Tanya Lewis lived with pain no one could explain or resolve. A second opinion finally led her to the spine care she needed,
A life of service, interrupted
Before back pain changed what she could do each day, Tanya Lewis of Fredericksburg, Virginia, lived a life centered on service. She had worked as a cognitive counselor in a men’s prison and later as a probation officer. She also loved sewing, embroidery, and crafting, often making care bags with snacks and essentials for people experiencing homelessness. Tanya and her husband, James, are pastors, and ministry remains central to their lives.
When back and leg pain began limiting her days, that life of service became harder to sustain. “My coworker used to joke and say, ‘I see your tire is going flat again,’” she said, recalling how badly she had begun to limp. Pain management and physical therapy did not help, and she grew weaker. In 2020, she underwent her first back surgery. Less than 24 hours later, she had a second procedure after being told she needed a plate in her back. When she woke up, she knew something was wrong: “I literally could not lift my leg one inch off the ground.”
The weakness did not go away after the anesthesia wore off. She had to relearn how to use her leg in therapy and lift it to climb the stairs in her two-story home. New symptoms followed, including numbness and sudden electrical shock-like pain. By December 2020, she underwent a third surgery after being told the plate might be affecting a nerve. Instead of improving, her condition worsened. Short-term disability became long-term disability, and eventually she could no longer work.
A second opinion finally brought answers
A search for answers brought Tanya to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where she met Edward Aulisi, MD, a neurosurgeon, in March 2022 through a referral from a friend of her husband’s. Reviewing her records and imaging, he identified problems that had not been addressed, including spinal instability and alignment issues, hardware placement concerns, and retained bone fragments near a nerve. “For the first time, I could actually see and understand what was going on,” Tanya said.
As they talked through what lay ahead, Dr. Aulisi helped ease the emotional weight Tanya had been carrying after going too long without the right diagnosis or treatment. “Being upset about it is not going to serve you,” he told her. He also reassured Tanya that he could correct the structural problems affecting her spine, while explaining that he could not make guarantees about the nerve damage she was experiencing. “That was a turning point for me,” Tanya said. “I knew I was going to be okay.”
In June 2022, Dr. Aulisi recommended a complex corrective surgery—Tanya’s fourth spine surgery overall and her first with him—to stabilize Tanya’s spine and address the source of her symptoms. The procedure involved revising an earlier spine fusion from another hospital that had not resolved Tanya’s problem. Dr. Aulisi removed loose screws and replaced them to better support the affected area. Because the case was complex, the team also used CIRQ® robotic technology and intraoperative imaging with the Brainlab system—tools that provide real-time guidance during surgery and help surgeons place spinal implants with greater accuracy.
After surgery, Tanya began to feel the difference. Recovery still required patience, therapy, and determination, but this time it came with progress. Her body felt more stable, and the pain that had disrupted her life eased. “He fixed everything,” Tanya said, while also knowing that some nerve symptoms might take longer to improve. “His bedside manner, I’ve never experienced anything like it,” she added, describing the kindness and calm that stayed with her throughout the process.
Setbacks, another surgery, and small victories
In the years that followed, Tanya continued to manage setbacks, including falls and strained-back episodes while she was still recovering. By 2025, new pain had become excruciating and walking was increasingly difficult. She cycled in and out of emergency rooms and urgent care facilities every week without a clear explanation for what was now happening. She later learned she had a herniated disc as well as pressure on nearby nerves, a condition often called a pinched nerve.
Before her second surgery with Dr. Aulisi, Tanya recalled that another doctor had described a plan to “throw the kitchen sink” at the problem through pain management and physical therapy, but Dr. Aulisi told her, “This has to be fixed surgically.” The news was difficult, but it also gave her something she had been missing: clarity and a proper prognosis. This time, the procedure focused on relieving pressure on her spinal nerves.
Afterwards, Tanya once again began to regain parts of daily life that pain had taken away. Recovery became about more than reducing pain; it was also about returning to the everyday activities that helped her feel like herself again.
Prior to the latest procedure, Tanya could remain seated for only about 30 minutes before needing to lie down. Now, she moves through daily life without a cane or walker. “It’s little stuff,” she said. “I can sit. I can travel.” After everything she had been through, those everyday moments are signs of how far she has come.
If you are living with back or spine pain, expert spine care and a second opinion may help you find answers and the right next step. To learn more about MedStar Health’s Spine Surgery program, visit MedStarHealth.org/spine.