Nanalee Jeffus Nichols and her husband Thomas are natives of Deport, Texas, where they own a small herd of cattle and a host of community newspapers. Nanalee has been in the newspaper business for 37 years and won First Place in the Texas Press Association Better Newspaper Award four times. She’s also the medical captain of the Deport Volunteer Fire Department, and an Intermediate EMT. Her ability to work, serve and play was being limited by severe back pain, and she could barely walk at times until back surgery at North Central Surgical Center restored her to full health.
Bogata News | Talco Times | October 30, 2014
Nichols Worth
By Nanalee Nichols
I’ve had back surgery. After dealing with a bad back for 23 years, I finally decided I couldn’t deal with the pain anymore. When I finally, thanks to Martha Bryson, found a back doctor, I was told I had let things go for way too long.
Okay, but how does one know that? We all hear horror stories about back surgeries (some of those stories are 30 years old, and things have changed a lot since then). We don’t want unnecessary surgery. After all, it has only been two years since my foot fusion.
And, we just plain get to where we try and live with things. When one can no longer walk 30 feet without incredible pain, it’s time to do something though.
Still and all, I don’t think I had grasped the Carrell Clinic and North Central Surgical Center in Dallas until we actually got there! I knew it was well known and supposed to be the best.
But they were all so incredibly kind, caring and competent.
When I came back from surgery late Monday night it was to a large, comfortable room. Thomas had access to coffee, tea and snacks. The nurses were wonderful. If the buzzer was pushed, there was a near-instant response. A smiling face was right there. Largely because, I think, they weren’t swamped with too many patients per staff member.
They brought us menus to select from a large group of foods. And I mean foods! Delicious, well-prepared meals with choices such as chicken quesadillas with smoky chipotle sauce or bread pudding with brandied topping. Thomas only had to pay $5 for his meals!
I had a little welcome kit with designer shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, mouthwash and my own bath puff. If I hadn’t had a back full of stitches and arm full of IV, I might have thought we were at a nice hotel.
So I don’t guess I should have been surprised to find out that this is the place, and these are the doctors who take care of Dallas Cowboys team members! I understand it gets kind of crazy when they have a star in residence. Apparently, there are people who will go to great lengths to try and find out what a player’s room number is. The doctors here tend to lots of other sports teams and stars.
I had no idea! And it is a good thing I didn’t either, because I would have automatically assumed we couldn’t afford the place and probably would have gone elsewhere.
I’m glad we didn’t. We love our doctor, I’m suffering less already, and it was wonderful to get “star” treatment at a time when I was frightened, hurting and stressed.
There is a lot of therapy to be faced. A number of challenges, since some nerves are permanently damaged. But I have hope, confidence and faith in the people I am seeing.
