Elizabeth is a self-described control freak and a bit of a critic. “I can complain,” she notes laughingly. Surprising even herself, she took the time to write a letter of appreciation to Kansas Spine & Specialty Hospital management after her 2018 back surgery with Dr. Christian Lothes.
Elizabeth was born with degenerative bone disease and arthritis, and has coped with back pain since her teens. Prior to seeing Dr. Lothes at Kansas Spine, she had undergone lumbar laminectomies and spinal fusions. Around 2015 her quality of life began a rapid decline as she was no longer able to work full time, travel, walk her dogs or tolerate long car rides.
“I’m not an idle person,” Elizabeth thought, hoping for a better solution to her declining quality of life. Upon recommendation from her pain management specialist, she made an appointment with Dr. Lothes.
“My husband and I went to see him, and we both liked him instantly,” she added. Dr. Lothes recommended a redo of her spinal fusion, also replacing the hardware. “He told us exactly what he would do, and he explained everything beautifully.”
Elizabeth also appreciated her post-operative stay at Kansas Spine, noting that the nurses were always available and coordinating with each other between shifts, and Dr. Lothes’s PA came in and checked on her several times.
An excerpt from her letter expresses it aptly: “Everyone was so kind, warm and accommodating. My husband and I were treated like royalty. If I needed anything, anything at all, I received it immediately.”
The true test comes in time, and three months following her surgery, Elizabeth is enjoying new freedom. She can go grocery shopping by herself, and can now walk her dogs Kobe and LuLu for an hour. “That’s good for them and it’s good for me. I imagine I’ll be getting better every day. Dr. Lothes is my new hero.”