In March of 2015 I was participating in a HIIT workout. I had learned a new movement that day that was incorporated into the workout. I was not fully comfortable with the movement but against my better judgment I moved forward with participating in the workout for the day. About halfway through the workout I felt a warm rush of heat down my right leg. I dropped the barbell and immediately knew that something was wrong. What I did not know was how much that one decision would affect my functions in daily life moving forward.

I ended up herniating two discs in my lower back. I started off with receiving physical therapy by itself at first. While it helped me I would have frequent spasms that would last a few days and then I would be ok for a few months. The spasms became more and more frequent over time. I went to the physiatrist and began injections along with continuing physical therapy. In a year and a half time span I received two facet joint injections and six epidurals. While they helped I still was limited in my day to day routines. I still could not workout consistently and had to miss work periodically because I was not able to stand up at times. In May of 2018 things got so bad I ended up in a hospital for 5 days, and lost feeling in the area of my pelvis and right lower abdominals for about two weeks. I was released from the hospital having to use a walker and given a bunch of muscle relaxers. Doctors were making me feel like I was crazy because I would be told that my case was mild yet none of these reactions were mild. I mean, I was in my late 30's and had to use a walker! This was not normal or mild! By this point I was at my wit's end. I went to a rheumatologist, another orthopedic, and a neurologist determined to figure out how to get this under control and take my life back. I was desperate. The neurologist I found was quite helpful. She took me off of the muscle relaxers and put me on a low dose of daily nerve medication. Then she sent me back to physical therapy.

It was some time later that I found Dr. Dave Kim. He took the time to actually listen to me, made me feel validated in what I was thinking and feeling. He did a really thorough evaluation of me, the most thorough I had ever had. Dr. David Kim gave me his full attention during my sessions with him and has literally been a miracle worker. It was refreshing to have someone actually hear you and show that they care. He followed up with me every step of the way even in the little spare time that he had. Couple of sessions with him and my spasms have stopped and I’m feeling the best I have felt in a long, long time. Dr. Dave is aces and I cannot say enough about him. If you are experiencing chronic pain, fed up with the healthcare system and feel like you are being ignored and cast to the side, look no further. He is the real deal.