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Judy

Judy

Walking Away from Pain

Every day, Judy Rutledge and her dog walked four to five miles through her pastoral neighborhood in Forestell, Missouri. She had always found great joy in leading an active lifestyle. So when Judy began experiencing severe back pain, she was determined not to let it slow her down.

Judy’s pain developed shortly after having open heart surgery. Before then, she had no back pain to speak of — though she had a knee replacement years prior. This led Judy to Mark Belew, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Christian Hospital, whom she visited with a few times a year. Judy described her back pain to Dr. Belew,  and he referred her to Chris Beuer, MD, a pain management specialist and medical director of the Pain Management Center at Christian Hospital.

“I was walking all bent over and was in so much pain,” says Judy. “It was very debilitating.” Trusting Dr. Belew and the care she had received previously at Christian Hospital, Judy scheduled an appointment with Dr. Beuer. He diagnosed her with spinal stenosis, a condition in which a narrowing of the spinal canal compresses the spinal cord nerves in the lower back, resulting in pain, numbness or tingling. In Judy’s case, she experienced pain when walking and standing which improved when sitting or lying down. This made her a prime candidate for Mild®, or Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression, an innovative FDA-cleared procedure that removes excess tissue causing the narrowing of the spinal canal.

“Mild® is a minimally invasive alternative to spine surgery. While it isn’t a total cure, it can provide substantial functional improvement, improving standing tolerance, walking distance and the level of comfort when doing both of those things,” says  Dr. Beuer. “It’s an outpatient procedure, where patients can walk in and walk out with immediate results.”

In fall 2019, Judy underwent the Mild® procedure. “I immediately felt better,” says Judy.

“Coupled with physical therapy, I now have more stamina and far less pain. I can stand longer and walk farther.” She was also impressed with the speediness of the procedure and the care she was provided by the team. In addition to keeping up her walking, Judy has returned to her normal activities, enjoying time with her husband, Richard, fishing and playing music together.

“I’m thrilled to see Judy doing so well and out living her life,” says Dr. Beuer. Results like Judy’s are not out of the ordinary, with a majority of patients reporting a dramatic improvement in their quality of life. Mild® is still a relatively new procedure, and Dr. Beuer and his team are proud to be one of the few places offering it in the region. “This fills a void for people like Judy who really didn’t have any other options. Everyone should have the opportunity  to avoid surgery, improve function and live their life,” says Dr. Beuer. “To see outcomes like these … it’s just very rewarding.”

To learn more about the Pain Management Center or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Beuer, call 314.747.WELL (9355).

Diane

Diane

Imagine being not being able to do all of the things you do on a regular basis — go to the grocery store, walk around the neighborhood, drive your car. Chronic pain made that Diane’s reality.

Donta

Donta

After experiencing blurred vision at work followed by a restless night’s sleep like nothing he had ever known, along with abdominal pain and “feeling pretty much out of it” – Donta Moore, 34, of Florissant, Missouri, knew along with his wife’s insistence that he needed to get to Christian Hospital.

Lima

Lima

Lima was at a North County coffee shop when she suffered a health episode. She experienced the compassionate and expert care of the Christian Hospital Emergency Medical Services team.

Sherrie

Sherrie

Lifesaving experience changes perception of Christian Hospital.

Mike

Mike

Mike began feeling very sick late one night and his wife rushed him to nearby Christian Hospital. He credits his care team for saving his life and taking extra steps to find the cause of his illness.

Cheryl

Cheryl

In July 2021, Cheryl Koch, 74, of Florissant, Mo., was eating at a restaurant when she noticed her food wouldn’t go down. Concerned, she returned home. Her chest was tightening, and her blood pressure was alarmingly high. Her neighbor called 911, and the paramedics told her she needed to go to the emergency room (ER) right away.

Dwayne

Dwayne

‘Amazing and compassionate staff’ at Christian Hospital care for SLCH employee’s heart.

Steve

Steve

Steve Barnett believes in miracles. He was discharged from Christian Hospital on Dec. 1, 2021, after battling COVID-19 for four months in four different hospitals, including more than six weeks in one of those facilities intubated on a ventilator in a drug induced-coma.

Vanessa

Vanessa

Caring staff at Christian Hospital eases anxiety.

Judy

Judy

Every day, Judy Rutledge and her dog walked four to five miles through her pastoral neighborhood in Forestell, Missouri. She had always found great joy in leading an active lifestyle. So when Judy began experiencing severe back pain, she was determined not to let it slow her down.

Lafayette

Lafayette

Lafayette Gatewood III, 56, of St. Louis, Mo., has been a high school teacher and football coach for 28 years. In July of 2019, Lafayette was on the football field at practice, like he is most days, when he developed a blister on his foot. With a history of diabetes and kidney failure, he became particularly worried when his foot swelled up.

Earl Berry

Earl Berry

"I was a little bit concerned because I didn’t know anybody else that had a valve inside of a valve, but each visit back to Dr. Ray’s office reassured me, as he said it was absolutely doable,” says Earl.

Azizah

Azizah

“I am more than elated and happy that Christian Hospital has changed so much that I would recommend anybody go there,” says Azizah Nuri-El Minnis from Ferguson, Mo., who recently visited the hospital’s Breathing Center.

Hamilton

Hamilton

Hamilton Terrell III had been dealing all day with some soreness in his in mouth when he experienced an unexpected surge of pain so intense that he couldn’t speak. He knew he needed to get help fast. 

Donna

Donna

An Innovative Treatment Bringing Relief for Chronic Knee Pain

Norma

Norma

Norma’s experience changed everything she had ever thought about Christian Hospital.

Chenitra

Chenitra

Chenitra Grimes-Washington returned with family members to thank the team who helped save her life.

Ron

Ron

Ron Komlos doesn’t think about lung cancer anymore since a robotic lung lobectomy determined he was cancer free. His mind has been set ever since on enjoying life thanks to the cardiothoracic team at Christian Hospital.

James

James

James and his wife found themselves needing help when they suddenly became guardians for their four grandchildren. Christian Hospital’s Pathway to Health program helped them access care.

Robbi

Robbi

GI Patient Finds Lifesaving Diagnosis at Christian Hospital

For nearly six months, Robbi Sanders, 40, of St. Louis, suffered from extreme stomach pain, resulting in dramatic weight loss and the inability to even leave her bed. The hospitals she visited couldn’t determine the cause of Robbi’s pain, prescribing her with antibiotics which provided her with only temporary relief.

Valerie

Valerie

As supervisor of social services at the Ferguson Community Empowerment Center, Valerie Valiant, 51, of Florissant, Mo., spends her days empowering individuals and families in the community to overcome barriers. However, it wasn’t until her own hospitalization in the midst of the pandemic that she could personally attest to the high level of care and expertise being offered right here in north St. Louis County.

Find a doctor or make an appointment: 800.392.0936
General Information: 314.653.5000
Christian Hospital
11133 Dunn Road
St. Louis, Missouri 63136


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