James Knock – Testimonial

After 30 years of an active working life delivering milk 4 days per week 52 weeks of the year and running a small gardening business I retired in October 2021.

Within weeks I was experiencing pain and numbness in my legs and lower back and when my GP eventually spoke to me over the phone and I had undergone an MRI scan in February 22 I was told the earliest I would see a specialist would be 7 weeks. No mention was made of the latest date I could expect to be seen! I then contacted Mr Greg Rudol who I had seen in the past and had a consultation in Roundhay on 26/4/22. He said I had a serious problem and when he discovered I was not insured he put me on the NHS list at the LGI.

Fast forward to late May and appointments with Mr Sinha and a week later Mr Pal.

The outcome was a diagnosis of compression in the T10/11 area requiring relatively urgent surgery possibly entry through the chest to remove bits of calcified disc and then a fixation. Mr Pal decided he would use a posterior instrumented fixation and decompression initially to avoid an Anterior procedure.

On 7/9 I went up to surgery and a general anaesthetic was administered. When I came around, I realised there was a shortage of tubes and paraphernalia one would expect after major surgery. Mr Pal’s registrar Elizabeth Culpin shot over to me to explain why no procedure had taken place and she could not have been more gentle, concerned etc as I fought back tears of frustration and disappointment.

Fast forward to 19/10 and a successful operation was performed by Mr Pal and his team.

After a MRI scan in late December I saw Mr Pal at the LGI in mid February and he expressed satisfaction with his handiwork and provided I take care and follow all guidance,ie no heavy lifting etc I should be able to enjoy my retirement starting with 5 nights in Firenze at the end of March.

I am deeply grateful to all the team at Leeds from Mr Pal downwards to the wonderful nurses and ancillary staff who looked after me post operation always smiling and no request too much for them.

James Knock