Mr Neil Orpen 2017-05-11 Person 5 5 0

Mr Orpen performed a spinal fusion L5/S1 with full instrumentation on me in April 2015 at the BMI in Wroughton. I had been in excruciating pain for over two years and was prescribed a ridiculous amount of medication including Tramadol, Pre-Gablin and Amitriptyline. Before the operation walking was a real problem, as was sleeping and performing any tasks that involved standing up. The days and months after the operation were quite challenging but I followed Mr Orpen's instructions and advice regards rehab and within six weeks was off all medication. The main difficulty being the withdrawals not spine or operation related pain. I took things slowly but consistently and by six months I was moving freely and attending the gym and pool regularly. I gave myself a target to complete a sprint distance triathlon by May 2016. I achieved this as well as two other triathlons throughout the summer of 2016. I have built on this and am now entered in two standard distance and one sprint distance triathlons for summer 2017 as well as a bike sportive with my son. My life is unrecognisable to how it was pre op. I can interact with my 10 & 8 year old children and am back to work full time. I couldn't give Mr Orpen and his team any more credit than to say their intervention has totally changed the quality of both mine and my children's lives. Thank you so much. PS: Aiming for a Half Ironman distance triathlon next year (2018) :-)