As related by Lauren Ohayon of Miami, Fla.
I am a long-time yoga and Pilates teacher with a very well-known brand I call “Restore Your Core.” It’s a core and pelvic floor rehabilitation program, and I have over 10,000 clients, the majority of whom are virtual.
Typically, people turn to me for help, often because they have back problems, since that is one of my specialties. Four months ago, I, myself, developed a painful back problem. To alleviate it, I went for a chiropractic adjustment. Afterward, I could not stand up straight. For months and months, I tried to heal myself. About 20 years ago, I had suffered from a herniated disc, but it healed by itself. So I was sure I could heal alone this time, too. But I could not. Bear in mind that I am a mom to three teens, and I am constantly running around, in addition to teaching. Being grounded for nearly four months was a nightmare for me and my family.
My world got tiny. I went nowhere. I tried not to go down emotional rabbit holes, thinking of myself as a victim, lost in resentment that I, as a core fitness instructor, should have a back problem.
I know I am incredibly blessed to have a husband who, during this nightmare, did everything for the house, the kids and the Restore Your Core business. And a mom and dad who are there for me in a trillion ways.
Despite my inability to walk, I traveled to France to host a retreat for my Restore Your Core members. I was in a wheelchair and in excruciating pain. When I saw how my amazing clients looked at me as they took in my inability to stand or walk, I contacted my mother, a long-time Hadassah leader.
My mother, who is a nurse, recalls that when I called her from France, crying, terrified that I could not walk, she told me, “You need to see a doctor immediately because you could sustain permanent damage if you wait. You have two choices. You could either return home to Miami or go to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, where I know that you will be taken care of extremely well.”
Flying to Israel would be easier, I thought, than taking the long flight home to Miami, given the pain I was in. And I knew my mother had long-standing connections to Hadassah Ein Kerem.
With my mom’s help reaching out to her friends at the Hadassah Office in Israel, I was referred to renowned Hadassah spine surgeon Dr. Josh Schroeder. I was able to see him as soon as I arrived in Israel. As it turns out, there was a large fragment of bone resting on a spinal nerve. I was terrified to have surgery, but I was told Dr. Schroeder was the best, and I felt very comfortable with him.
Four days later, Dr. Schroeder operated on me to remove the fragment. After the surgery, I was better immediately! It was surreal. I had been so afraid that the surgery would fail or that I would be left with permanent damage. But I felt fine!
My recovery was so easy. I felt no pain. I needed no pain pills.
As my mother says, “The Hadassah Medical Organization has literally been a lifesaver for my family. Not only is my daughter Lauren back to new, but also my other daughter’s daughter, Emmanuelle, who was born at Hadassah with a heart problem, had her life saved by the doctors in the Pediatric Cardiology Department.”
It has been almost a month since my surgery, and I’m still doing great, standing and walking totally normally. Dr. Schroeder is literally my favorite person right now. I’m so blessed that he did my surgery.
After months of not being able to walk, it all feels like a miracle.