My 10-day journey through Back Pain, Back Surgery and the benefits of my Health and Fitness that included strength training, that played in my recovery. My journey eliminated Neuropathy and Sciatica to lead me to a Neurospine Specialist for Neurosurgery. DO NOT waste your time with shoe inserts or self-diagnoses; it doesn’t work! Neither Neuropathy nor Sciatica was my issue.

First, I would like to thank Dr. Jack Moriarity with New South Neurospine and his team for a successful back surgery via robotics that has relieved all my back symptoms. They are located at 2470 Flowood Drive in Flowood, Mississippi, people from surrounding states visit New South Neurospine. They have a complete clinic where I had my examinations and surgical procedure on Monday, February 02, 2026.

In 2017, I first noticed something wasn’t right with my lower body, feet and calves. It started subtly—numbness in my feet and a tightness in my calves that I chalked up to aging or perhaps overdoing it on my farm. But as the years passed, these symptoms intensified, turning what was once a minor annoyance into a debilitating condition. By 2025, I could barely walk or maintain my balance more than 100 yards without excruciating pain and standing for over five minutes became impossible.

Simple tasks like tending to my farm or maintaining my property felt like insurmountable challenges. Little did I know, this was the beginning of a long journey involving medical tests, a precise diagnosis, and ultimately, life-changing surgery. Through it all, one thing stood out: the critical role of maintaining consistent health, conditioning, and fitness programs, even into my mid-60s was critical. This isn’t just my story—it’s a testament to how proactive health management can turn a potential nightmare into a swift recovery.

The Slow Onset: We Ruled Out Sciatica

Sciatica, as I later learned, is a condition where pain radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg.

Typically affecting only one side of the body, it often stems from a herniated disk, bone spur on the spine, or narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis) that compresses part of the nerve.

My symptoms matched this description perfectly: a burning sensation down my legs, numbness in my feet, and muscle weakness that made walking feel like wading through quicksand. Unlike neuropathy, which involves widespread nerve damage often causing symmetrical tingling or burning in both feet, Sciatica is more localized and can fluctuate with activity.

For me, it worsened with prolonged standing or walking but eased somewhat when I rested. At first, I tried to manage it, thinking it was just “old age” creeping in. I’m over 65 now, and like many men my age, I assumed some aches and pains were par for the course. But as the numbness spread and the tightness in my calves became constant, I knew I needed professional help. In 2022, I visited my general practitioner in Madison, Mississippi, who listened to my concerns and referred me to a local orthopedic clinic. This was the first step in unraveling the mystery behind my pain.

From NCV &EMG, We Ruled Out Neuropathy

The orthopedic team used X-rays of my lumbar spine to isolate my issue, the lower back area where most sciatica originates from.

My images revealed arthritis in the lumbar region, particularly between L5 and L3 vertebrae. Arthritis can lead to bone spurs, inflammation, and deterioration of disc that occurs in people of my age that irritates nearby nerves, mimicking or exacerbating symptoms.

They also suspected neuropathy or sciatica conditions as I explained above. Neuropathy often presents with burning pain and numbness in both feet, especially at night, and can stem from diabetes or other systemic issues,Sciatica is more about compression of the sciatic nerve exiting the spinal column.

To differentiate, a neurologist ordered an Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) test. EMG measures electrical activity in muscles to detect nerve or muscle problems, while NCV assesses how well and how fast nerves send signals.

 

In my case, they ruled out neuropathy, confirming the issue was likely mechanical pressure on the nerves rather than widespread nerve deterioration. Then came the MRI, which provided a detailed view of my spine’s soft tissues and my arthritis and deterioration to two of my discs.

The scan showed that 50% of the disc material between L5-L4 and L4-L3 was missing due to deterioration, placing direct pressure on my sciatic nerves.

This explained everything: the numbness, the tightness, and the progressive inability to walk or stand.

I was referred to New South Neurospine Clinic in Flowood, Mississippi

Neurosurgery was recommended using state of the art Robotic Precision surgery using CT-Scan that my neurosurgeon used to program the robotic-guided surgery that was minimally invasive pedicle screw placement between L5-L4 and L4-L3. This procedure involves inserting screws into the pedicles (bony projections) of the vertebrae to stabilize the spine, often using bone grafts for fusion from residue that came from drilling.

Minimally invasive techniques reduce tissue damage, leading to less pain and faster recovery compared to open surgery.

The surgeon uses the Mazor X Stealth Edition system by Medtronic, a robotic platform that combines 3D planning, navigation, and robotic guidance for precise screw placement.

This technology allows for smaller incisions, about one inch long, reduced radiation exposure, and higher accuracy, minimizing risks like nerve damage.

My CT scan and Bone Density Test

A CT scan used to program the robot, ensuring the screws were placed exactly where needed. Before my back surgery, a bone density test was ordered. Bone density is measured via DEXA scan, providing a T-score that compares your bone mass to that of a healthy young adult.

Normal T-scores for a man my age is usually -1.0 or higher; anything below -2.5 indicates osteoporosis. This means this would jeopardize the results of the surgery.

My bone density Results

was +1.16—an increase in density! This was no accident; it resulted from years of dedicated conditioning and fitness from my IRONCLAD Fitness & Catabolic Diet Program.

During the last office visit to Dr. Jack Moriarity, I explained that I was on the power lifting team at high school thinking this could have been a source of my issues. But, Dr. Moriarity surprised me by explaining that the reason that I had such a high bone density was due to my power lifting as opposed to being the reason to my deteriorating disc issues.

Fitness with strength training aided in my back surgery recovery even at age 68.

The Role of Fitness: Pre-Surgery Preparation and Beyond

This brings me to a key message: fitness isn’t just for the young or athletic people—it’s essential for everyone, especially as we age and face medical challenges. Pre-surgical fitness, or “prehabilitation,” improves outcomes by enhancing strength, reducing complications, and speeding recovery.

Studies show that long-term exercise before any surgery can cut postoperative complications by up to 48% and shorten hospital stays.

In my case, maintaining bone density through weight-bearing activities, like my IRONCLAD FITNESS, like walking and resistance training made me a better candidate for surgery and facilitated a quicker heal.

I can’t overstate how my routine—regular walks around my farm, strength training exercises, cycling, and a balanced diet—prepared my body for such a serious surgery, as a back surgery. Strong muscles support the spine, better circulation aids healing, and good nutrition bolsters bone health. Also strength training can provide age defying results by releasing natural growth honorees that contains collagen for bones and your skin.

If you’re facing surgery, start prehab now: aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity daily, focus on core strength, and consult a professional for tailored plans.

Surgery: Outpatient Success

On Monday, February 2, 2026, I underwent the procedure as an outpatient. Using the Mazor X, Robotic where the team installed four rods and used my own bone residue for fusion between the vertebrae. The minimally invasive approach meant smaller incisions, less blood loss, and reduced risk.

I was discharged the next day, Tuesday, February 3, feeling sore but optimistic. My recovery from lumbar fusion typically takes 3-6 months for basic activities, with full healing up to a year.

But thanks to my fitness base could have been that day, but was on Tuesday, I progressed rapidly. By Saturday, February 7, I was walking my dog a mile on the farm something I have missed for 9 years. My neurosurgeon attributed this to my pre-existing conditioning.

Post-Surgery Recovery: Walking, Pain Management, and Bruising

The cornerstone of my recovery after my back surgery was my conditioning and fitness, no doubt. It improves circulation, reduces inflammation, prevents blood clots, and strengthens muscles without straining the spine.

Your conditioning and fitness

Your conditioning and fitness can shorten your hospital stays and enhance outcomes.

I pushed myself to get up and move, even when it is difficult and uncomfortable to do so, by March 20, 2026, I am expected to hit two miles daily on my walks. Pain management was key. I minimized narcotics, by transitioning to acetaminophen by February 11 by using Vicks PainQuil®, a liquid pain reliever with 1000mg acetaminophen per dose, proved effective for headaches, backaches, and minor pains without drowsiness. It is very effective.

Bruising was intense where my back looked like I’d wrestled a pro wrestler for eight rounds where he slamming me on the mat—but ice helped reduce my bruising issues.

Personal Advice to Others Experiencing Back Issues

Advice for others, if you’re experiencing numb feet, tight calves, or sciatica-like pain, don’t waste money on shoe inserts or unproven remedies that can cost over $2,000 or more. PLEASE FIRST See a Neurospine specialist for targeted tests like EMG, NCV, and MRI to isolate the issue. Most of these clinics accept walk-ins as does New South Neurospine does.

Relying on unqualified advice could lead to permanent nerve damage or wheelchair dependency, as one doctor warned me about. Most important course of action to take is to prioritize your fitness. Even at 65+, a program can maintain or increase bone density, as mine did, ensuring faster recovery from procedures.

Get up, walk, and follow the recommended therapy—it’s tough, but worth it. Remember God helps those that help themselves. If you read where Joshua crossed the Jordan River, the priest had to step foot in the Jordan River before the Jordan River parted at flood stage. Even in the Bible a person’s faith was demonstrated by physical commitment.

A New Chapter in my Life

Today, February 12, 2026, just ten days post-discharge, my surgery has given me my life back. No more limitations; I plan on being fully active on my farm by this April with precautions until May of this year. This journey underscores that age is no barrier to health and wellness—with the right diagnosis, advanced tech like robotic surgery, with the use of AI that was used to interpret the CT scan and unwavering fitness commitment, my recovery is progressing. If my story inspires one person to act sooner and train harder all through your life, it’s worth sharing this article.

For those wanting to learn my IRONCLAD Fitness, please visit KINDLE for my book:

Also during my recovery, I was able to finish up on my new book, SCAR & SICARIUS, THE ODESSA SQUAD that has just been released on Kindle TODAY that I think your will find intriguing: