From Wheelchair to Walking: A Patient's Journey Back to Life

Dan Lockwood was able to get relief from excruciating nerve pain with the help of innovative spinal surgery at Lee Health.

Dan Lockwood was a picture of physical strength in his younger years. In high school, he won awards as a powerlifter in his former home state of Minnesota. 

His professional path continued to demand physical prowess—first as a steelworker, then as a telecommunications lineman for a local internet company. The job required strength and endurance, which burly Dan had in abundance. 

But over the years, the physical demands of his work, climbing poles and shouldering heavy gear took their toll. 

"My job was always rooted in physical activity," says the 54-year-old. "Eventually, the heavy work took my back out and started breaking my body apart.” 

His first spinal fusion happened 25 years ago, followed by a second fusion a few years later. 

The breaking point, or “the cherry on the sundae,” as Dan puts it, came during a routine workday when he was pulling up an electrical line by hand. His back fractured, again. 

His back pain turned extreme. Worse, it became constant.

Extensive testing, including numerous MRIs and specialist opinions, confirmed the grim reality: Dan’s back problem was untreatable; his pain incurable. 

“The doctors said, ‘You're done, your job as a lineman is over, we're not going to cut you open again,’” he says.

Dan's career was over, and a life of constant, excruciating pain seemed inevitable.

Living with debilitating pain

In 2019, Dan and his wife Sue relocated to North Fort Myers. By then, his condition had deteriorated dramatically. 

"I was hunched over like Quasimodo. I couldn't walk 10 feet without what they call 'furniture surfing'—where you hang on and drag your upper body and drag your bottom half along,” he recalls. “I did that for a couple of years.”

In 2022, Hurricane Ian destroyed many homes in Dan’s community. Despite his severely limited mobility, he went out into his neighborhood to help free survivors trapped under collapsed metal carports or inside their homes. 

The task required Dan to climb a ladder, brace himself against it, and cut down beams or posts. 

"Even though I was furniture surfing, I would drag myself to a ladder,” he explains. “I used a mechanic's cart with wheels, threw my upper body over the top of it, put knee pads on, and just like a turtle with a tool in my hand, I'd use that to reach the ladder and climb it.”

This selfless effort came at a high cost, though. He ended up in a wheelchair, in worse pain than ever. 

“Just making it from the kitchen island counter to the couch would take my breath away, cover me in sweat,” he says. “There was no enjoyment of watching TV, no enjoyment of a meal or spending time with my wife.

“The pain was so severe that I prayed to God to either heal me, send somebody to heal me, or take me home.”

Dan says his condition humbled and humiliated him. “I didn't want my picture taken. I didn't want the grandchildren to see me at family activities. Life, just breathing, was miserable. And I felt like I was in contempt (in the eyes of the Lord) because I was praying for it to be over.”

Turning Point: Finding Dr. Adamczak

After multiple referrals and yet another MRI, Dan was referred to Dr. Stephanie Adamczak, a neurosurgeon with the Neuroscience Institute at Lee Health, who specializes in complex spinal surgery.

"When Mr. Lockwood came to my clinic, he was in a wheelchair," Dr. Adamczak recalls. "Not because he didn't have strength in his legs, not because he couldn't move his legs, but because he had such debilitating pain when he tried to stand and walk. And he was in tears."

After Dr. Adamczak reviewed Dan's case file, her words, "I could help you," offered him hope for the first time in six years. Eyes brimming with emotion, Dan pauses to collect himself.   

“I've always had faith, but faith that God would lead me to the right situation, whether he'd call me home or heal me. But to hear somebody say, I know what's wrong, and I can fix you…” Dan’s voice goes quiet, a silence that speaks volumes.

Meet Lee Health Neurosurgeon Stephanie Adamczak

Understanding the problem

Dr. Adamczak's expertise in spinal neurosurgery allowed her to identify Dan's specific condition. 

"On his imaging, he had instability in his spine and pinched nerves," she explains. "The bones in the spine are stacked on one another. In his case, one of the bones was slipping forward in the spine. And the disc that provides the cushion was collapsed and deteriorated."

This instability created a cascade of problems whenever Dan tried to stand. 

"Every time he would stand up and put weight on his spine, the bone would slip even more, and it would pull the nerves with it and cause the debilitating pain.”

Surgical innovation brings relief

The solution required a precise surgical intervention. 

"During surgery, I took out that collapsed disc and put a wedge in to open that space,” Dr. Adamczak explains. “I put in rods and screws in that segment of the spine to stabilize it.”

She also performed what’s called a reduction maneuver, which pulled the bone back into alignment.

LEE HEALTH INSTAGRAM: In Dan’s own words

A new life begins

The successful surgery immediately provided stability, freeing Dan from the constant, excruciating nerve pain and allowing him to stand and bear weight on his spine.

"When you relieve that pressure on a pinched nerve, the pain relief is immediate," Dr. Adamczak. "He came to the office for his first follow-up visit using a cane, but he was pain-free. It was amazing to see him walk into the office, standing straight without any pain."

For Dan, the relief was immediate and profound. While in the post-operative recovery room, he experienced a transformation. 

"I was lying in the hospital bed, and I didn't need to push the button for pain medicine. For the first time in six years, I had no pain," Dan says, marveling. "And all I could do was thank God that it felt like he had healed me through her hands."

The recovery process has been steady and consistently positive. 

"It's been over a year now. Do I have some aches and pains? Yeah, I do. Can I do everything that I used to do when I was a teenager? No. But I'm alive. I'm happy I'm alive," he says.

Perhaps most remarkably, Dan no longer depends on the powerful pain medications that had become a daily necessity. 

"I used to take so much Tylenol, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and muscle relaxers that it was eating my insides. I used to take 12 ibuprofen tablets at a shot with a muscle relaxer and a narcotic to try to bring the edge down. Just the edge. I don't have that anymore."

Restored purpose

Dr. Adamczak says the most rewarding aspect of Dan's recovery goes beyond his personal relief.

“The most inspiring part of Mr. Lockwood's story is seeing how restoring his quality of life positively affected everybody else around him," she says. “Before this spinal condition, Mr. Lockwood was the person everybody went to in his neighborhood if they needed help. He was Mr. Fix-It because that's the kind, generous person that he is. But when this condition set in and he couldn't even stand without pain, he couldn't be that person anymore."

Today, Dan has reclaimed his role as a helper in his community. 

"After surgery, relieving all of his pain and restoring his mobility, he's back out in his neighborhood helping others," Dr. Adamczak says, smiling. 

Dan embraces this renewed capability with gratitude. His appreciation extends to the simple joys many take for granted: attending his grandchildren's sports games and dance recitals, attending church in person rather than watching services on television and being a supportive partner to his wife.

"I wake up feeling emotional every day because I've got a life where once there wasn't any," Dan says. His eyes shine with tears. "You can't help but think of the person or the people who gave you this life back. Now it's a whole new life and just be thankful and pray that they're blessed each and every day.”

He adds, "If you're feeling crappy, go help somebody who needs help, and you'll feel better. I guarantee it," he says. "You really will. Whether they're grateful or not, you'll feel better. That was one of the things that was missing in my life, and now it has returned."

A message of hope

Dan now carries Dr. Adamczak's business cards with him, sharing them with strangers he notices struggling with pain. 

"I say, give this lady a call because she could possibly change your life.” 

His message to others suffering from similar conditions is simple but powerful: 

"If you think you're at your last bit of hope or strength, give it a chance. This lady put me back together and performed a miracle. I have a life now. I have hope."

Lee Health Spine Center at the Lee Health Musculoskeletal Institute

The Lee Health Spine Center, part of the Lee Health Musculoskeletal Institute, offers a variety of diagnostic testing and minimally invasive treatment options for patients. 

The Center’s neurosurgeons offer specialized expertise in innovative techniques for spine surgery that restore mobility and enhance your quality of life. 

To learn more about Lee Health’s neurosurgical services, schedule a consultation today.