Patrick Collins

In mid-2016 I started having odd neurological and neuromuscular issues in my arms, despite being very active, fit and a former D1 athlete. I was very lucky to be good friends with one of the top spine surgeons in the country, who immediately suspected a disc issue. Imaging confirmed that I had two cervical discs that had started to degenerate, bulge, and then became full-blown herniations. In July of 2016 I had a two level disc replacement (C4,5). Things went well for about a year until different neurological challenges presented themselves. Scar tissue had started to build up against the spinal column, subsequently accelerating nerve damage. This led to a second surgery in August of 2017, in which the 2 artificial discs were removed, followed by a 3 level cervical fusion (C4,5&6). This certainly isn’t the common path for most people with my neck or disc issues. I have some underlying genetic issues that led to ligament laxity, which we believed complicated everything. Now, after two surgeries and a ton of physical therapy, I can do literally everything I want to do. It is not hyperbole to say that the spine surgery saved my life!