It is hard to sum up in a few words just how much my life has dramatically improved since I first saw Mr Ishaque last year.

It is hard to sum up in a few words just how much my life has dramatically improved since I first saw Mr Ishaque last year. I was suffering from constant and debilitating pain which meant I was horribly depressed and dependent on huge doses of Morphine to just get through each day. I was existing; not living and didn’t know where to turn as my previous consultant had told me there was nothing more he could do. From the very first consultation I felt I was being listened to and I was given some hope that Mr Ishaque could improve my quality of life.

After x-rays and scans to ascertain exactly what was going on in my spine Mr Ishaque told me with utmost confidence that he could help me. When he tells you that he can help you, you believe him because he talks you through everything, explaining simply but authoritatively what the problem is and what he will do to fix it. It was clear that I would need a multi-level fusion to sort out the mess in my spine left by the previous surgeon, but knowing that I was at my wits end with pain he arranged for me to have epidural injections just to get me through the Christmas period.

As others have attested the surgery and stay in hospital were managed wonderfully by Mr Ishaque and Dr da Silva; from waiting to see me settled in intensive care even after 10 hours of surgery, to daily visits and pep talks when it all seemed a bit too much. Follow up consultations have been handled with just as much care, allowing me to take as long, and to ask as many questions as I needed so that I left feeling confident and in control.

From just a few weeks post-surgery people were telling me how much better I looked. I am now back at work and last week celebrated my first week without Morphine in nearly 4 years!
Thank you, from me, my family, friends and colleagues-I have my life back –and really, that is no exaggeration. You are the dream team-Mr Ishaque, Dr da Silva and Linda Hamilton, some of the kindest, most professional people you could ever hope to deal with.