Finding relief from chronic back pain

Back surgeries have a reputation for being complex and unpredictable. For Gaylene Eisenach, however, surgery has been a pathway to regaining her mobility and reclaiming her sense of self. Gaylene, a mom and retired executive assistant, was living with worsening back pain, causing her to miss out on her favorite activities and taking a toll on her mental health.

“Chronic pain, like what Gaylene was experiencing, can have a profound impact when left untreated,” says Dr. Matthew Follett, an orthopedic spine surgeon affiliated with Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. “There’s a clear link between pain and mental-health challenges, each feeding into the other. I see many patients who experience mental-health concerns alongside chronic pain — and as their pain improves, their overall well-being also often improves.”

After trying many nonsurgical back pain treatments with limited success, Gaylene ultimately decided to have a laminectomy, performed by Dr. Follett, in September 2025. A laminectomy is a minimally invasive surgery, in which a small piece of bone is removed from the spine to create more space around the nerves. This helps relieve pressure that may be causing pain, numbness or weakness in the back and lower body.

Pain’s no joking matter

Gaylene, no stranger to chronic pain, was already familiar with the laminectomy procedure. She had this type of orthopedic surgery before at other hospitals. Additionally, she had a hip replacement, giving her relief from hip pain, but lower back pain and discomfort in her left leg persisted.

Despite her pain, Gaylene has always tried to maintain a positive spirit and find joy in laughter. With a natural flair for comedy, Gaylene says that her son often jokes that she should become a stand-up comic, although she admits it was hard to hold onto her sense of humor when she was in pain. “When you are in pain, you are just not yourself,” she says.

Gaylene was happy to have Dr. Follett by her side on the road toward back surgery. “Dr. Follett was wonderful. His bedside manner was the best,” she shares. “He was kind and took his time with me to understand my pain and medical history.”

Even though a laminectomy is minimally invasive, Dr. Follett emphasizes that it is still surgery. “We try to give each patient the best chance to get better without surgery before we really consider it,” he says. “Surgery can yield excellent outcomes for certain patients, but we approach it thoughtfully to personalize the treatment plan to each individual.”

Back to being Gaylene

Gaylene remembers waking up after surgery, receiving compassionate care from her nursing team, and immediately feeling relief from the pain and discomfort she had known for so long.

“When I saw Dr. Follett after my surgery, I said, ‘It’s gone, what did you do? Did you wave a magic wand?’” Gaylene says. “My son even commented on how happy I seemed when I came home.” Gaylene was back on her feet the same day as her surgery. Sharp aims to get patients up, moving and in physical therapy soon after surgery for the best possible long-term outcomes.

Gaylene also quickly reclaimed her sense of humor. “Thinking back, I am pretty sure I told Dr. Follett I wanted to kiss him because of how happy I was with my outcome!” she jokes.

Now, Gaylene is back to sharing jokes and looking forward to her favorite activities again — especially baking — just in time for the holidays. She also has encouraging words for those who may be on the fence about back surgery.

“Back surgery has come so far over the years,” she shares. “I had my first laminectomy in 2015 and was in the hospital for four days. This time, I was out the door the same day. If you’re really in pain and it’s interrupting your life, there’s no reason not to say yes to it.”

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