The Michael Morris comeback: How successful spine surgery restored Portage man’s quality of life

For Michael Morris of Portage, the summer of 2024 was a season of immobility and unrelenting pain. A retired steelworker who had already endured three back surgeries over 15 years, Michael suddenly found himself nearly bedridden with severe neck pain radiating down his right arm.

With pain management no longer effective, his nurse practitioner at Centers for Pain Control referred him to Nicholas Wallace, MD, orthopedic spine surgeon at Methodist Hospitals. After a thorough evaluation at his Crown Point office, Dr. Wallace diagnosed a severely ruptured disc pressing on Michael’s spinal cord. Surgery, he determined, was the best solution.

Reflecting on his experience, Michael rates his care a 10 out of 10.