From Pain to Purpose: A Young Athlete’s Transformation After Spinal Injury

[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 the Get Back to It Podcast where we tell real stories of healing and recovery. What does it mean to get back to it? It means overcoming a spinal problem through treatments that work in order to return to the people and activities you love.

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.

At the Get Back Toit podcast, our goal is to tell stories of spinal champions who’ve been able to achieve a better quality of life through spinal healthcare. In today’s episode, I’m delighted to be joined by 22-year-old Kate Conklin from McLean, Virginia, whose spinal journey is one of resilience, transformation and newfound purpose.

As a lifelong athlete, Kate never imagined that one moment would change everything. At just 20 years old, a disc herniation left her completely immobile, unable to sit, stand, or even walk. What followed was months of pain and uncertainty. However, through expert care, she not only regained her mobility, but also discovered her true calling inpatient care.

Her journey took an unexpected turn when she re herniated a disc a year and a half later, forcing her to confront her biggest fear head on. But this time she faced it with the knowledge, experience, and support of the very team that once helped her heal. Now she’s back to being a girl on the go as she attends fitness classes five times a week with ease as a medical assistant and an aspiring physician assistant, she uses her story to empower and connect with patients going through similar struggles.

Now you know what to expect. Let’s get that to it and dive into Kate’s story.

Kate’s final journey began about two years ago when she was 20 years old. Kate, tell us about your 

[00:02:17] Kate Conklin: experience. So I have been a competitive swimmer and ballet dancer my whole life. From ages 10 to 14, I would have swim practice multiple times a week, usually before and after school, two days a week, and then four hours on Saturday mornings.

These practices also included an hour of dry land, which is. Essentially weight training. On the days I only had one swim practice. I also had ballet usually for another three to four hours. In high school, I stopped swimming so much and just did high school swim, which was an hour after school, four days a week.

During the season, I started dancing a lot more, about four hours every weekday, and six hours on Saturdays more before Nutcracker season or competitions. I kept competing in training throughout my freshman year of college, and I took dance classes two times a week and performed with the dance majors at ut.

Around the beginning of January, 2023, I began experiencing episodes of mild pain and muscle spasms in my low back. I didn’t think anything of this at the time. It would go away after three days with some Advil or Tylenol and Heat 

[00:03:20] Dr. Rita Roy: In April, 2023, Kate was in her junior year at the University of Texas at Austin to take a.

Break from studying for her final exams. She decided to attend a Pilates class, an activity she regularly enjoyed. 

[00:03:35] Kate Conklin: The class went on like any other class I had taken. I was getting dressed afterwards when suddenly my back seized and I fell the ground. I’d never felt pain like this before in my life. I rushed to urgent care and I was given an injection of Toradol, a type of NSAID into my left glute, and I took home some muscle relaxers.

This didn’t do anything for my pain. 

[00:03:54] Dr. Rita Roy: Kate was completely immobile. She was unable to sit, walk, stand, or even use 

[00:04:00] Kate Conklin: the restroom as a lifelong athlete and an avid Pilates and core power yoga attendee, this was absolutely devastating. I was in so much pain that I couldn’t sleep. Three or four days after the incident, I saw an orthopedist in Texas who said I had a herniate.

I had herniated a lumbar disc and wanted to confirm this with an MRI. 

[00:04:20] Dr. Rita Roy: The MRI showed that Kate had in fact herniated her lateral left-sided disc in between the L five. An S one vertebrae. 

[00:04:29] Kate Conklin: The doctor wanted to give me an L five S one transforaminal epidural steroid injection. This is when the doctor injects steroids into the epidural space, which is where the disc herniation had pushed out and was causing irritation on the nerve root.

Putting steroids in the area minimizes inflammation and relieves pain caused by the herniation during the injection, something went wrong. I believe the doctor hit a nerve root when injecting me because I suddenly felt severe shooting pain like I’d been hit by a lightning. Then I started to have complete numbness in my left calf and foot.

I developed a foot drop. My left leg was much weaker than the right leg, and I couldn’t really lift my left foot to walk. I felt numb for about five to six hours, and then I was hit with excruciating, 10 out of 10 pain. I even developed bladder incontinence 

[00:05:16] Dr. Rita Roy: after this new development. Kate was rushed to the emergency room where she was given pain medications and had a CT scan done.

[00:05:24] Kate Conklin: This CT scan confirmed my disc herniation. It showed bone spurs at the L four five levels, which means that there were also abnormal bone formations at the end of my vertebrae causing more narrowing and resulting in pain and irritation around the nerve roots. What was shocking was that the CT scan had also revealed that I had a sixth lumbar vertebrae, something that neither the initial MRI nor the orthopedist had seen.

I’ve learned that about 20% of people have a sixth lumbar vertebra, and most of the time it does not cause any pain or problems. However, it can make you predisposed to have more instability at that level. And therefore more likely to get a herniated disc from a normal movement, such as putting on pants.

With this revelation, 

[00:06:04] Dr. Rita Roy: Kate hurried to see a neurosurgeon in Texas who suggested a multi-level fusion to remove the herniation because of her extra vertebrae. 

[00:06:13] Kate Conklin: As a 20-year-old, the idea of a fusion really scared me. I wanted to do everything possible to avoid a fusion. When bringing these concerns to my surgeon in Texas, he advised there was one practice that he knew of that could do minimally invasive surgery.

VSI in Reston, Virginia. This was great news because this practice was so close to home. 

[00:06:34] Dr. Rita Roy: Kate met with Dr. Chris Good at VSI immediately. He accurately diagnosed her sixth lumbar vertebrae and recommended an L six S one microdiscectomy and hemi laminectomy. A microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive surgery that can remove herniated disc material.

A Hemi laminectomy is another type of minimally invasive surgery that involves. Removing a part of the vertebrae to relieve pressure on spinal nerves. In the meantime, he sent Kate to VSI, physical therapist, Larry grin for dry needling and exercises to help alleviate some of the pain. She had surgery four 

[00:07:13] Kate Conklin: days later.

I was able to walk out of the hospital just hours after my surgery without any pain at all. This was the first time I had walked in almost eight weeks. I then began rigorous physical therapy rehab with Larry Grin and Jason ett at B-S-I-P-T. Who helped me regain my strength and mobility as fast as possible so I could return to Austin.

I also started seeing a nutritionist to reduce inflammation and lose weight, which would relieve the stress on my back. With all of their help, I was able to return to my life in Austin within a month after surgery. Excited about her recovery. This whole experience changed Kate’s outlook on her future.

At that time, I was majoring in public health and planned to go to graduate school for my master’s degree in public health. However, my experience with debilitating pain and. Extraordinary patient care changed my life. I decided I wanted to go to PA school and I switched my classes around to graduate a semester early so I could immediately start gaining valuable hands-on patient care experience.

The summer after graduation, I started as a medical assistant at a spine and pain management clinic. This seemed like 

[00:08:16] Dr. Rita Roy: the happy end of Kate’s spinal journey. However, things took a turn a couple of months ago, which was a year and a half after 

[00:08:24] Kate Conklin: her surgery from May, 2023 to. August of 2024, I was pain free.

The sensation returned to my left calf and foot, but by only about 50%. I was still very happy with these results. This past August, I began to feel some muscular pain again in my low back. I began dry needling therapy at VSI, again, about two to three times a week from August to December. In December, I developed nerve pain again in my left leg.

It was less severe than it was before, but it was definitely worrisome. 

[00:08:55] Dr. Rita Roy: An updated MRI revealed that. Eight had re herniated her disc. 

[00:09:01] Kate Conklin: This is not uncommon, but it was heartbreaking for me. I was terrified. This would mean another eight weeks of unfathomable pain and immobility. Something I honestly was not sure that I could handle twice in under two years at only 22 years old BSI was once again an answer to prayer.

Dr. Thomas Wynn, a pain management specialist there, suggested another transforaminal epidural steroid injection into the L six S one level. I. Thing less than to have another injection after my terrible experience. But he made me feel comfortable and the injection went perfectly, just like he assured me.

[00:09:35] Dr. Rita Roy: Kate was also started on some nerve medication. This along with the injection, gave her 60% relief in her symptoms. A couple of weeks later, she received another injection with Dr. Nen, a left S one transforaminal epidural steroid injection, which boosted her relief levels to 90%. 

[00:09:57] Kate Conklin: Thankfully the injections were effective, and I’m currently not in any pain.

I can stand and walk around patients all day long and go to CorePower Yoga up to five times a week. I know that my spinal journey is likely far from over an unfortunate reality that many patients face. However, my experience at VSI, my job as a medical assistant and simply living through it twice, have made that reality much less scary for me.

Before my second herniation, I would tell people that my biggest fear was re herniating. Now I’m just grateful to know that this was in fact not the end of the world and that there are answers and people who can help me. I also truly would not change my experience with the world. While of course, it’s not something anyone ever wants to go through.

My journey gave me such respect and appreciation for my body and what it can do. It also opened my eyes to a career in patient care. I’m so grateful for the empathy and unique ability to relate to my patients that this experience gave me, and I’m also so excited to see what’s coming next.

[00:11:01] Dr. Rita Roy: Wow, Kate, your story is so empowering. There are so many periods of uncertainty and fear during your journey. Mm-hmm. Let’s talk a little bit about the initial injury, how it affected you, your, you know, your mental health as a dancer and a swimmer and being in college and Yeah, and, and 

[00:11:23] Kate Conklin: that sort of, that fear.

Yeah. I mean, it’s. It stops you in your tracks. It’s a real eye-opening experience. I think it’s really easy to take everything that you can do on a daily basis for granted, and then as an athlete to go from being very active to immediately unable to move is really, it. It, yeah. It’s hard to mentally put, wrap your mind around.

Um, and in my experience as a dancer and a swimmer, and I’m sure is common amongst all athletes. So much of my identity was wrapped up in who I was as that athlete. Um, and to face an injury that left me not only unable to perform the sport that I loved, but to do anything at all, it really did force me to reevaluate who I was as an individual outside of who I was as a dancer and as a swimmer.

[00:12:06] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. I’m sitting here next to you talking with you and I see this young, beautiful, gorgeous young girl who, um, is vibrant and just. Smart and articulate and all the things. Thank you. And it’s absolutely so hard for me to imagine what you’ve been through, and I think that really is a testament to what we’re talking to today, getting excellent care mm-hmm.

And getting back to your life. Yeah. And, um, so, you know, you’re, you’re a young person. Mm-hmm. You get you, you’re stopped in your tracks. Totally. And I just couldn’t believe when I read your story that. For eight weeks. You couldn’t walk. It was awful. 

[00:12:51] Kate Conklin: How did you get around? I didn’t. I mean, my roommates were wonderful and truly, I mean, talk about friendships is I lived with six women at the time, and I lived on the 14th story of a 30 story building in Austin.

Wow. So I didn’t go anywhere. Wow. And they were wonderful. If I needed food, they brought it to me. Yeah. If I needed to go anywhere, I mean, to go get my MRI, I couldn’t sit, so I had to lay sideways across the backseat of a car. My roommate skipped her final to drive me to my MR mri. Oh my gosh. I mean, they were just so, they showed up.

Yeah. And I think that, you know, Kate, situations like this are when you really see the people around you and they show up and Yeah. And they did. And my family flew in to Texas to come help me. It was really hard, especially, you know, being 20 years old. Yeah. Nobody knows how to handle this or what to do.

Right. But I had, I couldn’t have done it by myself. Yeah, absolutely. 

[00:13:43] Dr. Rita Roy: And you know, you’re, you’re in college, you’re going along, you’re doing your thing, and then you have this pain and you almost can’t describe it. Not at all. Right. And, and it’s like, I’m not making it up. I know. Did you have moments like that where you felt like people thought.

Maybe you were making it up 

[00:13:59] Kate Conklin: a lot. There were a lot and there were a lot when I would say, you know, at this point I was armed with Dr. Google. ’cause you’re known. Oh yeah. I’m 20 and alone. Yeah. And I was like, I think I have a herniated disc. And people were like, no, you have piriformis syndrome or no, you okay.

And it was, it was just muscular. And I was like, I don’t know how to explain this ’cause I’ve never felt something like this before. Yeah. But there’s something really wrong. 

[00:14:25] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:14:25] Kate Conklin: And, and that, and to find the words to describe that too is really hard. And that’s something I, something I see with my patients too.

Yeah. Is they try to explain nerve pain. 

[00:14:34] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:14:35] Kate Conklin: And they come at a loss for words. And I can just say, I understand. 

[00:14:38] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah, I do. One of the things that you said in your story mm-hmm. Here, is that you felt like you’d been struck by lightning bolt. Mm-hmm. I feel like that is a really good description. Yeah.

Myself having had nerve pain. Mm-hmm. A herniated disc and you, you just can’t describe it. Nope. It’s like. And I 

[00:14:55] Kate Conklin: can’t take it. 

[00:14:56] Dr. Rita Roy: No, no. Like 

[00:14:57] Kate Conklin: I can’t tolerate it. No. It is really like teeth, gritting nails on a chalkboard type pain. There’s nothing like nerve pain. I mean, 

[00:15:04] Dr. Rita Roy: body pain, you can kind of, you know, muscle through that.

Mm-hmm. Must through that. But nerve pain if you’ve never had it. It’s indescribable. It is. And it’s something you can’t distract yourself from either iPhone, that’s the thing. Yeah. It doesn’t go away. It’s a constant burning. Yeah. Painful. 

[00:15:23] Kate Conklin: Ugh. Not fun. Not fun. Not fun age. Not at all. No. Not fun ever. But especially not fun when, yeah.

[00:15:31] Dr. Rita Roy: You know? So let’s talk about, um, finding the right care for you. Mm-hmm. That’s one of the things we talk about a lot here in the foundation. Yeah. Is, um, you know. You, you have a condition, you know something is wrong. Right. It’s, it’s not going away. You know, you’re taking NSAIDs, nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs, like, you know, Motrin or Advil, those kinds of medications.

Mm-hmm. It’s not touching it. No. So, you know, something different. I need something different. Yeah. So you were in Texas at school. Mm-hmm. And you went first to see. An orthopedist. Yes, correct. Just a general orthopedist. Yeah. And the orthopedist said to 

[00:16:09] Kate Conklin: you, I think you’ve got a back problem. Yes. And I mean, that was pretty obvious considering I was laying sideways on the bed.

Yeah. And she was like, I think you have a herniated disc. And she took x-rays, but. As you know, you can’t see disc material and x-rays. You can only see bone. So she didn’t recognize at that point that I had an extra lumbar vertebrae, but she did say, I do think you have a herniated disc and I think you should get an MRI, um, especially because my pain hadn’t responded to, I.

The anti-inflammatory injection I’D had or the muscle relaxers. Yeah. Which would’ve maybe been indicative of it being muscular in nature. Right. So that’s what she had told me at first. Yeah. And so then I went to go get the MRI and it confirmed that I did have a herniated 

[00:16:53] Dr. Rita Roy: test. And was, was she following you in the follow-up on the MR mri?

Yes. Okay. And then at that point mm-hmm. She rec, did she recommend? She did. She recommended and performed. 

[00:17:02] Kate Conklin: The injection. Okay? Mm-hmm. Yeah. And I went in, my mom brought me in and I did like the nasal type of sedation. Okay. Um, I. I remember I was obviously very groggy when I was on the bed getting the injection, and I was very scared and in a lot of pain.

Yeah. And I was just so hopeful that this would work. Yeah. And again, at that point too, I was like, no surgery. No surgery. No surgery. Yeah. I didn’t even think that that was an option for me. Right. I didn’t think that that was the type of injury I had at all. Um, and I just remember. This most severe shooting pain down my leg.

And I remember looking back at her and asking, was it supposed to feel like that? And she said, yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s fine. And then I couldn’t stand up from the table. 

[00:17:46] Dr. Rita Roy: Wow. And 

[00:17:47] Kate Conklin: then they made me stay a little bit longer. Yeah. And then they called and checked in. And I later learned that they don’t usually do that.

Oh gosh. And then I had to go to the ER that night and. Call the doctor on call and they moved around patients so I could be seen first thing the next morning with the neurosurgeon. 

[00:18:02] Dr. Rita Roy: Oh my goodness. Mm-hmm. That is, um, so harrowing to think about. I’m just imagining you being there, you know, thank goodness, you know, your mom was able to be with you.

Yeah. But you’re in pain. Yeah. And you’re afraid. Mm-hmm. And you’re going through this and that’s, and that’s a reminder, right? As, as a provider. Yeah. Just to know the state of mind that patients are in. Mm-hmm. It’s, it’s one of the most vulnerable times in life, if 

[00:18:27] Kate Conklin: not the most vulnerable. Yeah. To be the combination of afraid in pain, you not really getting any sleep and you don’t know.

[00:18:36] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:18:37] Kate Conklin: And I think that’s the other thing too, that’s really easy as a provider is. Because you do know, you don’t realize. I mean, I had no idea. I didn’t know anything about my spine. I didn’t know anything about herniated discs. And now I’m so grateful that I do. Yeah. But I didn’t. Right. And that’s another thing that adds the uncertainty and the fear is just it’s blind trust and.

Not having control and not being knowledgeable is right. It, it just adds 

[00:19:03] Dr. Rita Roy: to all of it to the anxiety. Exactly. And that’s something again, we talk about so much here is that, you know, if you can arm yourself with some knowledge Yes. Even understanding the anatomy. Absolutely. Like words like. Epidural. Yeah.

What does that even mean? Right. Foramina, where is that? Mm-hmm. So, you know, I think spine is so confusing Yes. To so many people. The the language is difficult. It is. The anatomy is challenging. Yeah. Um, so there’s, there’s just a lot to, to learn about and. DYS herniation. It’s a confusing topic. It is. It’s like what It can resolve on its own Right?

Sometimes it can 

[00:19:41] Kate Conklin: or, and how come mine isn’t? Mm-hmm. And then she was like, we’re gonna do an epidural injection. And my first thought is. I’m not pregnant because that’s the only context I’ve heard of an and come to know that’s the space, right. That it is. Right. That’s not the type of injection. Right. But you don’t know that.

Right. And it, I just, there were lots of those things Yeah. Along the line that I just learned through my experience. Yeah. Um, but gosh, even the second time around. I had so much less anxiety just being armed with the knowledge that I had. 

[00:20:12] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. Well, so let’s go back to that. Er, the neurosurgeon makes time to see you the next morning.

Mm-hmm. And are you, were you in a wheelchair or were you using crutches or how were you So 

[00:20:23] Kate Conklin: it was, it was pretty awful. I couldn’t sit, but I couldn’t stand because I was in so much pain. So they tried to give me a wheelchair at the er, but I couldn’t, and this is actually funny, they. Didn’t have any beds and it was the level one trauma center in Austin on UT’s campus, and it was a six hour wait.

[00:20:41] Dr. Rita Roy: Oh my gosh. So 

[00:20:42] Kate Conklin: they, my mom said, can, do you have any open beds for her? Because they tried to put me in a wheelchair, but I was kind of on one side. In the wheelchair. Yeah. Yeah. I said no full. So I was laying sideways on. The linoleum floor of the emergency room waiting room. My goodness. And my roommate had just gone to go park the car and my mom was like, we can’t do this for another six hours.

I mean, I was throwing up. 

[00:21:03] Dr. Rita Roy: Mm. 

[00:21:03] Kate Conklin: And couldn’t feel my leg at all. Oh my gosh. And so my roommate came back around, took me to a second er, they couldn’t see me. What? We ended up going to three emergency rooms. Oh my goodness. And it was two 30 in the morning before they could triage me. 

[00:21:17] Dr. Rita Roy: Oh my. Gosh, and at 

[00:21:19] Kate Conklin: that point I was just zoned out.

Yeah, wow. Like you just kind of shut down and grit and bear through it at that point. Oh my 

[00:21:26] Dr. Rita Roy: goodness. Yeah. So it wasn’t just one emergency. I can’t even believe that. Oh my gosh. So, so you get to the 30 R and did you see a neurosurgeon that 

[00:21:37] Kate Conklin: night or 

[00:21:37] Dr. Rita Roy: what They, 

[00:21:38] Kate Conklin: the doctor on call that night, they immediately brought me back.

Thankfully they just put me straight into a bed from the car. So I really just was able, laying on my side was the only time that I was not in. 10 out of 10. Yeah. Throwing up pain. Yeah. Um, so they immediately got me into a bed from the car onto a stretcher. So that I’m grateful for. Yeah. And that’s when they did the CT scan.

Okay. And I saw the doctor at the ER that night. I see. And then they just gave me enough medication Really to knock me out. Yeah. Get some sleep. Exactly. And then first thing in the morning, my mom took me to see the neurosurgeon. 

[00:22:08] Dr. Rita Roy: Okay. 

[00:22:08] Kate Conklin: Mm-hmm. 

[00:22:09] Dr. Rita Roy: So you get to the neurosurgeon, he looks at the CT scan and he says 

[00:22:13] Kate Conklin: what he says.

Human anatomy says that you have five lumbar vertebrae, but you have six. And is that the first time you were told that? First time I was ever told that. And that was my first question was how come nobody’s ever told me that me this? 

[00:22:29] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:22:29] Kate Conklin: And he’s like, well, you’ve never had an x-ray of your back, have you?

And I said, well, I did two weeks ago. And he was like, yeah, I guess they didn’t see it. So that was at first, and then I, you know, all the questions of what does that mean? And yeah, I guess it doesn’t really mean. Anything on its own, but as I said, can make you a little bit more susceptible to having herniated discs due to the instability.

But what this surgeon had said was. Because of the extra vertebrae and where the herniation is, your pelvis is in the way. So I can’t perform this minimally invasive surgery called a microdiscectomy because of your anatomy. So I would have to do a fusion, and I’d have to fuse probably from your L three, your third lumbar vertebrae to your SI joint, your sacrum.

[00:23:14] Dr. Rita Roy: Mm-hmm. 

[00:23:15] Kate Conklin: And, and he was walking through all of the restrictions to mobility and just also having hardware and immediately jumping to a fusion. I was just. I, I was like, there has to be another option and how come you can’t perform this minimally invasive surgery? Mm-hmm. And he said, I can’t, but I do know somebody who can.

And I said, well then can I please go there? Yeah. Great. Yeah. That’s great. 

[00:23:37] Dr. Rita Roy: Mm-hmm. Yeah, it was wonderful. And what was it about a fusion that scared you and, and how had you read about Right. And he was talking about 

[00:23:45] Kate Conklin: three 

[00:23:46] Dr. Rita Roy: levels. Three levels. Yeah. 

[00:23:47] Kate Conklin: It was. I’m still kind of getting over that fear. I think anything unknown is scary.

I think any big surgery is scary. I’d never had surgery before. Yeah. But for me, I would say. My biggest concern was just the loss of mobility. Yeah. So young. Yeah. And the possible implications on the higher up levels in my back too, and I didn’t wanna cause any more stress there. Yeah. Um, and I’m a dancer.

Yeah. I mean, I like to put my leg up behind my eye. Right. I mean, even now I do. Yeah. Yoga. I like to, I just like to be mobile. Yeah. And flexible. And that’s part of, like I said, my identity too. Right. To lose that so quickly without trying for other options. Yeah. Didn’t feel like being true to myself or fighting for myself in the way that I wanted to.

[00:24:29] Dr. Rita Roy: Okay. So he says I can’t do this, but I’ve got a friend halfway across the country. Yep. Which is in your hometown. I know. Which was so crazy. How lucky was crazy. Yeah. So, um, how, how long did it take for you to go get to Virginia to get that consult? 

[00:24:46] Kate Conklin: I was so grateful that we had a family friend who had previously seen Dr.

Good and he said he’s phenomenal and looked him up and my dad called and they were able to get me in the next week. So then the next question was, how do we get me? Oh yeah. And we were thinking about renting a car and driving back from Texas, which is a 26 hour drive. Oh my goodness. With me laying sideways across the back, but.

That was not the best plan. So what we ended up doing was just getting me enough pain medication to get on a plane and getting a seat that I could lean fully back in. Mm. And my stepmom really kind of just like guided me through the airport and through the plane to get home. And it was not a fun plan.

Right. I will definitely tell you that. And I was praying for no turbulence. Oh yeah. My gosh. That’s right. Um, but I got back and then I was able to see Dr. Good within three days of getting back home. Yeah. 

[00:25:41] Dr. Rita Roy: So that that’s, that’s an amazing, um, experience because, you know, we tell people a lot of the time, get second opinions on things.

Yeah. Get second opinions. No good practitioner, no good surgeon is ever gonna be upset about that. No. And a lot of times people feel like, well, I don’t, I don’t wanna hurt their feeling. Right. And that’s embarrassing. It’s like, no, it’s not. No, it’s your body. It is. 

[00:26:06] Kate Conklin: And it’s. An empowering thing to stand up for yourself.

Mm-hmm. And to say, well, this is my story. And any good provider is going to recognize that and encourage that. Yeah. And I’m so grateful that that’s what this surgeon did. Yeah. He said, I see that and I don’t want to do this fusion on you. Yeah. He said, you don’t have to have this fusion, but I can’t so go elsewhere.

And I was. So grateful that he 

[00:26:31] Dr. Rita Roy: gave Isn’t that great. Opened that door for me. That’s so wonderful. Yeah. What a gift that is really. That’s just awesome. Really. That’s really awesome. Yeah. So you get to Virginia. Mm-hmm. You see Dr. Good. Mm-hmm. He says, we can take care of this. Totally. We’ve got another option for you.

Yep. And you and your parents are like, let’s do it immediately. Yes. So you got that done. Yes. And had immediate relief from the minimally invasive. Yes. I 

[00:26:55] Kate Conklin: took one, I walked out of the hospital. I took one Advil that night before I went to bed, and I know that’s not everybody’s story, but. That was mine. And that’s the miracle of modern spinal technology.

I know. And I remember telling my parents the next morning, they were like, you don’t have any post-op pain. And I said, oh, of course I do. They cut into my back, but nothing compares to nerve pain. So yeah, that stop pain and I like a little scab or something. Yeah, that’s nothing. 

[00:27:21] Dr. Rita Roy: I was just like, this is great.

Wow. That’s great. That’s awesome. Happy going on with your life. Mm-hmm. And this, and this is through this journey. You’re not, you’re, you go back to college. Yes. You change 

[00:27:32] Kate Conklin: your, um, your career plan only I called my advisor and I said, I’m graduating this semester now. And she said, really? And I said, yep.

Change it around. That’s amazing. I got 

[00:27:42] Dr. Rita Roy: that. And now you’re armed with knowing about your spine. Yeah. And the importance of spine health. Mm-hmm. And the importance of alignment and anatomy and caring for your spine and, you know, and all of that activity that you did mm-hmm. Um, in your life as an athlete, the yoga, Pilates, all of that stuff.

It was actually really helping your spine. It was, you know, it really was. And you didn’t even 

[00:28:07] Kate Conklin: really know that. I had no idea. Isn’t that amazing? Yeah. I really brought a new mindful with mi, pardon me? A new mindfulness with me. Yeah. To my exercise. 

[00:28:16] Dr. Rita Roy: To your awareness. Absolutely. To your whole life.

Absolutely. You’re really lucky that you’ve discovered this at a young age. Yes. Sorry that you had to go through this to discover that. Mm-hmm. But, but this is gonna stay with you for the rest of your life. Oh yeah. So you’re going along, everything’s great. You’re back in Pilates class and all of a sudden you get the pain again.

[00:28:38] Kate Conklin: Yeah. And it was different this time I just felt pain muscle, muscular pain in my low back. It felt very tight and. I went back to the physical therapist that I had seen immediately right before and after my surgery. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And they did some dry needling, which really helped. And yeah, so that was very reaffirming to me of, oh, few pain.

It’s just muscle. Muscle strain. Exactly. Yeah. And it kept getting worse and more common, but I kept exercising because I knew that that could be helpful. It could be helpful. 

[00:29:07] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:29:07] Kate Conklin: And I started to get some pain down my leg again. And unlike the first time it came on gradually, there was no obvious inciting event that I could say, yes, this is when it happened.

Hmm. It happened over a couple of weeks, up until right before Christmas, and it gradually went from, oh, I’m having some leg pain again to. Couldn’t lay on my back. Oh my gosh. Couldn’t sit for very long. Couldn’t stand for very long. Had to have the seat warmer on in the car, driving to and from work just to get through the car ride.

And I was like, okay, I think something’s wrong again. 

[00:29:44] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. Early recognition of that. Mm-hmm. Do you think was helpful this time? Like knowing that, you know, I’m gonna watch full waiting. Mm-hmm. See what’s happening here, but no, this is wrong. Something’s wrong. 

[00:29:58] Kate Conklin: I do. And if. Not just for the treatment, but for the emotional, mental aspect of it.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Is there’s so much of this, all of it is out of my control. 

[00:30:11] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:30:12] Kate Conklin: That’s really hard. 

[00:30:13] Dr. Rita Roy: Hmm. 

[00:30:13] Kate Conklin: And so just to know, to be armed with my past experience, with my newfound knowledge, to know that there is always going to be a care team that. Is there to take care of me and people. All of that made it a little bit easier this time.

Yeah. And so the catching it easier and knowing what to look for, right. When it did start to have the nerve pain, I was, it, it, it made it easier for me to grapple with, okay, something’s wrong, but So now what? Yeah. Instead of immediately, oh no. So 

[00:30:43] Dr. Rita Roy: you called Dr. Good’s office back? Mm-hmm. Yeah. And said, and said, I think I’m.

[00:30:49] Kate Conklin: My disc and they were like, oh dear. Okay. Um, and it’s not uncommon, right? Especially after the procedure I had, you know, they cut off the piece of the disc that had pushed out. Right. That they leave that little hole where it came out from, and so that makes, makes their possibility if I’m wrong. No, 

[00:31:07] Dr. Rita Roy: that’s right.

[00:31:08] Kate Conklin: That’s 

[00:31:08] Dr. Rita Roy: right. Leaves 

[00:31:09] Kate Conklin: the possibility. 

[00:31:10] Dr. Rita Roy: And, and you know, this, this gets into the area of. You know, um, shared decision making. Yeah. And your decision was that I don’t wanna have a fusion. Mm-hmm. I wanna have the least possible thing that I can have to get me better, even if that means I might have to revisit 

[00:31:29] Kate Conklin: this.

Absolutely. And we had that very candid discussion before I had the, my surgery, the, the, this, the microdiscectomy. Yeah, the microdiscectomy. 

[00:31:36] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. And that’s a really important conversation to have. Yeah. Because we live in a world. Mm-hmm. Shared decision making. Absolutely. Where your surgeon can say, well, there’s, there are different ways to go with this.

Mm-hmm. What do you wanna have? Right? Yeah. And that in many ways is the hardest thing. Yeah. Because. You’re sitting there saying, I don’t know. I haven’t gone to medical school yet. I’m like, you know better than me. You pick, you’re my doctor, you tell me what to do. Yep. And that’s where getting informed.

Mm-hmm. Becoming knowledgeable so that you can advocate for yourself. Yeah. Um, just empowers you in those conversations so much. That’s what we are doing right now. Yes. Is we’re sharing this knowledge. Yeah. So 

[00:32:18] Kate Conklin: other people can learn. Totally. And I. At that time was combing through anything that I could possibly find online of somebody who had experienced something similar.

I mean, I was going through TikTok. I was going through anything online. I actually was reading blog posts on the National Spine Health Foundation website. Had no idea what it was at that time, but I just know that reading the blog posts were so. Empowering in that way to know that everybody’s story was different and everyone had their own treatment plan, but just to know that 

[00:32:52] Dr. Rita Roy: you’re not alone, it was going to be okay.

[00:32:53] Kate Conklin: And I wasn’t alone. Okay. 

[00:32:54] Dr. Rita Roy: It’s gonna be okay. And you’re not alone. And I’m 

[00:32:56] Kate Conklin: not alone. Which is huge. Yeah. 

[00:32:58] Dr. Rita Roy: And it’s gonna be Okay. Has different levels of, okay. Yeah. And it’s different for everybody 

[00:33:04] Kate Conklin: I know. And it 

[00:33:04] Dr. Rita Roy: all depends. Yep. 

[00:33:06] Kate Conklin: Right. And I’m still finding out. You know, I’m still on my journey of seeing what’s, yeah, what’s okay gonna look like for me.

And yeah, there’s a certain level of empowerment that comes with being comfortable and sitting in that unknown and that uncomfortability. Yeah. 

[00:33:20] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. That’s amazing. So you had a second surgery with Dr. Goode? No, I did not. No. You had, oh, you had in injections. I had the epidural injections, yes. Oh, so that’s right.

So then they said, let’s try epidural injections. Mm-hmm. And was it like PTSD? It’s like immediately, no. It’s like, no, no, I’m not 

[00:33:37] Kate Conklin: doing that. No. Thank you. Um, and Doc, I had a really honest conversation with Dr. Wynn and said, I’m. Truly, I trust you. I have this knowledge now. I’m terrified. 

[00:33:48] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:33:48] Kate Conklin: I mean, really, I, I was, I was almost in tears.

I was like, I’m really scared. Like, please, yeah. I can’t go through that again. 

[00:33:55] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:33:55] Kate Conklin: The surgery was so successful that I wasn’t, I was like, honestly, I’d rather have another microdiscectomy than another surgery. Right. Or another injection. Right. Um. And he said, trust me, like I know what I’m doing. He, but, but the first thing he said was, I see you.

I understand. 

[00:34:10] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:34:11] Kate Conklin: And that was so calming. Was just so calming. I know that you are scared. Yeah. Trust me. I promise I will do everything I can to make sure that you are safe and that this makes you feel better. I’m not worse. 

[00:34:22] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. I said okay. There’s another element in there of going to a doctor. Mm-hmm.

A practitioner in this case, Dr. Nen is an interventional pain medicine doctor. Right? Yep. And this is what he does all day long. It is. And did you, did you have, um, those questions? Did you ask him, how often do you do this doctrine? When Yeah. And. 

[00:34:48] Kate Conklin: He really does do them all day long, and that’s not an exaggeration.

He probably, on the days he’s in clinic, sometimes none, but sometimes, you know, five and on his injection days, which are twice a week. Do up to 12. 

[00:35:02] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:35:03] Kate Conklin: He really, I mean, he, he’s been doing this for 

[00:35:04] Dr. Rita Roy: years. Right. 

[00:35:06] Kate Conklin: And so 

[00:35:07] Dr. Rita Roy: was there comfort? Did, did you know that, did 

[00:35:09] Kate Conklin: you talk with him about that? Absolutely. And I asked that, but you can also sense that, and you can sense that in your discussions with the provider.

Well, you could now, I, now, now I’m like, I, I can 

[00:35:19] Dr. Rita Roy: tell if you know what you’re doing or not. Yeah. But that’s an, that’s an important message for our audience to hear that. Trust your instincts on something, right? Yeah. And ask questions. Mm-hmm. Like how often do you do this? Yeah. You know? Do you, do you, oh, you inject, but do you inject in the spine?

Yeah. Is that, do you do 

[00:35:34] Kate Conklin: it under live? Mm-hmm. X-ray guidance was a question I didn’t know that I should have been asking. Mm-hmm. But definitely should have. Interesting, you know, all of these. Questions that I didn’t know to ask that the second time around. I definitely did, and 

[00:35:48] Dr. Rita Roy: that’s what I say, like people don’t even know what to ask.

No. And so we’re here to help. Mm-hmm. Shed light on that. Yes. Ask the questions. Yes. Do you do this procedure? How often do you do this procedure? How 

[00:36:01] Kate Conklin: do you do the procedure? 

[00:36:02] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:36:03] Kate Conklin: Yeah. And then this time around I also asked, okay, so are you aware of my anatomy? And how are you going to. Adapt the treatment plan to work with my anatomy.

Yeah. And I don’t know if that was what had happened the first time around. Maybe. Maybe. But I definitely wanted to make sure that it was not what happened the second time of story. 

[00:36:20] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. So how long ago was that? Uh, series of injections. You have two, right? Two months ago. Yeah. And look 

[00:36:28] Kate Conklin: at you. I know. Yeah.

I’m so grateful. I’m so excited for you. Yeah. I’m so grateful. So, I mean, I, and I. The first injection gave me probably 60% relief. Um, which I needed. Yeah. ’cause it gotta to the point where I wasn’t sleeping again. Oh gosh. And that was when I said, okay, enough is enough that I, the first, not that I didn’t sleep, I was took one sleepless night and I said, I’m in take, I’ll do it.

Yeah, fine. Yeah. And I’m grateful I did. And then he started me on a nerve medication, which I’m still taking now. Mm-hmm. And it helps and I notice when I don’t take it. Mm-hmm. So I’m gonna stay on that for now. And I asked him, I said, how long do you think I’ll need to take this? And he said, until you don’t have any pain.

And that was the other part about this, that the second time around I also had to deal with, and I’m still dealing with, is even the best doctors in the world are not fortune tellers. I mean, nobody can tell me what’s gonna happen or how long it’s going to be or whatnot, but they can tell me right now with the information we have and your circumstance, what we can do to.

Make your life better. Yeah. And they did. That is awesome. They did, and I had to just 

[00:37:35] Dr. Rita Roy: trust that I had 

[00:37:35] Kate Conklin: to say. 

[00:37:35] Dr. Rita Roy: Okay. Yeah. And Kate, are you doing all of your full activities right now? I am. Yep. I had Core power yoga this morning. Do you have any hesitation? Would you go into your activities? Would you say that there’s any 

[00:37:49] Kate Conklin: Yeah, I 

[00:37:50] Dr. Rita Roy: do.

Mm-hmm. 

[00:37:51] Kate Conklin: Um, yes, absolutely. I think it would be naive to, or. Not honest to say that I don’t, and I’m naive to not. I, I do currently have a herniated disc in my back. Yeah. And I know that too. Is that the second time around with the injections and the medication? It’s to help with my symptoms. Right. But they didn’t remove the herniation.

Right. So. Hesitation. Yes. But it, I would also say it’s more for more so mindfulness. Mm-hmm. In my movement. I definitely, you know, as a ballerina it was always, you must do the hardest thing. Right. And the best. Right. This has definitely kind of rewritten. I. That mindset of mine. So now I have no qualms about taking an adjustment or a different type of exercise in class.

Yeah. If, you know, it’s a lot of twisting, I’ll do something else and I have no troubles doing that. Right. That’s amazing. Which I definitely have. So in that case, yeah, I’d say hesitation. And do they 

[00:38:43] Dr. Rita Roy: say the hardest thing you do? Well. Exactly. If you get to a point where you can’t execute it well, that movement, well then you don’t, that’s when you stop.

Exactly. And trusting 

[00:38:51] Kate Conklin: my gut too. You know, sometimes I don’t even try and do a movement. I’m just like, that doesn’t feel, and some days it does feel like something I can do and some days it doesn’t. Right. And that’s just listening to my body. That’s listening 

[00:39:01] Dr. Rita Roy: to your body. And it’s just knowing where the healthy boundaries are for you.

Exactly. And that’s. That’s a gift that you’ve learned that about yourself. Honestly, 

[00:39:10] Kate Conklin: it’s, it’s a huge blessing and it’s not something that I was born with. Yeah. It’s not something that I, you know, I continue to learn. Right. And I just have to be open to listen. 

[00:39:18] Dr. Rita Roy: Right. So, Kate, I’m so grateful that you are sort of paying it forward here, like coming on the podcast and sharing your story.

We don’t. Often hear about young people having, you know, these back problems, but we know it happens a lot out there. Yeah. And I think it just gives so many people hope. Mm-hmm. And, and just knowledge on how to approach managing your journey. What have your doctors told you about your future? I know they’re not fortune tellers, right.

But what kinds of things have they said to you that you’re just sort of, kind of keeping in the back of your mind? 

[00:39:55] Kate Conklin: Yes. So. I likely will need a fusion, almost definitely will need a fusion. And the conversations I’ve had with my doctors were, you know, of course there’s regenerative options, but because of the disc degeneration that I have now had that the second MRI showed and.

The recurrence of a herniation again within two years. There’s definitely some instability there. And they said, you know, it’s up to you if you wanna do it now and get it over with, or if you wanna wait and push it back, but you may re herniate again, or this current herniation may get worse. And yeah, I decided that I wanted to push it back and wait, um, because the injections and the medication are so helpful for now, but it’s been three months.

Yeah. So I’m kind of in the. Trust the process and see where it goes. Yeah. I’m much less scared now. That’s so good. And I know that they wouldn’t, they could do a one level fusion and there are ways that I can do it that mm-hmm. Can maintain my mobility. Mm-hmm. As much as possible. Yeah. Because I’m just 22, I’d really like to put off putting any sort of hardware into my body.

Yeah. As long as possible. Right. But I’ve also recognized that this is my story and. I want to also take the best care of my body as possible and not be afraid. Mm-hmm. Of, you know, taking care of it. And so that’s been the conversation with my doctors is that it’s, this was not a one time thing. Mm-hmm. And this is not over.

Yeah. But if we can manage the pain for now, until I’m in a position where I feel comfortable with that next step, then we’re all happy. I 

[00:41:38] Dr. Rita Roy: love it. Mm-hmm. That is awesome. Yeah. Getting to a happy place. Yeah. And we say this all the time here in, in the foundation that, you know, the journey to spinal healthcare is not a one and done thing.

No. It is a lifelong journey. It is. Of self-care and self-awareness. It’s, and I didn’t realize 

[00:41:58] Kate Conklin: that truly the first time around. Hmm. And, you know, there’s, there was a certain part of me that was like, okay, great. Had surgery and I’m done. 

[00:42:08] Dr. Rita Roy: Yeah. 

[00:42:09] Kate Conklin: And now I totally embrace that this is part of what makes me me.

This is part of what’s shaped who I want to be in the future, who I want to be to others, what I want to do for my career. So instead of thinking it’s a one and done, I’m acknowledging and. Respecting. Yeah. The part that it is a journey and it’s my spinal journey. 

[00:42:31] Dr. Rita Roy: I love it. And Kate, I totally relate to you.

Mm-hmm. Because when I had a spondylothesis, an Isthmic spondylothesis and needed a fusion. Mm-hmm. And I was petrified of having that and that journey, it was, it was such a life changing thing for me. Yeah. That I. Became the CE of the National Final Foundation

to tell the world like, don’t be afraid. Yeah. When, when, when you have something and there is a definitive treatment, do it. Yeah. And I wasted 10 years trying to delay this treatment and it got worse and worse and worse. Mm-hmm. And I was so mad that I waited all those years and I could have been better sooner.

[00:43:11] Kate Conklin: Yeah. 

[00:43:12] Dr. Rita Roy: So. That’s what I do every day. I wake up every day and say, we gotta tell the world. Mm-hmm. About healthy spines, how to take care of them and what to do when something happens. And I wanna be just like 

[00:43:24] Kate Conklin: you when I grow up. That is exactly what I wanna do, is that. I’m so grateful you said, you know, thank you for coming on this podcast, but really it feels like a gift to me because I would’ve done anything to have had this resource.

And what I did have was. Such a game changer for me and to be able to. Use my story for any sort of good is would make it all worth it. I really mean that too. Oh my goodness. So I’m so grateful that I get to be here. So thank you. 

[00:43:53] Dr. Rita Roy: Thank you. That’s amazing. That’s awesome. So, um, gosh, I’ve totally gone off this.

I don’t even know what we’re talking about here. Interning. Oh, should we talk about mental health at all? I winding down conversation. Let’s talk about, um. You know the mental health aspects Yes. Of being a young person. Mm-hmm. Being debilitated by pain. Yeah. And feeling somewhat isolated. Mm-hmm. And depressed.

Very and 

[00:44:24] Kate Conklin: scared very. I think that that is probably the part of the spinal journey that there is the least conversation articles you name it about. Mm-hmm. Is. The mental health aspect. Mm-hmm. And it really is very hard. I I, there’s, there’s no way around it. Yeah. Um, the anxiety, the depression that comes when your body doesn’t do what you want it to do or what you think that it should.

Yeah. That being said, it really does give you a newfound gratitude for all of the things that your body and mind can do. 

[00:45:04] Dr. Rita Roy: Can do. 

[00:45:05] Kate Conklin: And so, while I’m not gonna dance on point again, yeah. I get so much more joy out of my core power yoga classes than I ever would’ve Well, you were gonna quit. Point. Choose.

Exactly. Point, point. I was gonna be your personal ballerina way anyway, so, right. And you know, you, you, you don’t, but you want it to be on your terms. 

[00:45:20] Dr. Rita Roy: You do. I mean, 

[00:45:21] Kate Conklin: I think that’s the thing, right? You do And, and you, it helps you to not take the small things for granted. It helps you to recognize what you do have if you take that glass half full mindset.

Mm-hmm. But then it also. It helps to think of it as my wins. Mm-hmm. And my story. And especially as a young person, it’s really easy to say, well, I don’t see any of my friends having to go through this. Right. It’s not fair. Right. And I really definitely, I really struggle with that. Yeah. But then I also have to think about, well, gosh, it actually also gives me an edge.

Mm-hmm. It can, it’s made me more empathetic. It’s made me more grateful. It’s made me want to be a patient care provider, and I hope that that will be part of my superpower as a provider to say to patients. I understand. Yeah, I hear you. I have been a patient once too. Mm-hmm. I, I think that China really actively, and it’s not easy, but actively, intentionally choosing to change my mindset and my view.

Yeah. And think of it as part of what makes me special instead of Yeah. That’s not fair. Helps a lot to kind of get out of the victim mindset. Right. Totally, totally. Did 

[00:46:31] Dr. Rita Roy: you have any help with, with mental health, um, sort of realignment Yeah. To, to use upon? Yeah, absolutely. 

[00:46:40] Kate Conklin: After my surgery, you know, I had definitely been in counseling growing up and in high school.

Yeah. Not in college at all, but that definitely armed me with the tools to then be able to, through this injury, talk about it. Right. And I had re reframe it. Reframe it. Yes. I mean that was a tool that I had learned earlier on. That’s amazing. Became. Very useful in this circumstance, but I had friends and family who were really there for me.

And the second time, the support system. Totally. So amazing. Totally. And the second time around was definitely scary as well being, oh no, this has happened again. And just having people that were there was invaluable. 

[00:47:21] Dr. Rita Roy: Invaluable. And, and so. So interesting that you, you know, you, you understand this unique perspective on the mental health aspects.

Mm-hmm. And you did an internship in college. Yes. So tell us about that. 

[00:47:37] Kate Conklin: I have always actually been very passionate about mental health and when I was a public health major in undergrad and I wanted to get my master’s in public health, I wanted to work in healthcare policy, specifically mental health policy.

And when I herniated my disc the first time and had surgery, I had just started an internship at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, working on mental health. Initiatives on college campuses. 

[00:48:02] Dr. Rita Roy: Wow. 

[00:48:03] Kate Conklin: And I’d been there for maybe two weeks when I injured myself. Oh my gosh. And the reason I wanted to get back so fast was I wanted to get back to my job.

And in December, actually, after I graduated, before I, when I decided to graduate a semester early, I got to speak on a panel with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board with the whole state. Oh. And across leaders in higher education across the country, talking about. AI and mental health. And mental health and college campuses and public health impacts.

And so in that case, I didn’t wanna leave that aspect of my passion behind. Yeah. And so now to get to tie it into spine, which is so personal to me and patient care, which is what I really, truly am so excited to get to do. It all feels very. Tied all coming together. It’s tied together. So it is, it’s all come 

[00:48:48] Dr. Rita Roy: together.

Yeah, that’s, that’s, that is absolutely amazing. I’m so excited for you and I, I really, um, see you on panels in the Future out there talking. Thank you. Because you are just, you’re articulate, you share your vulnerabilities. Thank you. And you’ve just been so gracious and, um, generous with your time and your story, and I’m, I am so grateful to you.

Thank you. I really, I 

[00:49:12] Kate Conklin: feel so blessed that. The things that I’ve gone through, I’ve. I’ve been able to take from what them, what I have, and that I’ve had the people around me to support me. Mm-hmm. So I’d love to do anything to be able to help somebody else. That’s 

[00:49:25] Dr. Rita Roy: awesome. Kate. It was such a pleasure and an honor to spend time with you today and to have you on the podcast.

Sharing your story with the community, especially the athlete community, will spread awareness that spine injuries can happen to anyone. Your journey through injury and recovery is a testament to the power of expert care, determination, and a positive mindset. You’ve shown us that even in the face of setbacks, it’s possible to come back stronger.

Not just physically, but with a renewed sense of purpose. Thank you for sharing your journey and for reminding us all that our spine journeys can be empowering

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 neck or low back pain every year. To hear more stories of spinal champion recovery and to access educational materials about spine health, visit us@spinehealth.org.

If you’re interested in supporting our show financially, you can contribute at the link provided. Thank you for listening.