Spine surgery “lifts fog” and returns patient to physical activity
In 2018, Jon Brandt was a swimmer and snow skier of 60-plus years, when he became concerned about the aches and pains of aging. Even as an active adult, “I felt I was slipping into old age.” Then, at age 66, he started experiencing lower back pain and sciatica.
Sciatic pain was intermittent. “It’s not easy to comprehend how pressure on nerves in one’s back is felt as pain in their legs,” he says. Seeking an explanation and relief, he saw his primary care physician, Javid Akrim, MD, at Allina Health Maplewood Clinic. To find the source of persistent pain, Dr. Akrim referred Jon to the Twin Cities (TC) Spine Center for specialized care. Heather Collins, PA-C, determined he was experiencing spondylolisthesis and stenosis, referring to a slip between his L-4 and L-5 vertebrae. Heather explained treatment options, including physical therapy, cortisone shots, and surgery.
To begin treatment, Heather referred Jon to Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute for physical therapy. “For the majority of patients, physical therapy is a great place to start for conservative care,” says Kim Donahue, PT, DPT, a physical therapist with Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute. “Most patients improve with physical therapy and don’t require surgical intervention. Occasionally, patients do require additional care, and Courage Kenny has a strong relationship with TC Spine Center.”
In 2022, the sciatic pain became a more frequent intrusion into Jon’s daily life. “Over time, sciatic pain progressively changed the way I walked, sat, worked, slept, moved, and just lived,” he says. “Some mornings it took 10 or 15 minutes to get out of bed and get dressed.” Jon received his first cortisone injection. “I was thankful for some relief, but pain was a constant presence.”
In the fall of 2023, unrelenting pain made ordinary activities more difficult. At his family lake home in northern Minnesota, “I could barely walk from the boathouse to my car. I wasn’t sure I could drive myself back to the Twin Cities,” he says. He considered stopping at a local hospital but temporarily overcame the disabling pain with over-the-counter medicine and multiple rest stops along the way. He eventually made it home, but it was a tipping point.
"I considered full retirement – not to enjoy the golden years, but resigned to life in my easy chair,” he says. At his next appointment, TC Spine Center took new images of Jon’s back. To help with the pain, Heather recommended a second cortisone injection, another physical therapy appointment, and spoke with him about surgery. Jon continued discussions about options with family and friends, some of whom had back surgery. Almost all had successful outcomes. “Heather wisely counseled me through a four-year process,” leading to a consultation with Benjamin Mueller, MD, PhD, a spine surgeon at TC Spine Center. After a careful review of Jon’s medical history, Dr. Mueller discussed and offered a spinal fusion.
In February 2024, Jon reported to Allina Health United Hospital for spine surgery. Assisted by Adam Robinson, PA-C, Dr. Mueller fused Jon’s L4 and L5 vertebrae with cadaver tissue and four screws. During surgery, Dr. Mueller also removed a bone spur (a result of arthritis) that was pressing against a nerve.
“The only pain that I felt after surgery was the surgical wound. Back pain and resulting sciatic pain were gone – from day one,” says Jon. Relative to years of back pain, Jon said his post-operative recovery was a walk in the park. Pain-free mobility and other physical improvements were incredible. "I asked myself, ‘Why did I wait so long to have this done?’”
Jon says he hadn’t been aware of how the systemic, cumulative effects of chronic pain had chipped away at his mental state. “The most unexpected outcome was discovering I had imperceptibly succumbed to changes in temperament, a pessimistic outlook, and mild cognitive decline,” he says. “About two months after surgery, I began to feel a ‘fog’ lifting, thinking more clearly. I put off retirement, made more plans with family and friends, became more active and productive, and found a renewed sense of future.”
After nine months, imaging showed Jon’s back was fully healed, and he could resume all activities. “I never expected sustained, 100% success – zero back pain.” Jon purchased a 2024-25 season pass to Colorado ski areas, something he thought was in his past. “The professionals at TC Spine Center and Allina Health United Hospital were terrific,” Jon said. “Dr. Mueller is an amazing surgeon. He gave me my life back!”
Jon Brandt lives in Maplewood and Ten Mile Lake in Minnesota, and Orlando, Florida. As of the fall of 2025, he is 73, a semi-retired social worker, an active building contractor, and has a 2025-26 season pass to Colorado ski areas.
Learn more about Allina Health's spine care services: Spine Care | Back and neck pain | Allina Health.
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