Jenna N. lives an hour outside of Pittsburgh in eastern Ohio, near the West Virginia border. But she traditionally visits UPMC for most of her care.
"I’ve always received the best care there," says Jenna, 25.
When she experienced sudden numbness in her legs caused by herniated discs and a spinal cord injury, Jenna was sent to UPMC Mercy. Neurosurgeon Edward Andrews, MD, performed the surgery that relieved her symptoms and allowed her to recover.
A Sudden Onset of Symptoms
Jenna first noticed symptoms in August 2023 while at her job. She was standing outside when she started feeling numbness in her legs. The numbness went away after five to 10 minutes, but it returned later when she was using the restroom.
"When I was urinating, I couldn't feel that I was urinating," she says. "It was a very strange thing to try to explain to someone because I knew that I was going, but I couldn't feel it."
Jenna called her mom, who is a nurse, and her mom suggested it was a pinched nerve. But when the numbness returned the next day and worsened, she visited her nearby emergency department.
The emergency department staff told her that a pinched nerve was likely causing her numbness. But Jenna and her mother thought it was something more.
"It's hard to explain to someone that I had numbness that felt like complete paralysis, but I could still walk," Jenna says. "I had a really weird gait when I was walking."
Jenna and her mother felt strongly that Jenna was not experiencing a pinched nerve. As a result of their persistence, an MRI was ordered before Jenna was discharged.
The MRI showed that one of her thoracic (middle back) discs had herniated, injuring her spinal cord and causing her symptoms.
"I have never in my life had any back pain or any back issues," Jenna says. "It was completely crazy to me."
Getting Care at UPMC
After her MRI, Jenna was transported by ambulance to UPMC Mercy. Another MRI confirmed the disc herniation in her back, and further imaging showed her disc was calcified. She would need surgery to remove the discs and relieve her symptoms.
The surgery carried a risk of paralysis but was the only way to restore the feeling in her lower extremities. The surgery was needed as soon as possible.
Dr. Andrews performed a lateral discectomy, removing the calcified disc from the side. The minimally invasive procedure involved an incision near her ribcage, removal of a rib, and then pushing her lung and aorta out of the way to reach her spine. To remove the disc, the desk had to be gently drilled and then peeled off the spinal cord without causing paralysis. The procedure lasted seven hours.
Because of the rib removal, Jenna says she had pain when waking up.
"I have never had rib pain a day in my life, but that was completely horrible," she says. "But I didn't stay in pain for long. Dr. Andrews was wonderful, and he got me on a pain pump."
Jenna says Dr. Andrews and other staff members went out of their way to make sure she had all the support she needed during her hospital stay.
Recovering After Surgery
The third day after surgery, the inpatient physical therapy team at UPMC Mercy visited Jenna's room. Although the initial plan was just for her to sit up on the side of her hospital bed, Jenna says she was determined to walk.
"I got up, and I had a walker, and I walked from my bed to the bathroom, which was probably about 25 feet," she says. "They were like, 'Are you OK? We can't believe that you're up and walking.'"
She continued to walk throughout the day, and Dr. Andrews visited her that evening and asked her if she felt comfortable enough to go home the next day.
"He looked at me and said, 'You're amazing. I truthfully never thought that you'd be up and walking yet,'" Jenna says. "He said, 'You are doing wonderful, and I just truly believe you're ready.'"
Jenna says Dr. Andrews allowing her to go home that early meant so much to her.
"I just thank God every day that Dr. Andrews was the one who took my case on," she says.
Jenna says she continued her recovery slowly at home. She says Dr. Andrews accommodated her with everything she needed.
"I felt very supported and not left in the dark," Jenna says. "It was a lot easier having support to get through that."
After about six months, Jenna returned to work and had no remaining symptoms.
Feeling Well Today
Almost two years after her surgery, Jenna continues to feel well.
"I don't have thoughts or worries anymore," she says. "For a while, every little thing in my body, I was like, 'Oh my God, this is going to be the worst-case scenario.' I finally realized that it's not anything like that, and I am feeling good."
At one of her follow-up appointments in early 2024, Dr. Andrews noticed a lesion on Jenna's spine on the imaging. Because Jenna has a family history of multiple sclerosis (MS), Dr. Andrews recommended that she see an MS specialist. Testing in March 2024 confirmed a diagnosis of MS.
Jenna is currently getting treatment for her MS.
"Thank God for Dr. Andrews once again," Jenna says. "If it wasn't for Dr. Andrews, I probably would have never known, without him being adamant that we get it checked out."
Jenna says she is thankful to Dr. Andrews and his entire staff for the care they provided. She says Dr. Andrews is personable and helped make her comfortable throughout her entire journey.
"He made me feel like I was part of his family," she says. "I am very grateful for him."
Jenna’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.
