Spine Surgery Transforms the Life of AdventHealth Avista Team Member

AdventHealth Avista Operating Room Surgical Tech, Kreshenka Woodcock has worked in healthcare for more than 35 years. She started her career in the military, serving in navel hospitals in Florida and Virgina. As a Colorado native, she felt called to return home and has worked at Avista for the last five years. Throughout her tenure at Avista, she has always felt like her team had her back.

Unfortunately, Kreshenka was experiencing numbness and tingling in her arm, to the point of not being able to grip anything at all in her right hand. She expressed her pain at the time was a 10/10.

“About a month before I had the surgery, it was difficult to do my job,” said Kreshenka. “I didn’t have any grip strength in my right hand. They were having me do more floating and making sure cases were together. I was just scrubbing easy stuff where I didn’t need to do any heavy lifting. I was dropping things, and it was like ‘what just happened’, I couldn't feel my hand.”

Kreshenka knew exactly who to call for help, Dr. Jacob Rumley, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who is fellowship-trained in spine surgery. “I called Dr. Rumley’s PA Kate to run the symptoms by her, but Dr. Rumley answered the phone. He asked what’s going on and I said, “I think I need to be your patient.” After explaining my symptoms, he said “get over to my office right now.” He is a very genuine, hands-on kind of person. He personally took me back, did the exam and took some x-rays.”

The x-rays revealed that Kreshenka needed surgery sooner than later. There wasn’t a way for Dr. Rumley to even give her an injection to help relieve her pain as her injury was too inflamed.

Two weeks later, Kreshenka had spine surgery - an anterior cervical disk fusion, placing two plates and eight screws in her neck. “As soon as I woke up from the surgery I felt better,” said Kreshenka. “The staff on the floor and med-surg were awesome - they took great care of me. I didn’t really have any pain, and the scar looks great. It’s right at the crease in my neck and you can’t even tell when I look at you straight on. He just knows what he is doing!”

Kreshenka took three months off work to recover. Her birthday fell in the middle of her time off - she was deeply touched by all the birthday texts and calls that she received from team members from all over the hospital. “I was super emotional about it, I even have tears in my eyes now because I had never felt support like that at any job before. We are all here for each other. I cried knowing that everybody was so ready for me to come back. It meant a lot to me.” Coming back to work was a joy as Kreshenka was thrilled to be reunited with her work family.

Living in pain can truly be debilitating. Kreshenka encourages those who are in pain to seek help. “If you are having pain, please talk to somebody about it. I knew I was having issues, but I thought ‘oh it’s just carpel tunnel’ and it turned out to be my neck which is a big deal. We have several spine doctors at Avista and all of them are awesome. I wouldn’t hesitate to see any of them. With Dr. Rumley it was less clinical and more human.”

Since her surgery in late February, Kreshenka has been feeling much better and enjoying having greater mobility. She is looking forward to her future daughter in-law’s bachelorette party where they will be going zip-lining. She is excited to be able to participate as she wouldn’t have been able to without the surgery. Kreshenka has savored getting back to her hobbies including running a small honey business with local bee hives!

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Rumley, visit: Jacob Carl Lewis Rumley, DO | Orthopedic Surgery | Thornton, CO | AdventHealth