Teacher Has Successful Scoliosis Correction Surgery

Jessi Harper, 37, has deep roots in the Fayette, Georgia community she currently calls home. After growing up in the area, Jessi began teaching at the local Inman Elementary School 14 years ago. Today, she is still teaching at Inman Elementary, now along side her husband, Charlie, as they raise their two children.

Unfortunately, Jessi's history with back problems runs just as deep as her community ties, as she was diagnosed with scoliosis — a condition in which the spine curves abnormally sideways — in her teenage years.

"Back then it really wasn't too bad, and we had no idea it could progress so seriously," said Jessi. "In fact, it wasn't until three years ago when I had my second child that I noticed I was actually getting shorter because of my condition."

Sure enough, when Jessi finally made it into a physician's office for a consultation about her scoliosis, she was told that her spine had receded to a 70-degree angle.

After receiving this shocking news, Jessi sought out local spine specialists to explore possible solutions.

"The first specialists I saw told me that I would need to have at least two surgeries, and that they would only be able to prevent further recession of my spine, not correct what had already happened," said Jessi. "But I decided to do some research and get a second opinion."

"The Resurgens team was so wonderful during the entire process."

Having received recommendations about Resurgens' Dr. Maurice Goins from friends and family, Jessi soon decided to schedule her first visit at the Fayetteville office.

"That first appointment with Dr. Goins changed everything," said Jessi. "He told me that he could not only perform the needed repair in one surgery, but that he could reverse a good portion of the recession in my spine that had already happened."

Sure enough, Dr. Goins performed a successful scoliosis correction surgery on Jessi in May 2014, restoring her spine up to a 15-degree angle and bringing her height back up two full inches.

Jessi says she is thankful for both the positive outcome, and the respect she received from Dr. Goins and the Resurgens staff during the process. "I have so much more confidence now post-surgery," said Jessi. "And the Resurgens team was so wonderful during the entire process. They made sure to explain everything that was going on in a way that I could understand, and never made me feel stupid for asking questions."

Now Jessi is back to teaching and spending time with her family, and even took a hike up Stone Mountain just five months after her procedure.

Dr. Maurice Goins completed his medical degree and residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. and a fellowship in spine surgery at Thomas Jefferson University/Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He specializes in reconstructive spine surgery, cervical spine surgery, minimally invasive spine surgery, lumbar spine surgery, total disc arthroplasty, kyphoplasty, general orthopaedics, and sports medicine. Dr. Goins is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.