Darned weeds! That’s probably what Arlis DeJaynes would have said if she was not so nice. Arlis was pulling weeds recently on the family farm in Golden, Illinois, when she tripped on the edge of some landscaping blocks, landing on her back on one of the blocks.
It hurt. But even her husband’s back rubs could not help. Eventually, Arlis said, she could not get out of bed without great difficulty because of intensifying pain.
“For 5 weeks I nursed that along, thinking it was going to get better.”
Eventually Arlis called Blessing for an appointment with her primary care provider at the East Adams Rural Health Clinic in Golden. When she told the Clinic Centralized Scheduling staff member who answered her call that she was seeking a referral for specialist care, she was told that was not needed and if she wanted, she could get an appointment with the Blessing Spine Center the next day.
Arlis is not only nice, she is smart, too, and took the next-day Spine Center appointment with nurse practitioner Alexis Schantz.
About the Spine Center
Located in the Blessing Health Center 4800 Maine in Quincy, the Spine Center customizes a care plan for each patient through collaboration of the medical specialties of neurosurgery, physical therapy, pain management and radiology. Patients can feel comfortable knowing they are receiving the benefit of all Blessing Health System expertise that applies to their condition.
“Leveraging the multiple specialties within Blessing Health System that work together to help the patient, my goal as Spine Center nurse practitioner is to appropriately diagnose and treat the patient quickly for optimal outcomes,” Alexis said.
Arlis was thrilled with the care and service she received at the Spine Center from Alexis and Allie Jarvis, registered medical assistant.
“Both of them listened to me describe the pain,” Arlis said. “They knew exactly what I was talking about. Alexis put her hands on me and went right to the spot of the pain.”
An X-ray showed a fractured vertebra in Arlis’s back. The answer to her pain was a well-fitted back brace. She wore it for five weeks and has been pain free since.
“I was convinced I was going to have chronic back pain,” Arlis exclaimed. “I am singing their praises (Alexis and Allie). They gave me something that I never thought they could give me, no pain. People tend to think of back pain as a chronic thing. It doesn’t have to be. I highly recommend the Spine Center.”
The Spine Center gave this woman hope when no one else had
Jane* is a detail person. When she began to feel unusual stiffness in her legs and arms, the only answer she was offered from a healthcare provider was to ‘try physical therapy.’
“That was not going to help me. I needed to know what was wrong,” she said.
For a month, as the stiffness grew worse, Jane continued her search for an answer as to why. Her journey led to an unscheduled stop at the Blessing Health Neurosurgery reception desk.
“I was about in tears that day,” she said.
The receptionist suggested Jane make an appointment at the Spine Center. Alexis conducted tests that ruled out structural causes of Jane’s pain in relation to the spine, and ordered lab testing with suspicion of a rheumatologic disorder.
“Alexis told me she could see something was wrong and suggested I see a rheumatologist. If she had not said that, I could have been floundering for a long time.”
Jane saw a rheumatologist and was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that was affecting the mobility of her limbs. She is on medication and now feeling much better.
“I appreciate everything Alexis did for me. Nobody else was stepping up to help me figure this out. I had suffered so much.”
“Listening to the patient’s story with consideration of diagnoses outside of your expertise is extremely important,” Alexis observed. “Providing comprehensive care, through which the patient feels heard and valued, is one of my ultimate goals, even if the answer doesn’t lie within our specialty.”
For more information on the Blessing Spine Center, go to blessinghealth.org/spine, or call 217-222-3300.
*Jane is not the patient’s real name. She asked her real name not be used to protect her privacy.