Patient Stories

Jack Hoffman lives for adventure. At 72, he fl ies airplanes, skis, and rides motorcycles and snowmobiles. He has hand-built houses, mined for gold in Alaska, and is currently restoring an antique gas pump. Over time, the cumulative impact of this “work hard, play hard” life has taken a toll on his back. He can’t point to a single injury that led to his years of back pain. “It just disintegrated,” Jack says.

Laura Dorn is an active person. A 58-year-old from Keizer, Oregon, she loves walking, running, swimming and anything else that keeps her on the go. Like most active people, her goal is to keep moving for as long as possible. She doesn’t want anything to slow her down, but a few years ago that goal looked like it was slipping away.