal, but even the normal that I have today is wonderful.

[00:19:53] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. You know, as we go through time, as we age and we progress. Our bodies do become less able to do things. That’s sort of part of, of aging. So some of that is going to happen as, as we go along. You know, maybe we’re not gonna be able to do those big ski jumps we did in our twenties, or you know, do those kinds of things.

[00:20:17] And I think that when we talk about modern spinal healthcare, we talk about getting back to life, getting back to the things that bring us joy. And that might be sometimes. Slightly different than when it was before the surgery. And that doesn’t mean that you can’t, you know, en enjoy the things that you’ve always done.

[00:20:39] You might just have to alter the way that you do them. That’s right. And right. Mm-hmm. And what would you say is the most significant thing you’ve had to change in your life?

[00:20:52] Kristina Freiss: That’s a tough question because I’m trying so hard to get back to normal. Yeah. Um, you know, I have, I have a little less endurance. Um, I am trying so hard to walk and stand up straight, but I’m just, I’m pushing forward to get back to where I was. If, if I get back to 90 or 92%, I’ll be very happy. That’s pretty awesome.

[00:21:19] Dr. Rita Roy: Mm-hmm. Being in the nineties that fits you, uh, in the a bracket. So

[00:21:26] reminder, it’s. From what you went through, you know, in the ICU inpatient for a couple of weeks. Um, with that, you know, so it’s, the body does need to recover and it takes time to build that endurance. And from what I’m seeing right now, you’re working on it and it is gonna just keep getting better and better for sure.

[00:21:48] Yep. That’s the plan. Yeah. Yeah. That’s awesome. We also talk a lot about modern spinal care, being able to. Allow people not only to get back to activities, but being able to get back to work, share with us what getting back to work has.

[00:22:05] Kristina Freiss: Oh, getting back to work. Uh, that was such a key part of my recovery. I really enjoy what I do and who I work with.

[00:22:16] Um, I rarely get out of bed feeling like I have to charge into work. So really being able to get back up and get into that, working a full 40 hour week again, uh, I am just so grateful for that. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

[00:22:32] Dr. Rita Roy: That’s fantastic. Again, it’s like a gift when your work is something that also brings you joy and fulfillment, so that’s, mm-hmm.

[00:22:40] That’s really awesome. You know, Tina, I think that another part of your story that struck me as being a moment that could have been mentally as mentally challenging, as physically challenging were those moments in the hospital when. You had to go in a wheelchair to physical therapy. You had to be assistant just to be able to stand, share with us more about those feelings you had that time.

[00:23:09] Kristina Freiss: Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that I couldn’t walk, that I had to be pushed around in a wheelchair and that was, that was very difficult. I have to say that everyone at the physical therapy place I was at, they were, they were very kind. I think that they were very in tune to that with some of their patients.

[00:23:31] I was anxious to get up on my own, but being pushed around was, it was difficult. You have a whole new perspective when you’re sitting in a wheelchair rather than walking upright. You have a whole different perspective of what you see and how you feel. Mm-hmm.

[00:23:49] Dr. Rita Roy: A whole nother perspective of on gratitude.

[00:23:53] Right. And, and what that means to be able to be on your own, on your terms. On your own terms. Mm-hmm. That’s right. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Tina, you, uh, in your story, um, I know there’s another very important part of your life and that is your faith tradition. It’s that you call upon. Can you share a little bit of that with us?

[00:24:15] Kristina Freiss: I do wanna talk about, about how God played a role in this and how many prayers were offered for me. I, I’ll tell you that. Um, people that I didn’t know and people that I still don’t know have prayed for me, and I am grateful for each and every one of these people. I think of these people every day. I pray for these people every day.

[00:24:42] I. And I give thanks to God for these people every day. ’cause again, I would not be here without that. Uh, you know, my story definitely is not finished. The next chapter is really just beginning. And I will say that God is good. If it wasn’t for the faith that my parents instilled in me from the time I was a child, again, I don’t think I’d be here without it.

[00:25:10] Dr. Rita Roy: That is so beautiful, Tina, thank you for sharing that with us. Um, having that faith and hope and trust in your medical team that you’re going to get through it is absolutely awesome. That’s fantastic.

[00:25:28] Kristina Freiss: Yeah. I had to keep that attitude. I knew if I let myself fall down the dark hole, it would be so difficult to pull myself back out.

[00:25:38] Mm-hmm. So I just kept pushing forward. I tried to be just as positive as I could. Um, you know, like Susan was at my side through the whole thing and we shared, we shared some tears. But we shared an awful lot of laughs too. So grateful for that. That’s

[00:25:54] Dr. Rita Roy: awesome. That’s wonderful. And I think having that mindset, that positive, determined mindset as you go into a surgery like this, I think really can help set the stage for how you deal with it as you come out the other side.

[00:26:13] Kristina Freiss: Mm-hmm.

[00:26:13] Dr. Rita Roy: Were there some things you did as you were. Mentally preparing for and physically preparing to have surgery.

[00:26:22] Kristina Freiss: I talked to a lot of people. I thought that I was very prepared when I left my house the morning of surgery. I’d had some furniture moved out of the way. I had rugs put up so that I wasn’t gonna be tripping over them.

[00:26:38] I moved some of the things around in my kitchen because I planned to come home. I was going to be pretty good after a week or two and I’d be back doing a little bit of cooking, a little bit of this and that. As it turned out, with the loss of my right side, there still needed to be a lot to be done and, uh, you know, more people I needed, I.

[00:26:59] More people came to my aid. Uh, I had to have a lot more things done to my house, mainly in the bathroom, um, in the shower. I had to have more furniture moved around my bedroom than I intended on that kind of forethought. And that’s if I am fortunate enough to speak with a few patients who are looking at these kinds of situations that they may be facing, those are the suggestions that I’m gonna give to them.

[00:27:25] Some of the things that I did before. Some of the things that I thought about after mm-hmm. That I had never even considered. Right.

[00:27:34] Dr. Rita Roy: And that’s where it is so helpful to talk to somebody who’s been through it before. And that’s, that’s what we’re all about here at the foundation, is to connect people, to give hope, insight, share those stories of recovery and just gain that help and wisdom from others who’ve been through it.

[00:27:52] Um, because, because you do learn things along the way. For sure. I certainly do. Tina, I’m curious, what are your favorite things to cook?

[00:28:01] Kristina Freiss: Oh my goodness. Well, my, my mom was Polish and my dad was Hungarian, so I do a lot of that kind of cooking. I do like pigs in the blanket. I do, uh, paprika. Paprika. Yeah. One of my signature dishes is potato soup.

[00:28:18] I love to do potato soup. Yeah. Um, and I have some strawberry things I’ve been cooking now I’ve been to making strawberry salsas. Um, got a couple of bruschetta recipes that I like to do.

[00:28:31] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah, great. Yeah. Mix it up for the different seasons, it sounds like. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. That’s great. And you do all that home cooking yourself.

[00:28:40] Mm-hmm. So that involves mm-hmm. Getting to the grocery store. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Picking out your, your items, I’m sure you’re picky about what you chew.

[00:28:53] Kristina Freiss: Uh, especially the produce.

[00:28:55] Dr. Rita Roy: Yep. And then getting it home, unpacking it. Mm-hmm. Preparing it and cooking it. That’s a lot. Those are a lot of steps in, yeah.

[00:29:05] Kristina Freiss: Yeah. And cleaning it up too, then clean it up all the dishes

[00:29:08] Dr. Rita Roy: and stuff, then.

[00:29:08] Kristina Freiss: Yep. Right.

[00:29:10] Dr. Rita Roy: Mm-hmm. Yeah,

[00:29:11] Kristina Freiss: that’s,

[00:29:11] Dr. Rita Roy: that’s a lot. So are you doing most of those steps now or, yes, I am.

[00:29:17] Kristina Freiss: Yeah, I am. Yep. I’m chopping up all my vegetables and yeah, I’m doing it all. Amazing. Mm-hmm. That’s amazing. I, I’m making my soup for lunch and all kinds of things, so it’s, it’s very good to be back to that. I do remember walking by the kitchen when I was in, um, physical therapy, the inpatient physical therapy, and I kept walking by that kitchen.

[00:29:41] I kept thinking, man, I hope one day I’m gonna be back to doing that. Yeah.

[00:29:47] Dr. Rita Roy: Mm-hmm.

[00:29:47] Kristina Freiss: And here you are. Did you cook something today? No, most of my cooking is on the weekend, on the weekends, and then I have things in the, the fridge for, uh, just like reheating after work. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

[00:30:00] Dr. Rita Roy: Are you, what do you, what are you planning to cook this coming weekend?

[00:30:02] What are some things on the menu?

[00:30:05] Kristina Freiss: Uh, I would like to do BBA ’cause tomatoes are starting to come into season, so I like to do that. Um, I also have a recipe for, it’s called egg roll in a bowl. Oh, Uhhuh. Yeah, that’s good. That, yeah. What is that? Uh, you brought up a little bit of pork and you put some onion and I usually like double the garlic ’cause I really like the garlic.

[00:30:26] Wow. I’ll put some cabbage and some, some carrots in it, some hoisin sauce, some sesame oil. Yeah. Oh, and Red Pepper. Oh, you can’t forget the red pepper. You need the Red Spice. That right up. Yeah. Yeah, because I, I do need to do some Mexican cooking too, because that’s one of my favorites too, is Mexican.

[00:30:44] Dr. Rita Roy: That’s

[00:30:44] Kristina Freiss: awesome. Yeah. That’s awesome.

[00:30:45] Dr. Rita Roy: Mm-hmm. Well, that’s great. Well, I love, I love thinking about that and I love just imagining you being there, all that stuff going on. And again, nine months out from this major life changing. Yte. It’s just, it’s just absolutely incredible. Mm-hmm. It’s just, mm-hmm. And as for the tumor, Martina, was the tumor benign after all?

[00:31:05] It

[00:31:05] Kristina Freiss: was, yes. And I’ve had, uh, two MRIs since, and there is no sign of regrowth. Dr. Pollock says that we’re gonna keep six month MRIs going for at least two years. Okay? And then reevaluate at that point and see right when, uh, how we’ll schedule MRIs from that point.

[00:31:29] Dr. Rita Roy: Congratulations on that. Thank you.

[00:31:31] Excellent news.

[00:31:32] Kristina Freiss: Yeah.

[00:31:33] Dr. Rita Roy: And any, any indication of what caused that tumor to grow? Just curious if I talked about that.

[00:31:39] Kristina Freiss: Absolutely no idea. And we didn’t know if it was a fast growing tumor or slow growing tumor. There’s absolutely no history of it until it was found. So I’ve, you know, that tumor could have been growing for 25 years.

[00:31:55] Two years.

[00:31:56] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah.

[00:31:57] Kristina Freiss: There was no way to know and ching it to see just how much it would continue to grow. Just wasn’t worth it. Yeah. It was not worth the risk.

[00:32:06] Dr. Rita Roy: Not worth the risk. Yeah. And, and you just don’t know, so you make the best decision you can and mm-hmm. And, um, you know, again, I go back to thinking about your medical team.

[00:32:17] And how confident you felt with that team. Mm-hmm. And the rapport that you established pretty quickly with that team?

[00:32:24] Kristina Freiss: Mm-hmm. I did. Yes. Lot of credit to Dr. Pollock for being a wonderful bedside manner. Answering all my questions and being so kind to me. Was I the first time I saw her in office last July and I just, I just cried and cried and cried.

[00:32:42] I couldn’t believe what was going on, and she was most kind.

[00:32:47] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. Oh, that’s wonderful to hear. You know, again, we, we talk a lot in the foundation about how important it is to have a rapport with your. Providers, your surgeon in this case, because you’re gonna trust your life in their hands. Mm-hmm. And that becomes a very close relationship.

[00:33:05] Mm-hmm. And you gotta feel good about that relationship and yeah, it gives you confidence. Then on that morning of surgery, you leave your house and you’re ready and you know you’re in the right place and, um, you know, and then leave it up to, uh, in God’s hands and. Parameters that you can control in place and you go for it.

[00:33:29] Kristina Freiss: Yeah. Yep. I walked out fairly confident. I was scared. I’m not gonna lie. I was, I was scared, but I was confident that I was doing the right thing. So

[00:33:42] Dr. Rita Roy: important, Tina. Mm-hmm. So important. Well, this has just been such a fascinating conversation. Is there anything we haven’t talked about that you, you’ve thought about that you wanna share with our listeners?

[00:33:55] Kristina Freiss: No. I, I, you know, I had all my notes in here and, you know, I, I again want to say that, you know, that fall was a gift, everything. Everything happens for a reason and I, I didn’t break any bones in my face. I didn’t break my nose. I didn’t lose any teeth in that fall. So the only reason that I figured that I tripped over that concrete that day was to find this tumor.

[00:34:24] Dr. Rita Roy: That’s absolutely amazing.

[00:34:27] Kristina Freiss: Mm-hmm.

[00:34:27] Dr. Rita Roy: Absolutely amazing. And you had some reluctance there to even go to the er. Were it not for that awesome group of coworkers, once again around you saying, yeah, we’re just gonna go take, take a look. Just, just make sure.

[00:34:41] Kristina Freiss: You’re right. ’cause I, I just wanted to come home and, you know, put, put some band-aids on my face ’cause it was bleeding a little bit.

[00:34:50] And it’s like, no, you hit your head pretty hard. We need to have that checked out. And they were right. Yeah.

[00:34:56] Dr. Rita Roy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. That’s awesome. Well, Tina, how did you find the National Spine Health Foundation? How’d you find us to tell your story with us?

[00:35:05] Kristina Freiss: I was browsing on the web and I was looking for someplace where.

[00:35:11] I could give back to people, what can I do to help? Uh, and I came up with a couple different organizations and then I clicked on the National Spine Health Foundation. And your program for being an advocate really appealed to me, so that’s why I chose the spine, found the National Spine Health Foundation.

[00:35:34] Dr. Rita Roy: Tina, I’m so glad you did, and that just fills my heart with joy because that’s what we’re here to do, is for people to find us to get hope and to share hope. And the fact that, uh, that you found us and that our mission resonates with you is gives meaning to my day and to what we do. That’s what we. Thank you so much for joining us, and

[00:36:00] Kristina Freiss: you’re welcome for being willing to share.

[00:36:01] You’re welcome. Thank you for having me. I’m, I can’t wait to really get started.

[00:36:06] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. We’re excited to have you join as an advocate. Tina, I want to thank you so much for being with us today and for sharing your incredible journey with such grace, strength, and humility. Your story reminds us that sometimes the most life-changing moments come from the most.

[00:36:26] Unexpected places, and that healing is not just physical, but emotional and communal.

[00:36:36] At the National Spine Health Foundation, something we believe in most is providing hope for recovery. Through sharing stories of success and expertise, it isn’t always easy to find someone to relate to, even though a hundred million adults suffer from a neck or back condition each year. To hear more stories of spinal champion recovery and access educational materials about spine health, visit us@spinehealth.org.

[00:37:02] If you’re interested in supporting our show financially, you can contribute at the link provided. Thank you for listening.