Following months of intense pain and an inability to walk, Lauren Ohayon, a mother and business-owner from Miami, was diagnosed and treated by a surgeon at Hadassah-University Medical Center in Ein Kerem after doctors in the US could not figure out the root of what was causing her so much distress.
“Four months ago, I underwent chiropractic treatment, and unfortunately, after that, I couldn't stand up straight," she explained in the release. "I went through a long period of suffering, months and months trying to heal and understand what caused the situation I reached. But unfortunately, I failed.” Aside from the pain, she was especially frustrated with her situation given that she works in the field of back rehabilitation herself.
Ohayon went to see various doctors who were unable to properly diagnose her issue, and her frustration continued to grow. “My world got tiny. I went nowhere. I tried not to go down emotional rabbit holes, thinking of myself as a victim, lost in resentment that I, as a core fitness instructor, should have a back problem,” she recalled on Hadassah’s website.
While on a company retreat in France, Ohayon reached her breaking point. “I was in a wheelchair and in excruciating pain. When I saw how my amazing clients looked at me as they took in my inability to stand or walk, I contacted my mother, a long-time Hadassah leader,” she continued.
Ohayon’s mother advised her to contact Hadassah, where she was confident that her daughter would be taken care of properly. Dr. Josh Schroeder, an orthopedic specialist in spinal surgery at the hospital, connected with Ohayon via email and expressed his interest in helping her. She then flew to Israel from France for an examination, were Schroeder discovered that she had a herniated disk and would need to have a large fragment of bone surgically removed.
“The severely herniated disc in Lauren's back caused severe pressure on the nerves in her legs, which led to paralysis,” Dr. Schroeder explained in the release. “There is no doubt that if she had not undergone the procedure, she would have been left with a completely paralyzed leg.”
Thankfully, the operation was successful. Ohayon ceased to be in pain just a few hours after the surgery and had a smooth recovery. “After months of not moving, it felt like an absolute miracle,” she said in the release. “Dr. Schroeder restored my quality of life and saved me. I can say he is really my favorite person! He is fantastic, and I am so blessed that he performed my surgery.”
After a few weeks recovering back in Miami, Ohayon returned to her normal routine. She is now able to walk wherever she wants without pain. “I enjoy every movement and I get along amazingly. I'm moving just like I used to; there's no better feeling than that,” she stated in the release. “It felt like an absolute miracle.”