On the dawn of a beautiful chilly Sunday morning if someone tells you that, you are the reason for him to walk pain free today and that too not a normal walk, a walk which is a trail of 5.6 kms with 1.7km of hilly terrain and narrow lanes on small stones and uneven surface. We are talking about the famous Seminary Hills or Japanese Garden trail of Nagpur which each and every fitness enthusiast of the city is aware of. Such appraisal is what you need to begin your week.

The Gentleman whom I’m talking about is Mr Arun Deshpande a pleasant soft spoken, kind hearted, hardworking person who is in his mid sixties, recently retired as a government employee working very hard on a systemic pattern for more than three and a half decades. His dreams were shattered when immediately after retirement he started having a small niggle in the back. The dream of walking peacefully in seminary hills or riding through the early morning breezes on his bicycle was on a halt due to his Backpain and radiating pain to his legs. The fear of something is really wrong in his back and because of him, his son and wife’s routine would be disturbed was avoiding this gentleman to go and see a specialist and get diagnosed. The pain gradually worsened, a person who was able to walk 5-6km everyday was making excuses to even walk up to the loo and hence avoiding drinking water and got into the cycle of further deterioration of not only musculoskeletal system but also renal and cardiac organs. When he came to me he was limping with a lurch and was unable to walk without discomfort for more than 5-7 metres. We examined and recommended surgery in the form of Minimal Invasive TLIF (Transforaminal Lumbar Intervertebral Fusion). After the successful surgery and recuperation he was able to do his routine activities from walking to cycling. He was totally independent and has been travelling frequently to various holidays with Mrs Deshpande.

Today when I was about to finish my run, I hear a familiar voice talking about how happy he was walking the trail. When I looked back, it was Mr Deshpande. He was thrilled to see me and held my hand and was in awe of the transformation what I have done in his life. With thankful tears in his eyes he said today finally after two years he was able to live his dream of walking on the seminary hills. His gratitude of me helping him return his life back by modifying his quality of life from a couch potato to a fitness enthusiast. This moment is what a surgeon lives for, all the hard work and toil during the grooming years gives you goose bumps by a simple Thank You. Back is Life, life is back.