I Took a Long, Hard Look at Things I Needed to Change.

After a lifetime of unforgettable Orlando vacations, Cheryl and her family decided to make it their home and have been here for three years. Because of her military background, Cheryl has unpacked all over the country. Twenty moves later, she finally settled in Central Florida with her husband, Kent, and their two teenage sons ready for the time of their lives. As an avid runner who competes in marathons and Disney running events, Cheryl was thrilled to be closer to where the magic happens. 

Cheryl is also a proud dog mom to her rescue pup, Crystal. Known as Cheryl’s shadow, Crystal has been by her side for more than 10 years. One morning as Cheryl was going down the stairs in her home, she tripped over Crystal and fell backwards down the flight of stairs. At first, she didn’t think the injury was serious and was focused on taking care of her husband who had been diagnosed with cancer. But as his health improved, she began to question her own and how the fall had affected her.

Despite suffering such a traumatic injury, Cheryl continued going for runs. At night however, the pain was so unbearable, she couldn’t sleep. Over the next three months, the pain and discomfort persisted, and she couldn’t even stand at the stove long enough to cook dinner.

At 47, the last thing I expected was to be having heart surgery. I took a long, hard look at the things I needed to change. – Cheryl, Heart Patient

Kent showed Cheryl the same concern she’d shown in his time of need and convinced her to see a spinal surgeon. At her appointment, the surgeon performed an MRI. But when he reviewed the results, he said her pain was related to age without providing a true diagnosis. Originally, Cheryl didn’t seek a second opinion. She trusted the surgeon’s advice and figured her body was suffering wear and tear from years of exercise and service in the military. But after a friend recommended Dr. Mitchell Supler, a neurosurgeon at Orlando Health - Health Central Hospital's Neurospine Center of Excellence, Cheryl decided to try again.

Cheryl was skeptical at first because of her last experience, but the minute Dr. Supler called her from the waiting room, she said she “knew from the look in his eyes that he was going to help.” He reviewed Cheryl’s MRI, but it didn’t show much. After listening closely to Cheryl describe the pain she was in, Dr. Supler decided to perform exploratory surgery to take a closer look and properly assess the injury.

During the operation at Orlando Health - Health Central Hospital, Dr. Supler discovered two of Cheryl’s lumbar vertebrae were broken and no longer connected. He performed spinal fusion surgery and installed hardware on both sides of Cheryl’s spine to strengthen and stabilize it as she healed from the procedure.

Cheryl spent just one night in the hospital and was walking a couple of hours after surgery. On her first night home, she couldn't believe she could sleep on her back and her side without pain. Before the procedure, Cheryl feared she was wasting precious time and would never restore her quality of life. Her experience with Dr. Supler changed everything. “I actually looked at him as a piece of my clock,” Cheryl said. “A clock can’t run if it’s missing a piece.” Now that she’s found the piece she needed, Cheryl is pain-free and thankful to say time is running smoothly again. 

10 days after her surgery, Cheryl walked a half-marathon at Disney. To show her gratitude for his care, she awarded Dr. Supler with her medal. She presented it to him at Orlando Health - Health Central’s Victory Lap event celebrating hip and knee replacement and spine surgery patients. When giving him the medal, she was able to share her story with patients and staff. She expressed that Dr. Supler was also a winner and that he truly earned the medal for providing expertise at a moment’s notice. “I was missing out on time, which you can’t get back,” she said. “I felt like he was that piece of my clock that had broken, and literally since the day of the surgery, time has moved forward.”

Cheryl is back to making the most of everyday. She can once again cook for her family and do her favorite exercises like swimming, running, using her exercise bike and jumping on the trampoline. She can even spend the day at her favorite theme parks like Universal Studios where she recently rode 26 rides in one day. Since her surgery, she had her spinal hardware removed by Dr. Supler and is completely done with care. She wears her surgical scar with pride and even wore a dress to show it off and tell her story at a special event.

As someone who was already committed to wellness, Cheryl is even more sure that good health and great care is timeless. “People don’t understand that when you move 20 different times, you have 20 different doctors with 20 different opinions and ways to treat you,” Cheryl said. “So since we’ve moved here, it’s been so nice that I have the same doctor.” With a care team she and her family can trust anytime, Cheryl can continue the life she loves without missing a single second.