24 Years in the Military
Raymond Evans was accustomed to toughing out pain. But after serving for 24 years in the military, he was experiencing chronic foot pain that had become debilitating. Now working in the mail business, Raymond’s job required him to be on his feet all day every day, and it was becoming harder and harder for him to get through the day.
Many Diagnoses, No Relief
Raymond went to doctor after doctor to try to find a solution. “I was diagnosed with a bone spur, and plantar fasciitis, and I was seeking treatment but I wasn’t getting any relief,” Raymond says. “It was getting to the point that sometimes I would have to crawl to get from point A to point B, and I was worried I was going to lose my job.”
Finally, A Referral That Brings Hope
Raymond was being treated at the VA Center nearby where he lives in Spearfish, South Dakota. He had tried many treatments, and even more holistic options like acupuncture and yoga, but nothing was working.
One day his doctor referred him to Dr. James Anderson, and the seed of hope was planted.
A Specialist Six Hours Away
“I didn’t know much about Dr. Anderson at the time,” Raymond said, “But I knew he was a specialist in his field, and that’s what I needed.” Although Fort Collins, CO is 6-hour drive from where Raymond lives in South Dakota, he was more than ready to make the trip. “I would have gone across the country to get help at this point,” Raymond said. “I was having trouble just walking, and I needed answers.”
A Treatment Plan That Worked
“Raymond had seen multiple doctors for this chronic pain in his left foot. After a thorough physical exam and testing, I diagnosed him with arthritis,” Dr. Anderson says. Dr. Anderson recommended a nerve resection in Raymond’s foot to help with the pain.
“We performed surgery on one nerve above the ankle, and he got relief from that, so we did a second surgery to resect the other nerve,” Dr. Anderson explains. He also used a regenerative injection during surgery to stimulate the cells heal faster. “Sometimes we use regenerative treatment to help patients avoid surgery altogether, but in Raymond’s case, this was a great option to save him from needing a much more painful and intense surgery to fuse the joints together.”
Chronic Foot Pain, Gone
Dr. Anderson and Raymond at his last appointment.
Today, Raymond is back on his feet. “I give Dr. Anderson 10 out of 10 stars,” Raymond says. “He takes the time to really figure out what’s going on. He has the passion, and he knows what he’s doing.”
Raymond is back to work on his feet every day, and he has resumed his normal activity level without pain. He also has custom orthotics made just for his feet, and he wears them every day to help provide continued support.
Raymond’s advice to other is this. “If you are in pain, don’t let it go on and on without addressing it. Eventually it can get to the point that you are struggling just to get through each day. I feel like this treatment saved my job, and in a lot of ways, really, it saved my life. I am truly grateful.”
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