Meredith Fite was an active mother of two boys who loved Pilates, swimming, golfing and dancing. But in her early 40s, she began experiencing debilitating lower back pain. As a single parent with a demanding career, she didn’t have time to investigate the cause of her pain. Instead, she managed the pain the best she could, sitting on a cooler filled with frozen vegetables when it became unbearable.
Meredith assumed she had sciatica, a condition her grandmother had struggled with for decades. It wasn’t until age 47, when her legs unexpectedly gave out, that she was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis and scoliosis. She was devastated to learn she would need surgery to correct her spine.
Due to personal circumstances, Meredith delayed treatment for her spine condition, but she never gave up hope of finding relief. Follow Meredith’s decades-long health journey as she finds compassionate, expert care from dedicated spine specialists who helped her reach her goals and return to her active lifestyle.
Supporting her son’s cancer journey
Shortly after her spine diagnosis, Meredith’s 14-year-old son, Matt, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma. The news was particularly devastating since this rare and aggressive cancer only carries a 10% chance of survival. Meredith shifted her focus entirely to caring for Matt, spending every day with him at the hospital.
“There was no way I was going to have any surgery until he was well,” explains Meredith. “So, I started getting shots in my back. Sometimes they helped and sometimes they didn’t. I just lived with the pain and used ice packs!”
Two years later, Matt went into remission. Meredith and her family celebrated by becoming Make-A-Wish ambassadors, sharing their journey with other families and providing hope for those facing similar battles.
Discovering superior outpatient spine care
Meredith decided to relocate to North Carolina, where she’d researched an outpatient spine care practice: Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA). She was drawn to the reputation of their skilled surgeons and the success stories shared by other patients. Meredith scheduled an appointment with Dr. Domagoj Coric, CNSA neurosurgeon and a member of the SpineFirst team, who would go on to change her life.
Lumbar and cervical spine fusions
By the time she saw Coric, Meredith could barely walk. At age 54, her entire lumbar spine needed fusion. After a six-hour surgery and a year-long recovery, she regained her quality of life and could once again swim, golf, dance and enjoy life without pain. Meredith enjoyed her active lifestyle for thirteen wonderful years.
Two years after her first spine surgery, Meredith began experiencing serious difficulty breathing and swallowing due to disintegrating discs in her neck. Coric performed another surgery – this time fusing her cervical spine with plates, screws, and donor bone – with good results.
Complex spinal reconstruction surgery
By age 67, Meredith developed a painful curvature in her thoracic spine as her degenerative disc disease had progressed. She also experienced hardware failure from her first back surgery, a well-known complication of the procedure.
“My back was collapsing, and I had a bone sticking out,” Meredith recalls. “I was hunched over like my grandmother, who I never remember without her walker.”
Although Meredith knew what was happening, it was difficult to face having another surgery, especially when she learned Coric was no longer practicing. However, her friend and long-time advocate Kathleen Hulbert, surgery and MRI scheduling manager with CNSA, recommended Dr. Michael Bohl, neurosurgeon with CNSA and a member of the SpineFirst team.
“I assured her of Dr. Bohl’s surgical skill and compassionate bedside manner,” Hulbert says. “He takes time to listen, answer questions and educate patients about their procedures. That connection builds trust and leads to better outcomes.”
At Meredith’s consultation with Bohl, he noticed her severely stooped posture and difficulty walking due to leg weakness. She described a steadily worsening quality of life. Bohl diagnosed Meredith with multiple spinal conditions – degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, kyphosis and scoliosis – and confirmed she needed comprehensive reconstruction.
Meredith’s health took another turn when her rib cage collapsed and herniated into her abdomen just weeks before surgery. “It was like my entire support was gone,” she recalls.
Recognizing the urgency, Hulbert arranged to move up her surgery. Though frightened, Meredith put her complete trust in Bohl and his team, who reassured her every step of the way.
“Physically, there’s a lot we do to prepare patients for surgery,” says Bohl. “But I believe emotional support is one of the most valuable things we offer. We take the time in our office to truly listen as they describe their symptoms, reassuring them that their experience is both real and painful. Then, we work together to find lasting relief through effective surgical solutions.”
To address her condition, Meredith underwent complex spinal reconstruction surgery led by Bohl and his team. The procedure involved removing the hardware from her previous surgery, extending her spinal fusion from T10 to her pelvis and reinforcing the area with bone cement. By correcting the spinal deformity, the team was able to restore her rib cage to its proper position, effectively reversing the collapse.
Attentive, compassionate care
Following the procedure, Meredith spent a week in the hospital under the care of attentive nursing staff, with daily visits from Bohl.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better experience,” Meredith says. “He answered every question I had and genuinely made me feel like I was his only patient.”
Meredith also found strength in the ongoing personal support and compassion shown by Hulbert.
“Kathleen proved to be both a blessing and an angel throughout my 13-year health journey,” says Meredith. “She was there for my first surgery, my last surgery and every step in between. She always asked how I was doing and remembered everything about me. The care and warmth she gave were, for me, truly irreplaceable.”
Pain-free in just four months
Once home, Meredith began an intensive physical therapy program, working closely with her care team to rebuild strength and improve mobility. By her three-month follow-up appointment, she had returned to her everyday activities, walking independently and enjoying a level of freedom she hadn’t felt in years. Remarkably, Meredith was completely pain-free just four months after surgery.
“I firmly believe in mind over matter,” Meredith explains. “So if I kept myself busy and stayed committed to my home physical therapy. I didn’t let myself dwell on the pain. I walked, cooked and enjoyed my grandchildren. And whenever I had concerns, I was just a text away from getting answers.”
After a year and a half of recovery, Meredith returned to gardening, dancing, Pilates and most water activities, all under the guidance of her physical therapist. Today, she’s thriving.
Meredith’s friends and neighbors, who witnessed her suffering and saw X-rays showing the dramatic return of her scoliosis, are amazed by her recovery.
“No one can believe I had surgery from my tailbone to my neck,” Meredith reflects. “It’s truly a blessing.” Hulbert has only praise for Meredith, crediting her positive attitude as a key factor in her remarkable recovery. “Her will and determination to return to an active lifestyle while enduring pain helped her get where she needed to be,” says Hulbert. “She shares her personal experiences with others so they feel comfortable about their medical decisions. She volunteers her time and is a real people person.” Meredith has referred multiple friends to SpineFirst, who have also scheduled surgeries with Dr. Bohl.
SpineFirst gave me my life back, not once, but twice,” Meredith says with a smile. “Dr. Bohl and his team saved me from a future I thought was inevitable. I will never be able to thank them enough for helping me stand tall again.”
Recovery and physical therapy
Once home, Meredith began an intensive physical therapy program, working closely with her care team to rebuild strength and improve mobility. By her three-month follow-up appointment, she had returned to her everyday activities, walking independently and enjoying a level of freedom she hadn't felt in years. Remarkably, Meredith was completely pain-free just four months after surgery.
She describes her physical therapy experience as both rigorous and rewarding:
“The therapists are highly trained, they push you hard, and they know exactly what they’re doing. I’ll continue for another nine months so I can feel more confident in my balance.”
As part of her rehabilitation, Meredith benefited from advanced therapeutic techniques such as dry needling, cupping, and massage. While the treatments were intense, she found them invaluable to her progress.
Meredith also found joy in what she calls “outdoor therapy,” which, to her, means spending time in the water. She joined a 500-calorie water fitness program four times a week, where the buoyancy and resistance helped her regain strength and confidence. This past summer, she was even able to lead the program herself:
“Being in the water makes me feel like a kid again. Teaching the class was such a proud moment for me.”
Overcoming breast cancer: strength beyond the spine
Meredith’s resilience has been tested in more ways than one.
In 2019, during a routine 3D mammogram, doctors found a tumor in her left breast. With a strong family history of breast cancer, the news was frightening. After meeting with her breast oncologist and surgeon, Meredith chose to undergo a full radical mastectomy of both breasts.
On June 13, 2019, she had her surgery with a planned reconstruction. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed her final reconstruction for more than a year, since hospitals were not performing non-emergency procedures. She was prescribed hormone blockers for five years in lieu of chemotherapy and radiation, after being diagnosed with stage 2 ER+ breast cancer that had spread to the sentinel lymph node but no further.
Last summer, just one month after her back surgery, Meredith celebrated her 5-year cancer-free milestone.
“God is good. What a year of blessings."
Don’t let fear delay your healing
Living with severe back pain can be truly miserable for patients, especially if they delay treatment out of fear.
“While these are complex surgeries, most patients do incredibly well with them,” notes Bohl. “Compared to techniques used in the past, today’s spine surgeries are safer, shorter and involve significantly less blood loss. Because of these improvements, patients recover safely and regain a quality of life they didn’t think was possible before surgery.”
A significant contributor to the exceptional outcomes at CNSA is the high volume of procedures. On average, Bohl completes three to six spine surgeries a week.
“Like anything, the more you do it, the better you get at it," he says.
Bohl wants as many patients as possible to have a life-changing outcome like Meredith.
“If you're suffering from a spinal deformity, don’t hesitate to talk to a spine surgeon who specializes in deformity,” Bohl says, “You may have more options than you think.”
Meredith echoes that encouragement: "DO IT! Who wants to live hunched over and in pain? Not me! There’s too much living yet to do!”
Take control of your pain
Experiencing back or neck pain? Complete a short back and neck health assessment today.
Schedule a consultation with a SpineFirst specialist or call 704-831-4000.
SpineFirst is a premier partnership between Atrium Health and CNSA, combining the expertise of two nationally recognized leaders in spine care. This collaboration allows patients to access top spinal expertise, innovative treatments, and excellent outcomes through a seamless, integrated care experience. To learn more, visit SpineFirst.
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